What causes a bladder infection? Most of the time a bladder infection is caused by bacteria that are normally found in your bowel. The bladder has several systems to prevent infection. For example, urination most often flushes out bacteria before it reaches the bladder.
Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs, although fungi rarely can also infect the urinary tract. E. coli bacteria, which live in the bowel, cause most UTIs. The female anatomy contributes to women's increased likelihood of contracting a UTI.
UTIs typically occur when bacteria outside the body enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply. Most cases of cystitis are caused by a type of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. But other types of bacteria can cause infections, too. Bacterial bladder infections may happen in women after sex.
Having sex, wiping from back to front after you go to the bathroom, putting in a tampon, and using a diaphragm for birth control are all ways bacteria can get in. During pregnancy, the baby can press on your bladder, which prevents it from emptying completely and gives bacteria a place to thrive.
The best thing you can do for fast relief from a bladder infection is to is see your doctor, and get an antibiotic. Antibiotics kill the bacteria that causes bladder infections and are the best way to stop a UTI in its tracks.
Bladder infections are a type of UTI, but not all urinary tract infections are bladder infections. A UTI is defined as an infection in one or more places in the urinary tract—the ureters, kidneys, urethra, and/or bladder. A bladder infection is a UTI that's only located in the bladder.
If you have symptoms of a bladder infection, see a health care professional right away, especially if you have severe pain in your back near your ribs or in your lower abdomen, along with vomiting and nausea, fever, or other symptoms that may indicate a kidney infection.
UTIs are normally treated with a short term course of antibiotics. Most women are given a 3-day course of antibiotic capsules or tablets. Men, pregnant women and people with more serious symptoms may need a slightly longer course. Your symptoms will normally pass within 3 to 5 days of starting treatment.
Outlook (Prognosis) Most UTIs can be cured. Bladder infection symptoms most often go away within 24 to 48 hours after treatment begins. If you have a kidney infection, it may take 1 week or longer for symptoms to go away.
If you suffer from high stress levels or anxiety, you might also develop a urinary tract infection. Can stress cause a UTI? Not directly. However, stress can increase your cortisol levels, which can affect your immune system and make you more prone to infections.
See your doctor for an antibiotic
Antibiotics work by getting rid of the bacteria that is causing your bladder infection. Research has shown that antibiotics are effective and perform better than a placebo. You need to complete the full course of the prescribed antibiotic, even when you start to feel better.
“A bladder infection can get better on its own, but most of the time it doesn't. If your symptoms are minor, it's reasonable to try extra fluids and cranberry products to see if it resolves over the course of a day. If it doesn't, work with your doctor to get a urine test or visit urgent care.
Symptoms of a renal infection are similar to those of a bladder infection but worse. Kidney infection symptoms include severe abdominal pain, back pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. You can avoid this by treating your UTI so that it does not worsen and by consulting a doctor.
People with a vagina, uterus, and ovaries most commonly get a UTI when they accidentally spread bacteria from their gut to the opening of the urethra. This happens if you accidentally wipe from back to front or during sexual intercourse.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) or IC/BPS is an issue of long-term bladder pain. It may feel like a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it's not. It is a feeling of discomfort and pressure in the bladder area that lasts for six weeks or more with no infection or other clear cause.
Symptoms of cystitis in adults
pain, burning or stinging when you pee. needing to pee more often and urgently than normal. feeling like you need to pee again soon after going to the toilet. urine that's dark, cloudy or strong-smelling.
Typically, the doctor performs a physical examination and asks about the symptoms. If they suspect a bladder infection, they test the person's urine and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. For a suspected kidney infection, a doctor also orders a urine test to check for the type of bacteria responsible.
Complications from bladder infections are rare when you work with your health care provider to find the best treatment and complete it. If your infection is treated with antibiotics, it's important to follow directions carefully and finish all the medicine, even after you start to feel better.
You shouldn't leave a UTI untreated for an entire week. It's recommended for healthy adult women to receive treatment after at least two days.
Urinating often when you have a UTI can reduce the risk of a worsening infection. This happens because urination puts pressure on the bacteria. The longer you hold urine, the higher the risk for bacteria to build up in your system. Make sure to use the restroom as soon as possible if the urge arises.
When bacteria or viruses get into your kidneys, usually through your urinary tract, they can cause a kidney infection. If you have symptoms such as pain in the sides of your lower back, fever, chills or pain while urinating (i.e., peeing), contact your doctor right away.
“It's estimated 50 percent of UTIs can be treated by drinking a significant amount of fluid alone," says Felecia Fick, a Mayo Clinic urogynecology physician assistant who was not involved in the study. "The extra you're drinking is flushing out the bacteria that are present in the urinary tract."