Understanding Bladder Infections - Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of bladder infections include:

• A burning sensation when urinating. This is the most common sign of a bladder infection.
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Urine with a strong, foul odor
• Bladder spasm
• In the elderly: lethargy, incontinence, and/or mental confusion
• In severe cases, these symptoms may be accompanied by fever and chills, abdominal pain, or blood in the urine

Call Your Doctor If:

• The burning sensation lasts for more than 24 hours after you begin trying self-help treatments. Untreated bladder infections can lead to more serious conditions.
• Painful urination is accompanied by vomiting, fever, chills, bloody urine, or abdominal or back pain. This may mean potentially life-threatening kidney disease, a bladder or kidney tumor, or prostate infection. Seek medical help immediately.
• The burning is accompanied by a discharge from the vagina or penis. This is a sign of a sexually transmitted disease, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or other serious infections. See your doctor without delay.
• You experience any persistent pain or difficulty with urination. This may also be a sign of a sexually transmitted disease, a vaginal infection, a kidney stone, enlargement of the prostate, or a bladder or prostate tumor. See your doctor without delay.