Signs You Might Have A Bladder Infection

Health & Medical Blog

One of the unfortunate realities of being a woman is that you are more prone to bladder infections and other urinary tract infections than your male counterparts. While women are more probe to bladder infections, most do not know the signs and symptoms to watch out for; as such, they inadvertently allow their infection to get quite severe before they get treatment. Get to know some of the most important signs and symptoms of a bladder infection, and go see your gynecologist or other women's health doctor as soon as possible to get diagnosed and treated. 

Abdominal Pressure and Fullness

A common sign that a woman has a bladder infection is a sense of abdominal pressure and/or fullness. The fullness can feel like slight bloating, but it can also feel as if you have recently eaten a large meal, even if you have not eaten anything. 

The abdominal pressure that you might have can feel like there is a weight gently pressing against your lower abdomen. This can be especially noticeable if you are laying on your back. 

Cramping and Pain

In addition to pressure and fullness, a bladder infection might also make you feel significant abdominal cramping and pain. The cramping is usually limited to the lower abdomen (below the belly button) and can sometimes wrap around to the back, which will often occur on just one side of the back but can occur on both. 

The cramping will get worse as the infection gets worse, and that wrap-around aspect could be a sign that the infection has moved to the kidneys. General pain is also a common occurrence with bladder infections. Sometimes the pain primarily originates from one side of the belly and sometimes it is centrally located. 

Urgency and Frequency of Urination

Urination issues are often the most telltale signs of bladder infections, although they are not always present or noticeable in all cases. Most women that have bladder infections will start to notice that they feel like the need to urinate urgently and quite often. Increased urgency and frequency of urination occur because the bladder is trying to expel the bacteria and because the bladder may be having spasms as a result of the infection. 

Fatigue

The body works hard when it is trying to fight of a serious illness like a bladder infection. Because of this, if you have a bladder infection, you may experience fatigue. You might get tired more easily or often; you may also have trouble waking up in the morning. This fatigue can be extreme, and you may need to sleep several times throughout the day, or you may be unable to get out of bed at all. 

Now that you know some of the major signs that you have a bladder infection, you can contact your gynecology clinic to get yourself checked out at the first sign of trouble. 

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22 September 2018