Bladder Infections Treatment Specialist Q&A

There are 7 signs that you may have a bladder infection and these include:

1. A painful burning sensation when you urinate.
2. The need to urinate frequently.
3. Having an overwhelming need to urinate fast.
4. Abdominal pain, pressure, or tenderness in the pubic area is common. If the pain moves into your lower back, then it may indicate that the infection has spread into the kidneys.
5. If your urine is cloudy or bloody. Cloudy-colored urine is common with bladder infections. Sometimes red blood cells will leak from the kidneys during a bladder infection causing blood in the urine.
6. Strong smelling urine. This can be either ammonia or sweet-smelling.
7. If you have a fever with the other symptoms: on its own, it is not necessarily an indicator.

These symptoms indicate that you may have a UTI and should see a doctor.

Bladder infections are most often caused by bacteria entering the bladder and multiplying. The urinary tract is designed to keep the bacteria out but isn’t always successful. Bladder infections happen mostly in women.

Bladder infections (cystitis) are usually caused by E. coli bacteria. This is a bacteria that is found in the gastrointestinal tract. There are practices that can make it easy for these bacteria to enter the urinary tract. Sexual intercourse is one. Another has to do with the anatomy of women due to the short distance between the anus and the urethra.

UTIs are infections of the urinary tract. The ureters, urethra, bladder, and kidneys are all parts of the urinary tract. If the kidneys become infected it is a serious infection. A bladder infection affects only the bladder but is still considered to be a UTI.

It can be difficult to determine which specific UTI a person has because some of the symptoms are similar for each. While the symptoms can be the same, treatment for most UTIs is done with antibiotics. The sooner a person gets treatment the quicker they will get better. Treating the infection sooner will reduce the chance that the infection will become serious and spread to the kidneys or other parts of the body.

Kidney infections and bladder infections will manifest different symptoms. It is not uncommon for a bladder infection if left untreated to move into the kidneys and become a more serious type of infection.

A kidney infection will have the following symptoms:

1. Back pain or pain in the side.
2. High fever
3. Nausea
4. Chills and shaking
5. Vomiting

A bladder infection will have the following symptoms:

1. Pelvic pressure
2. Frequent and painful urination
3. Lower abdomen discomfort
4. Blood in the urine

When UTIs are treated promptly and correctly, they rarely lead to complications. Left untreated serious complications can arise. These complications can include:

1. Recurring infections, especially in women who have two or more UTIs in a 6-month period or 4 or more in a year.
2. Permanent kidney damage can occur from a chronic kidney infection left untreated.
3. The increased risk of giving birth prematurely or with a low birth rate if pregnant.
4. Developing a narrow urethra in men.
5. Developing sepsis is a potentially life-treating health complication.

We have clinics in downtown Long Beach, Bixby Knolls, and Paramount, CA. Call for an appointment. We also have walk-in services available. We serve patients from Downtown Long Beach CA, Bixby Knolls Long Beach CA, East Side CA, Paramount CA, and Los Altos CA.