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Bladder infection or cystitis is inflammation and disease within the urinary bladder. Bacteria are the most common causal organism for the bladder infection. In some cases, infection by viruses and fungi like yeast may also lead to this medical condition. Bladder infection is the most prevalent type of urinary tract infection.
Bladder infection is of three types- uncomplicated, complicated, and asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Uncomplicated bladder infection
An uncomplicated bladder infection occurs in an otherwise healthy person having a functionally and structurally standard urinary tract.
Complicated bladder infection
A complicated bladder infection occurs in a patient who is already suffering from complications in urinary tract like obstruction from stones, urethral strictures, congenital blockages, and presence of an enlarged prostate. In this case, treatment with antibiotics becomes less effective in controlling the disease.
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria
Usually, bacterial growth does not take place within the bladder. However, in rare cases, bacteria enter the bladder and start multiplying there without causing any inflammation. Since infection does not occur here, this type is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Bladder infection mostly occurs due to a disease of the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli). Sometimes, certain viruses and fungi like yeast may also cause this infection. E. coli are common bacteria that are present in the intestine of human beings. Sometimes, they travel to the urinary bladder through the urethra and starts multiplying there. In normal condition, the body removes them at the time of urination. However, if they attach themselves to the wall of the bladder and quickly form a colony, the urinary system cannot remove them effectively and this results in an infection.
The risk for bladder infection increases manifold if you are:
A woman, as you possess a short urethra, making it easier for the bacteria to travel from your gut to the bladder. Your rectum is also closer to the urethra than a man’s so that the bacteria can cover the distance during stool discharge.
Have a nervous system condition like multiple sclerosis
Here are the symptoms of bladder infection:
When you visit a doctor with the symptoms mentioned above, he will ask you to go for a thorough urine test or urinalysis. If the test result shows the presence of white blood cells, red blood cells, pus, bacteria, or nitrites in urine, then the urologist might suspect some abnormalities in your urinary system. He will prescribe a detailed urine culture test.
The urine culture test helps to diagnose the nature and group of bacteria causing the infection in your bladder. It also helps in determining the antibiotics which would help to curb the bladder infection. In most of the cases, these two tests aid in the detection of the bladder infection. However, if the patient complains of persistent pain even after the treatment through antibiotics, then the urologist might advise further tests like an ultrasound investigation.
If the bladder infection gets diagnosed at an early stage, urologists can control it with antibiotics. However, if the detection occurs at a later stage it may give rise to certain complications, which may include:
In most of the cases, a Urologist prescribes oral antibiotics to treat a bladder infection. The antibiotics of the group fluoroquinolones and phenazopyridine are effective in controlling the bacterial growth in bladder infections. If the patient suffers from pain, and burning sensation while urinating, the doctor can advise pain-relieving medicines to offer relief from the condition.
Studies reveal that women are more prone to bladder infection than men
Bladder infection is a treatable medical condition if the patient completes the antibiotic course.
Intake of vitamin C helps in getting relief from a bladder infection.
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