What Are the Symptoms of a Bladder Infection?
The bladder, as an organ for storing urine, possesses a certain degree of elasticity, enabling it to hold a certain amount of urine. Being a susceptible organ in the urinary system, once infected, patients may experience frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination, along with lower abdominal pain and even hematuria. The treatment for bladder infection is relatively straightforward, involving the use of antibacterial drugs.
Cystitis refers to inflammation occurring in the bladder, primarily caused by specific and non-specific bacterial infections, as well as other special types of cystitis. Specific infections refer to bladder tuberculosis, while non-specific cystitis is often caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Paracoliform bacteria, Proteus bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Acute cystitis often starts suddenly, presenting with burning pain during urination, frequent urination, often accompanied by urgency. In severe cases, it may resemble urinary incontinence, with particularly noticeable frequency and urgency, reaching up to 5-6 times per hour or even more. The volume of urine per void is often small, sometimes only a few drops, and there may be lower abdominal pain at the end of urination. The urine may be cloudy and sometimes contain blood, especially at the end of urination. There may be mild tenderness in the suprapubic region. Some patients may also experience mild back pain. When the inflammatory lesion is confined to the bladder mucosa, there is often no fever or increase in white blood cells in the blood, and the systemic symptoms are mild. Some patients may feel fatigued.
Acute cystitis that occurs shortly after a woman's marriage is known as honeymoon cystitis. The duration of acute cystitis is relatively short, and with timely treatment, the symptoms usually resolve within about a week. Chronic cystitis, on the other hand, presents with long-term symptoms of frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination that recur but are less severe than in the acute phase. The urine may contain a small to moderate amount of pus cells and red blood cells. If cystitis is treated promptly, the symptoms will quickly resolve. However, it is important for patients not to be complacent and to continue with treatment until the doctor confirms through examination that the cystitis has been cured, to prevent it from progressing to a chronic condition.
