Bladder infection

The infections in the bladder are the most common kinds of urinary tract infection which develop in case some bacteria enter the urethra and then travel into the bladder. The function of the urethra tube is to take the urine out from the body and once the bacteria got inside the urethra, it can get attached to the walls of the bladder and keeps on multiplying quickly. The infection which is caused due to bacteria results in causing some uncomfortable symptoms like sudden or random urge to urinate. Also, it results in cause paining at the time of urinating and results in abdominal cramping as well.

Bladder infection is the most common kind of urinary tract infection which arises due to the bacteria and results in causing many problems including pain in the lower belly and need to pee much more than usual. Your doctor will do some tests to examine whether you are suffering from a Bladder infection or not, and the kind of treatment referred by your doctor will help you in getting a cure for the diseases. If you get bladder infections is increasing then your doctor will do some advance tests to know the cause for it.

Basic Tests

In the basic test, your doctor will first do a physical exam and then will discuss the symptoms with you. This might be enough to know the exact cause of balder infection and your doctor will begin with the treatment post discussing all the factors with you. In not satisfied with your outcome, the doctor will ask you to get a urine analysis done, this test is useful in checking the bacteria, blood, or pus by taking a sample of your pee. Sometimes the doctor will advise a urine culture so that they can find out which kind of bacteria is responsible for causing an infection inside your bladder.

Advanced Tests

Sometimes getting a bladder infection just once in a while as well can be troubling but it is not that a serious health concern and by talking proper medicines, you can get rid of it. But it is important to know the exact cause of the infection before you start taking any kind of medicine to cure it.

Advanced tests are required if you belong to these groups

  • Children
  • Men (as they don’t get bladder infections much and it could be a sign of something else as well)
  • People with damaged kidneys
  • Women who experience much bladder infections in a year or have some kind of infection in their urine

Test to find bladder infection

  • Cystoscopy– In this case, your doctor will insert a cystoscope which is a thin tube with an attached camera into your urethra to examine the problems or will take a tissue sample for more testing
  • Imaging- Through ultrasound, CT scan, MRI the doctors will be able to see the tumors, kidney stones, and other issues which are the reason for the troubles.
  • Intravenous urogram (IVU)- It is a kind of an X-ray where a contrast dye is used to take images of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder to know the problem and its cause.
  • Voiding cystourethrography– In this kind of test, the doctor will put a dye inside your bladder so that he can see any urine flows backward from the bladder coming towards your kidneys.
  • Retrograde urethrography– Under this test, a contrast dye is used to find the problems in the urethra.

There are various kinds of treatments available including medical and home treatments which are useful in lowering the symptoms of Bladder infections. In case the infection is left untreated, then it can become life-threatening as well as this kind of infection most of the time spread to the kidneys or blood as well.

Some of the useful remedies for bladder infection include

Drink a lot of water

Water is useful in flushing out the bacteria which is present inside the bladder which in turn will help you in getting rid of the infection fast. The more you drink water, the more quickly you will recover as drinking more water will dilute your urine so you will feel less painful at the time of urinating. Concentrated or dark-colored urine is more irritating and results in pain as well in case you have an infection in your bladder infection while diluted urine is much lighter in color and doesn’t result in that much pain as compared to concentrated or dark-colored urine.

One of the best ways to deal with bladder infections is to drink plenty of water as by drinking lots of water, you can easily flush away the bacteria that cause infection and put the people suffering from Bladder infections on the right track for recovery. You must drink at least eight glasses of water in a day and don’t consume much-caffeinated drinks which include coffee, tea, and soda as well. Consuming caffeine might irritate the functioning of the bladder which and can make the infection much more uncomfortable.

Don’t hold urine

By urinating frequently, you can get the infection to move out quickly from your bladder, you must not hold the urine by not going to the bathroom when you need to, as this can give enough time to the bacteria to multiply inside the bladder. Also, you must urinate after having sex as by getting involved in sexual activity, the bacteria gets pushed deeper into the urethra in both men and women. Going to washrooms for urinating immediately after having sex will help you to flush bacteria away from your urinary tract which will further hinder the germs from settling and spreading the infection.

You must drink lots of fluids so that you can urinate more, the more you go to washrooms to urinate, the better you will feel. Go to the bathroom quickly when the need to urinate arises rather than holding it for long.

Antibiotics

Also apart from taking lots of fluids, you can also take antibiotics that will help in killing the bacteria that results in an infection inside the bladder. In case you have a UTI, you must take some medication to get rid of the germs that cause infection. According to experts, treating UTIs with antibiotics is a good way to get rid of a bladder infection. In case you experience symptoms of a UTI, then you must visit your doctor at the earliest. Sexually transmitted infections, vaginal infections, and many other kinds of vaginal conditions can trigger the symptoms of a UTI, so it is important that you must take the right treatment to feel better with your condition.

You must visit your doctor in case your symptoms last longer than two days or are getting worse with each passing day. You can take antibiotics that will help in treating your bladder infection. In case you are older, pregnant, or experiencing any other kind of serious health condition, like diabetes then call the doctor immediately and you must not take any kind of medicine without referring to your doctor. The duration of the treatment you are getting for your bladder infection varies from person to person. So depending on the drug which your doctor prescribes and your overall health, you will start experiencing some relief in your health.

You must take your medication for the full course even in case you feel better before the completion of the dosage. By completing your course, you can be sure that all the harmful bacteria gets flushed out of your system.

Pain relievers

There are many kinds of bladder infections that can result in causing pain in the pelvic region, even when you are not urinating. You can take antibiotics that will help in treating the infection. But you must take it in mind that medicines take a day or two before they start offering help to you. By taking pain medications you can witness some relief in eth abdominal cramps, back pain, and any kind of discomfort that is troubling you will become less painful post taking pain relievers.

You must take the advice of your doctor before taking over-the-counter pain relievers and whether it will be okay for you or not to take these medicines. Some kinds of pain relievers like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc offer instant relief in the pain while you need to wait for the antibiotics to start working.

Heating pads

There are many types of heating pads available in the market which are useful in putting low heat across your abdominal region that gives some relief in the pain. Also, these heating pads are useful in soothing the dull ache that appears in case you are having bladder infections and using heating pads along with the medications will be much useful and give instant relief in your discomfort. You can easily purchase a heating pad at a local drugstore or can but it online as well. You must follow the instructions mentioned on the package carefully so that you don’t burn yourself. If you want, you can also make a warm and moist compress at your home, all you need to simply soak a small towel in warm water and keep it on the bladder or abdomen for some time.

Wear loose-fitting dresses

You must wear loose-fitting clothes or dresses rather than wearing tight clothes, as bacteria thrive in warm and moist environments. While wearing tight jeans and other kinds of tight clothes you are trapping moisture in delicate areas which can create a breeding ground for vaginal bacteria and they can grow manifolds in a favorable environment. People having a bladder infection are advised to wear loose cotton underwear, loose pants, or skirts so that it can promote air circulation and also lower the bacterial growth inside the bladder. By wearing loose clothes, not only you will feel more comfortable especially during the time when you suffer from a Bladder infection, but it will also help you in preventing the growth of the bacteria inside your bladder. Bacteria multiply in the moist and warm environments, so give yourself some break from those skinny jeans and rather opt for loose trousers, skirts or dresses to feel relaxed.

Also don’t compromise on your sleep, as taking enough of sleep will help you to recover fast. By taking enough rest, you can give your body the required energy that can help in fighting the infection easily and quickly. So besides consuming at least 7-8 glasses of water each day, you must not compromise with your sleeping habits and rather sleep for at least 7-8 hours in a day.

Cranberry juice

Since Cranberry is useful in treating bladder infections naturally from generations, so you can also use the same remedy to get some relief in bladder infection. Cranberry juice and Cranberry tablets that are widely available in the market are the best remedies for women who quickly have bladder infections. You can ask your doctor and take his/her advice before taking cranberry juice as a method to cure bladder infections.

Prevention of future bladder infections

By adopting a healthy lifestyle and making some changes in the existing lifestyle, you can lower the chances of the occurrence of bladder infections:

  • Drink at least six to eight glasses of water in a day
  • Urinate as soon as you feel rather than holding your urine for long
  • Try to take showers rather than taking baths
  • Wear cotton underwear so that the growth of bacteria can be avoided
  • You must change your underwear daily
  • Urinate before and after sexual activity
  • Try to avoid using a diaphragm or spermicide, and if possible take some other kind of birth control.
  • Men must use nonspermicidal lubricated condoms.
  • Women are advised to clean the front and back after urinating.
  • Women are advised not to use douches or vaginal sprays

Your doctor might recommend preventive treatment in case you are experiencing any kind of bladder infection which is troubling you like hell. You can take any kind of remedy which includes taking antibiotics as well in small doses so that you can prevent or control bladder infections in the future. Also, you must take care of your diet as well so that you can have a healthy body and can lower the chances of occurrence of Bladder infections in the future as well. The urine that has lower acid also has lower chances of bacteria, so medicine that can make the urine less acidic plays an important role in lowering these kinds of infections as well.

If you are reading this post, then you are likely having bladder infection or urinary tract infection that needs quick recovery. Taking antibiotics only is not the only solution, rather you must include a healthy diet plan as well so that you can get rid of the infection easily and quickly. Bladder infection is fun, in fact, they are very painful, and make you rush to the bathroom nonstop, and can even lead to leaks. The best thing which you can do for yourself is book an appointment with your doctor to get fast relief from a bladder infection and start taking antibiotics in addition to following some home remedies as well.

Antibiotics kill the bacteria that cause bladder infections and are the best way to stop a UTI in its tracks. They typically work pretty quickly, although be sure to take your medication for the full course, even if you’re feeling better sooner than that. So, if you’ve been experiencing a UTI for more than a couple of days, make an appointment with your doctor now to get treatment.

Do I really have to see a doctor for a UTI?

It is unnecessary to see a doctor in case you don’t have any major issues but things are another way round then you must pay a visit to your doctor. A partially treated or untreated bladder infection can become more serious which can cause some serious illnesses in the future as well. In case you have just started experiencing some bladder infection symptoms, then you must start taking some natural remedies to flush out the bacteria from your balder and lower inflammation before the infection really starts troubling you a lot. You must increase the intake of fluids so that the bacteria can get flushed away from the bladder but in case the symptoms still persist for more than a day and are getting worse with each passing day, then you need to pay a visit to your doctor.

Wrap-up

Bladder infections which include recurring infections need immediate medical attention so that its symptoms can get controlled. In case you are taking proper medicines to treat Bladder infections, then the risk of serious complications also gets reduced greatly. Above we have mentioned some of the best remedies that can help in providing protection against the most common types of bacteria which result in causing bladder infections. Many studies have shown that when home remedies are combined with medications, they help in offering instant relief to the people suffering from Bladder Infections.

Categorized in:

Health, Infections,

Last Update: May 2, 2020