If you’re in the first flush of a bladder infection, these signs will let you know.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is, quite literally, a pain. It’s typically caused by E. coli bacteria,
which normally lives in the colon and around the anus. Women tend to
get UTIs more often because the urethra is shorter and closer to the
anus than it is in men. Because of improper wiping or sexual
intercourse, this bacteria enters the urinary tract through the urethra
and multiplies in the bladder, its most common target.
This can result in cystitis, an
infection which brings about an inflammation of the bladder. If left
untreated, it can spread to any part of your urinary system from your
urethra to your kidneys and cause excessive discomfort.
So how can you find out if you have a
bladder infection before it becomes more severe? If you display any of
these seven symptoms, you’ve got a strong chance of having an infection.
It’s also important that you consult
your doctor for a medical history and physical exam — after that, your
doctor may request lab tests to help diagnose the cause of your symptoms
before you can begin targeted treatment.
Dysuria (Painful Urination)
Experiencing stinging pain, discomfort or a sharp, burning sensation whilst you’re urinating?
You’re suffering from dysuria. According to Dr Thomas Michels, dysuria
is present at least occasionally in approximately 3% of adults older
than 40 years, and it’s especially common in women. It’s a classic
tell-tale sign that you may have a UTI such as cystitis or urethritis
(an infection of the urethra).
Frequent Urination
When you’ve gotta go, you gotta go. But
if you find yourself going to the bathroom more than eight times a day
or waking up during the night to urinate, you may need to go to a
doctor. Frequent urination can be indicative of interstitial cystitis, a
UTI that causes inflammation of the bladder muscle layers and pain in
the pelvic region. With this condition (which, unlike common cystitis,
isn’t caused by bacteria), you’ll feel the frequent need to urinate,
even if you only produce a small amount of urine.
Urinary Urgency
This is when you feel an overwhelming need to urinate immediately – as in now.
Going hand-in-hand with frequent urination, you might find yourself
needing to rush to the restroom and the urge to do so very suddenly.
Urinary urgency can also be a sign of interstitial cystitis, as it may
be accompanied by pain or discomfort in your bladder or urinary tract.
Lower Abdominal Tenderness And Lower Back Pain
If you’re feeling sensitive around your
abdominal region, chances are you could be suffering from cystitis.
Pressure on your pelvis, particularly around the pubic bone, can cause
some serious discomfort, especially when coupled with frequent, painful
urination. Likewise with lower back pain: when a bladder infection
remains untreated for a long time, it can spread from your bladder to
your kidneys, causing you to experience a dull pain in your lower back
and sides. That’s an indicator of pyelonephritis, or kidney infection,
which is more serious than cystitis. Other signs of pyelonephritis to
look out for include shaking, high fever, nausea and vomiting.
Blood In Urine
From light-pink to dark-red or
cola-coloured with clots, hematuria – or blood in the urine – is a huge
tip-off that you have a bladder infection. But how does the blood get
into your urine in the first place? It’s due to a leakage of red blood
cells from your kidneys or other parts of your urinary tract. UTIs and
pyelonephritis are the likely culprits behind the leaks. In the case of
UTIs, however, hematuria can be microscopic (meaning the blood cells are
only visible through a microscope).
Strong-Smelling Urine
Pee-ew, indeed! When there’s an
infection in the urinary tract, says Dr Melissa Stöppler, the urine may
take on a foul-smelling odour. If your urine has a strong ammonia smell,
gives off a slightly sweet scent or the stench is outright unpleasant,
it’s your body’s unsubtle way of alerting you to a possible UTI.
Cloudy Urine
Under normal circumstances, urine is
clear and has a light-yellow colour. But when you have an infection
anywhere in the urinary tract, it can cause pus (containing dead skin
cells, bacteria and white blood cells) to appear in your urine, giving
it a cloudy or murky appearance. So if your urine’s yellow, you can
mellow. But if it’s cloudy … not so much.
“I had a prolapsed bladder – here’s what it’s like to be incontinent.” Plus: what your poop says about the best way for you to lose weight.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com
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