Bladder infection treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

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Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

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Yes. In most cases, a doctor will be able to diagnose your bladder infection by discussing your symptoms. Once the doctor has done an evaluation, they will be able to offer a diagnosis and recommend an appropriate course of treatments, with any necessary prescriptions for bladder infection medications.

If the doctor suspects there could be a more serious underlying cause for your bladder infection, they may suggest that you go to a medical clinic for a physical exam or further testing to determine the cause of the bladder infection.

A bladder infection occurs when bacteria gets into the urethra (the tube from which urine exits the body), and then travels back up into the bladder.

Once it’s reached the bladder, bacteria attach to the walls of the bladder where they quickly multiply, preventing the body’s natural defences from fighting off the infection.

This is the most common form of urinary tract infection (UTI).

Bladder infection symptoms include:

• Increased urination frequency
• Pain or burning while urinating
• Cloudy or bloody urine
• Feeling as though you constantly have to urinate
• Foul smelling urine
• Pressure or cramping in the lower back or abdomen

The most frequent bladder infection causes are bacteria (usually E. coli) getting passed into the urethra to the bladder, where they multiply and create an infection.

Not urinating after sexual intercourse or wiping back to front, where particles of stool containing harmful bacteria are accidentally passed into the urethra, are two of the most common infection methods.

Bladder infection in men occurs far less often than women. This is because the urethra is much shorter in women, making it easier for bacteria to make it into the bladder.

However, if bladder infections symptoms in women re-occur frequently (more than three times in a year), or happen repeatedly in men or children, there could be an underlying issue other than bacterial transmission.

Typically, a doctor will be able to offer a diagnosis based on the bladder infection symptoms you’re experiencing or through a physical examination.

If the doctor believes there could be underlying bladder infection causes outside of the usual contamination sources, they may request additional testing including:

• Imaging (ultrasound, MRI or CT scan)
• Retrograde urethrography (using dye to determine issues with the urethra)
• Intravenous urogram (using dye to take images of the kidneys, bladder and ureters
• Cystoscopy (using a thin tube camera to look into the urethra)
• Voiding cystourethrography (using dye in the bladder to see if any urine is flowing backwards into your kidneys)

Bladder infection treatment will vary depending on the severity of the infection.

Mild bladder infections will usually go away on their own, within a few days. More serious infections may require bladder infection antibiotics.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a family of infections covering the bladder, kidneys, urethra and ureters. Some of these infections in other areas cause similar problems to bladder infection symptoms, which is why your doctor may recommend additional testing if they aren’t certain of the specific source of your issues.

Bladder infections are the most common form of UTI, especially in women.