A bladder infection is a common condition with upwards of 30% of women experiencing it at least once throughout in their life.

The medical name for bladder infection is Cystitis and it appears when Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria enter and travel up the urethra, infect the urine and inflame the internal bladder lining. E. coli is found primarily in the bowel, and lesser so, in the vagina and on the skin between the anus and the vagina (perineum). Although fairly sedate in its natural environment of the bowel, E. coli bacteria thrive in urine’s acidic state.

Bladder infections almost always present after a bacterial infection in the urine. It is the most common type of urinary tract infection (UTI), with women being much more prone than men. The onset age is around 40 years; although many women are diagnosed in their 30s.A woman’s shorter urethra allows the bacteria to reach the bladder quickly. Additionally, the close proximity of the urethral, vaginal and anal openings makes it easy for bacteria to be transferred.

Most women will experience a bladder infection at least once in their lives. While it is painful and annoying, it’s not dangerous or contagious, and can’t be passed on to your partner during sex. However, if a bladder infection is left untreated, it can ‘backtrack’ deeper into the urinary system from the bladder and end up in the kidneys. A kidney infection is very serious and you’ll need to see your doctor as soon as possible because an infection can cause kidney damage or even kidney failure.

The main bladder infection symptom is pain when the bladder is full or filling. You may also experience pain in the pelvis, abdomen and in the vagina, while voiding or during sex. Men may feel pain in their prostate, scrotum or penis. The need to urinate frequently, including overnight, is a classic bladder infection symptom. Some people with a severe bladder infection may urinate upwards of 40 times over the course of a full day/night compared to the usual seven or eight.

This bladder infection symptom develops when you’re unable to delay urination and feel an urge to urinate, sometimes straight after doing so. It’s usually not associated with urinary leakage or a fear of leakage although urge incontinence does sometimes occur. Cloudy, bloody or smelly urine is another classic bladder infection symptom and sign cystitis is present. If the infection moves from the bladder to the kidneys, you may also experience infection symptoms like fever, chills, back pain, nausea and vomiting as well as the above bladder infection symptoms. Women with symptoms of a kidney infection should see their doctor as soon as possible.

The usual treatment for cystitis, or bladder infection, is with a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics. This is to bring relief from symptoms and to stop any infection progressing until the laboratory testing of your urine sample is complete. Once your doctor has the results, he or she may prescribe a stronger antibiotic to target any particular bladder infection symptom.

Journal of Nephrology and Urology is an Open Access peer-reviewed publication that discusses current research and advancements in diagnosis and management of kidney disorders as well as related epidemiology, pathophysiology and molecular genetics.

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Regards
Mercy Eleanor
Editorial Assistant
Journal of Nephrology and Urology