A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection that can happen anywhere along the urinary tract -- the kidneys, the ureters (the tubes that take urine from each kidney to the bladder), the bladder, or the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside). Therefore, a bladder infection is simply an infection mostly present in the bladder itself as opposed to the kidneys or urethra.
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bladder infection, and
their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Home remedy for bladder infection
Cranberry -- The use of cranberry among individuals to prevent or treat bladder
infection is a common practice. The accumulating evidence suggests that
cranberry may relieve symptoms associated with bladder infection and may reduce
the need for antibiotics. American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is one of
only three species of fruit native to North America. The other species are
blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolia) and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus). Cranberry
typically grows in bogs and is a member of the same family as blueberry and
bilberry. The ripe fruit was used medicinally by Native Americans for the
treatment of bladder and kidney ailments. Pilgrims called the fruit "craneberry"
because the stem and flower resembled the head, neck, and beak of a crane.
Therapeutic applications of cranberries documented during the 17th century
included the relief of blood disorders, stomach ailments, liver problems,
vomiting, appetite loss, scurvy, and cancer. Before the advent of antibiotics,
cranberry continued to be a popular treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
The current proposed mechanism of action focuses primarily on cranberry's
ability to prevent bacterial binding to host cell surface membranes. In vitro
studies have observed potent inhibition of bacterial adherence of Escherichia
coli4 and other gram-negative uropathogens.
Eyebright herb
D-Mannose substance
Uva Ursi herb or
bearberry herb
Bladder infection symptom
Bladder infection usually produces a frequent, urgent need to urinate and a
burning or painful sensation while urinating. The urgent need to urinate may
cause an uncontrollable loss of urine (incontinence), especially in older
people. Fever is rarely present. Pain is usually felt above the pubic bone and
often in the lower back as well. Frequent urination during the night (nocturia)
is another symptom. The urine is often cloudy and contains visible blood in
about 30% of people. Bladder infection symptoms may disappear without treatment.
Cause of bladder infection
A bladder infection is common in women, particularly during the
reproductive years. Some women have recurring episodes of bladder infection.
There are a number of reasons for this—the short length of the urethra and the
closeness of the urethra to the vagina and anus, where bacteria are commonly
found. Sexual intercourse can contribute, too, because the motion can cause
slight injuries to the urethra and a tendency for bacteria to ascend to the
bladder. Pregnant women are especially likely to develop bladder infection
because the pregnancy itself can interfere with emptying of the bladder. Use of
a diaphragm increases the risk of developing a bladder infection, possibly
because spermicide used with the diaphragm suppresses the normal vaginal
bacteria and allows bacteria that cause cystitis to flourish in the vagina.
See also Interstitial Cystitis
Bladder Stone - World
Record
October 2006 - Israeli doctors removed a grapefruit-sized stone from the
bladder of an Israeli woman after she left it untreated for years. The
stone, removed in its entirety, had a diameter of 13 centimeters (5.1
inches) and weighed almost 1 kilograms (2.2 lbs), doctors who treated the
48-year-old woman at the Western Galilee Hospital in northern Israel said.
"When I saw the stone, I was stunned," patient Moneera Khalil said in a
statement released by the hospital. "I could not believe such a thing was
inside my body. I am happy everything ended well and that the pain is
gone." The Guinness Book of World Records lists a bladder stone weighing
260 grams (0.6 lb) with a diameter of 7 cm (2.75 inches), taken from a man
in Yemen in 1998, as the largest ever removed. Haim Farhadian, the
physician who removed Khalil's stone, said the woman had been hospitalized
three years ago after suffering similar pains but had refused treatment.
Dehydration can often cause dissolved minerals in a person's urine to form
masses inside their kidneys, ureters or bladder. Such "stones" causes
abdominal pain by obstructing urine flow.