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Understanding Bladder Infections
the Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
Treatment
How Do I Know If I Have a Bladder Infection?
A urine test usually shows whether you have a bladder infection. If you are having persistent or frequent infections, or if an anatomical defect is suspected as the cause of the problem, your physician may also want you to undergo cystoscopy. This involves putting a thin tube through the urethra that lets your doctor look inside your bladder.
To make sure your kidneys are OK, your physician may order an intravenous pyelogram (IVP). This is a special X-ray technique for viewing kidneys. Your doctor may also order an ultrasound scan of the entire urinary tract.
When children who are not toilet trained have bladder infections, a thorough medical exam is needed to find the underlying cause. This additional testing may not be required for older children who have had only one bladder infection.
What Are the Treatments?
Mild bladder infections can clear up quickly in response to simple home remedies, such as drinking plenty of fluid. But if you experience no relief within 24 hours, you should consult a physician for more aggressive treatment. Delay in clearing your body of the infection can lead to more serious problems. A common home treatment is Pyridium. This is merely an anesthetic agent for the urinary tract and won't actually treat the infection. This can be helpful while waiting for antibiotics to work.
There is a wide variety of antibiotics to treat bladder infections. Most uncomplicated infections can be treated with just three days of medication. Sometimes with some drugs and some organisms it takes up to a week. In most cases, you should feel better shortly after taking the first dose. Complicated infections should be treated for about a week. Kidney infections may take longer. Elderly people and those with a chronic underlying health condition, such as diabetes or HIV infection, are often prescribed a longer course of antibiotics -- sometimes up to 14 days.
After the treatment has run its course, you may be asked to come in for a follow-up urine test to make sure your bladder is free of all signs of infection. People with frequently recurring bladder infections are often prescribed low daily doses of antibiotics for an additional six months or longer. Patients whose infections are related to sexual activity may be given a small dose of antibiotics to take each time they have intercourse.
Some doctors prescribe the hormone estrogen, either as a topical cream or in pill form, to prevent recurrences in postmenopausal women. For cases where the infection is the result of a blockage or obstruction, such as a kidney stone or an enlarged prostate, surgery may be needed.
the Basics | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention
