Bladder infection symptoms

Bladder infections are also known as cystitis (bladder inflammation). It is common in women and rare in men. Approximately 20% of women experience it at least once during their entire lives. However, the chance of a man to get cystitis will increase with his age, probably due to the increase of his prostate size.

Women have a bigger chance of developing bladder infections than men not only because their urethra is only measured about an inch and a half (making it easier for bacteria to travel to the bladder), but also because it is close to both the anus and the vagina (where this bacteria can come from)

Bladder infection symptoms to look out for:

• Frequent urination – urgent need to urinate during the day or urge incontinence (uncontrollable loss of urine) especially in old people.
• Nocturia – frequent urination throughout the night.
• Burning sensation when urinating – painful urination.
• Pain – experienced in the lower back or pubic bone.
• Bad quality of urine – cloudy or sometimes contains blood.

If the bladder of a person is malfunctioning because the person has already permanently placed a catheter or due to nerve damage, these bladder infection symptoms may not be present but the infection can only be detected from urine tests.

Bladder infections can be serious if not treated right away. It also tends to come back for some people. This leads to kidney infections – more difficult sickness that can lead to the permanent damage of your kidney.

Mostly, the cause of bladder infections are various strains of E. coli, which is a bacteria normally living in the gut. There is difficulty of diagnosing this, especially for elderly people. Bladder infection symptoms during this time are less specific and are frequently believed to be natural to aging. It is important therefore, that older people who suddenly became lethargic or incontinent should be checked by their doctor for a possible bladder infection.