Bladder infections

Bladder infections are a bacterial infection of the bladder. They are also referred to as a urinary tract infection (UTI), since the bladder is part of the urinary tract (along with the urethra, ureters, and kidneys).

Most UTI symptoms involve urination. However, there are other symptoms that affect your mid-section. Additionally, although many of the symptoms of UTI in women also occur in men and older adults, each of these groups also has some unique symptoms.

Depending on the type of UTI you have, its severity, your sex, and your age, you may experience one, many, or none of the following symptoms:

• An intense, persistent and frequent urge to urinate
• A burning sensation or pain when urinating
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
• Cloud-colored urine
• Blood in the urine
• Strong or foul-smelling urine
• Pelvic pain (UTI symptom for women only)
• Pain in the side, lower abdomen, or back
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Fever

Although the main treatment for UTIs is antibiotics, some home remedies may also help. Additionally, sometimes doctors will prescribe other medications along with the antibiotics. Below are the most common treatment options.

Antibiotics are usually the first—and most recommended—course of treatment for UTIs. Doctors use the results of a urine culture to identify which bacteria are causing the UTI. Then they can prescribe the best type and dosage of antibiotics to get rid of that bacteria and the infection.

The UTI antibiotics used vary based on if you have a simple UTI, severe UTI, or chronic UTIs.

You can chat with one of our doctors on Cedars-Sinai Connect to learn more about treatment and same-day prescriptions.