Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) - Bladder Infection
Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when one or more parts of the
urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra) become infected
with a pathogen (most frequently, bacteria). UTIs most commonly occur in
females; about 50% of all females get a UTI during their lifetime. Many
UTIs are not serious but if infection reaches the kidneys, serious
illness, and even death, can occur.
UTI
Bladder Infection: Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI. Some individuals may have few or no symptoms; however, the usual symptoms include dysuria (pain or burning during urination), low abdominal pain, and/or urine that is cloudy or smells bad or unusual. UTI Symptoms:
Kidney Infection: Some bladder infections do not resolve and get worse with the pathogens moving up (retrograde) the ureters to the kidneys. Symptoms may include those listed for bladder infections on the pervious slide, but often include other symptoms such as pain in the lower back (flank pain on one or both sides), fever, chills, and nausea and/or vomiting.
How UTIs Begin
The vast majority of UTIs start when pathogens (usually bacteria like E. coli ) reach the urethra and then travel up (retrograde) the urethra to the bladder. Urine is usually sterile until it reaches the distal urethra. Women have short urethras compared to men and most clinicians think the shorter urethra is the major reason women have more UTIs than men.
What Increases Your Risk: Risk factors for UTIs were presented previously, but besides being a woman who is sexually active or someone who is elderly or immune-compromised, there are other risk factors: • Not drinking enough fluids (slows the wash of pathogens out of the body) • Taking frequent baths (soaking in fluid that may promote retrograde infections) • Waiting to urinate (promotes retrograde bacterial movement) • Kidney stones (causes slowing or partial blockage of urine flow) UTI Complications There are two major complications of UTIs. The first is infection spread to one or both kidneys. If the infection continues, kidney function can be damaged and result in kidney failure or complete loss of kidney function. The second complication is that the infecting organisms occasionally enter the bloodstream and may infect other organs or, rarely, cause sepsis and death.
When to Visit Your Doctor:
Although a bladder infection is not a medical emergency, the following individuals have a higher risk for UTI complications such as infection spread to the kidneys or elsewhere in the body: • Pregnant women • People who have diabetes • Individuals with kidney problems • Elderly individuals • Immunocompromised patients • Men with enlarged prostates • People with urinary retention and/or indwelling catheters.
By...Belinda Yeboah
A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when one or more parts of the
urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra) become infected
with a pathogen (most frequently, bacteria). UTIs most commonly occur in
females; about 50% of all females get a UTI during their lifetime. Many
UTIs are not serious but if infection reaches the kidneys, serious
illness, and even death, can occur.
UTI Bladder Infection: Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI. Some individuals may have few or no symptoms; however, the usual symptoms include dysuria (pain or burning during urination), low abdominal pain, and/or urine that is cloudy or smells bad or unusual. UTI Symptoms:
Kidney Infection: Some bladder infections do not resolve and get worse with the pathogens moving up (retrograde) the ureters to the kidneys. Symptoms may include those listed for bladder infections on the pervious slide, but often include other symptoms such as pain in the lower back (flank pain on one or both sides), fever, chills, and nausea and/or vomiting.
How UTIs Begin
The vast majority of UTIs start when pathogens (usually bacteria like E. coli ) reach the urethra and then travel up (retrograde) the urethra to the bladder. Urine is usually sterile until it reaches the distal urethra. Women have short urethras compared to men and most clinicians think the shorter urethra is the major reason women have more UTIs than men.
What Increases Your Risk: Risk factors for UTIs were presented previously, but besides being a woman who is sexually active or someone who is elderly or immune-compromised, there are other risk factors: • Not drinking enough fluids (slows the wash of pathogens out of the body) • Taking frequent baths (soaking in fluid that may promote retrograde infections) • Waiting to urinate (promotes retrograde bacterial movement) • Kidney stones (causes slowing or partial blockage of urine flow) UTI Complications There are two major complications of UTIs. The first is infection spread to one or both kidneys. If the infection continues, kidney function can be damaged and result in kidney failure or complete loss of kidney function. The second complication is that the infecting organisms occasionally enter the bloodstream and may infect other organs or, rarely, cause sepsis and death.
When to Visit Your Doctor:
Although a bladder infection is not a medical emergency, the following individuals have a higher risk for UTI complications such as infection spread to the kidneys or elsewhere in the body: • Pregnant women • People who have diabetes • Individuals with kidney problems • Elderly individuals • Immunocompromised patients • Men with enlarged prostates • People with urinary retention and/or indwelling catheters.
By...Belinda Yeboah
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