pain, burning or stinging when you pee. needing to pee more often and urgently than normal. urine that's dark, cloudy or strong smelling. pain low down in your tummy.
Cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder, has a direct effect on bladder function. It can occur due to both infectious as well as noninfectious etiologies.
-Drinking plenty of fluids: This will help to keep the urine diluted and reduce irritation. -Taking over-the-counter pain medication: This can help to relieve pain and inflammation. Tylenol is better than Motrin or Advil. -Using a heating pad: This can help to soothe pain and cramping.
UTI may occur in the bladder, but also may occur in the kidneys or ureters. UTI is bacterial (usually Escherichia coli). Cystitis is bladder inflammation, which may be caused by a bacterial infection, but may also be caused by immune dysfunction or other root causes.
Symptoms may include: Frequent urination. Feelings of pressure, pain, and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and perineum (the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum)
Pain or a burning feeling when urinating. Passing frequent, small amounts of urine. Blood in the urine (hematuria) Passing cloudy or strong-smelling urine.
The symptoms will often come and go over time. There may be times lasting days, weeks or months where your symptoms improve, followed by flare-ups when they're worse. You might also find the pain is worse during your period or after having certain foods or drinks.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) or IC/BPS is an issue of long-term bladder pain. It may feel like a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it's not. It is a feeling of discomfort and pressure in the bladder area that lasts for six weeks or more with no infection or other clear cause.
The pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain. The condition is a part of a spectrum of diseases known as painful bladder syndrome.
Painful Bladder Syndrome (PBS)
PBS is not caused by an infection, but it can feel like a urinary tract infection or UTI. Painful bladder syndrome is also referred to as bladder pain syndrome and interstitial cystitis. In the past, doctors thought PBS was rare and difficult to treat.
UTI or Something Else? Although burning during urination is a telltale sign of a UTI, it can also be a symptom of a number of other problems such as a vaginal yeast infection or certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
However, some people with IC find that certain foods or drinks trigger or worsen their symptoms. Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
The Difference Between a UTI and IC
In women who have interstitial cystitis, urine culture results will be negative, meaning that no bacteria are found in the urine as with a urinary tract infection. With IC, women may also experience pain during sexual intercourse, another symptom not commonly associated with a UTI.
You can buy a home urinary tract infection (UTI) test kit. They are available without a prescription at a drugstore or online. The home test kit contains specially treated test strips. You hold them in your urine stream or dip them in a sample of your urine.
Health care professionals typically test a sample of your urine to diagnose a bladder infection. In rare cases, a health care professional may also order another test to look at your urinary tract.
The most common sign of cystitis (the medical term for a bladder infection) is a burning feeling when you pee. Some people might call it a “scalding” sensation. Other symptoms you might have include: Need to pee more often.
What foods calm the bladder? The American Urological Association also recognizes some foods as potentially having a calming effect on sensitive bladders. These foods include pears, bananas, green beans, squash, potatoes, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, bread, and eggs.