Bladder Health Month—Week 2
Updated: Nov 14, 2022
Welcome to Week 2 of Bladder Health Month! What’s up for this week? Bladder Infections, Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome and Neurogenic Bladder.
What are Bladder Infections?
Bladder Infections are the most common type of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women. Each year, UTIs account for more than 4 million doctor visits. Women, men, and even kids can get UTI's, but women are 4x more likely than men to get one.
Women are more likely to get a UTI than men because women have shorter urethras, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to reach the bladder.
Source: National Association for Continence
What Causes Bladder Infections?
Bladder Infections typically occur when bacteria outside the body enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply.
Because large numbers of bacteria live in the area around the vagina and rectum, and also on your skin, bacteria may get into the urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder.
Some factors that can add to your chances of getting a bladder infection are:
Menopause: women who have gone through menopause lose the protection that estrogen provides against UTIs, so may get infections more often
Birth control: women who use diaphragms have been found to have a higher risk of UTIs when compared to those who use other forms of birth control. Using condoms with spermicidal foam is also linked to greater risk of UTIs in women.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy may increase the risk of a bladder infection.
Catheter: indwelling catheters bring an increased risk of UTIs
Sources: Urology Care Foundation, Mayo Clinic, National Association for Continence
What are Symptoms of a Bladder Infection?
Urinary tract infections don't always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include:
A strong, persistent urge to urinate
A burning sensation when urinating