What is a Bladder Infection?
A bladder infection happens when germs (bacteria) grow in your bladder. This causes inflammation and irritation. You might find that it hurts when you pass urine. Both men and women can get bladder infections. But they are rare in men. The causes are also different. Here we deal with bladder infections in women, and look at what to do about frequent infections (these are called recurrent bladder infections). Normally urine contains no bacteria. But sometimes, bacteria from around your rectum The rectum is the last six to eight inches of the large intestine, ending with the anus (where you empty your bowels). rectum and vagina This is the passage from a woman’s womb (uterus) to the outside of her body. vagina can spread to your urethra Your urethra is the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of your body. In a man, the urethra runs through the inside of the penis. In a woman, the urethra is shorter, and opens onto the top of the vagina. urethra (the tube that carries urine from
A bladder infection is an infection of the urinary tract, often called a UTI (urinary tract infection). More common in women than in men, a bladder infection is quickly and easily treated with a course of antibiotics but if left untreated can be very dangerous. Bladder infections are not transmitted from person to person; you usually acquire one from your own bacteria, most often E. coli, which lives in human feces. Still, the commencement of sexual activity often triggers a bladder infection and some old-school doctors might still refer to it as the ‘honeymoon disease’, since new brides often acquire it on their honeymoon. The first sign of a bladder infection is the feeling that you need to urinate, yet you produce little urine and the ‘full’ feeling doesn’t go away. This should be your first sign to go to the doctor for antibiotics, because ignoring the symptoms will only cause you further pain. An untreated bladder infection will result in painful urination or the inability to urin
A bladder infection is also known as cystitis, and is commonly referred to as a urinary tract infection (UTI). When bacteria enters the urinary tract via the urethra, sometimes it moves up into the bladder, where it can multiply and cause an infection. Although generally very uncomfortable, treating a bladder infection is not difficult. Most bladder infections or UTI’s are caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli (E.coli).
