Urinary Tract Infection

A bladder infection is also called a urinary tract infection (UTI) by most medical people, so if you hear both names, don't get scared or confused. It's a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Although urine contains a variety of fluids. salts, and waste products, it normally does not have bacteria in it. When bacteria get into the bladder and multiply in the urine, it causes a urinary tract infection.

The most common type of UTI is a bladder infection, which is also often called cystitis. Cystitis literally means an inflammation of the bladder. The other kind of UTI is a kidney infection, which is also known as pyelonephritis. This kind of infection can be serious, but if treated quickly the kidney is most often not damaged permanently.

Although they cause discomfort, urinary tract infections are usually quickly and easily treated, but it's important that they are treated promptly. You can not get a urinary tract infection from someone else, although females who are just becoming sexually active often get UTIs. Sometimes Chlamydia can also cause a UTI.

UTIs are caused by bacteria, most often by the bacteria that are found inside the intestines and sometimes on the skin around the rectal and vaginal areas. Yes, that means from fecal contamination.

Nearly 85% of UTIs are caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli, or E. coli -- for short. When the bacteria pass through the urethra (the narrow urine canal that connects the bladder to the outside), they can get inside the bladder and cause an infection. Some females get urinary tract infections more frequently, this may be because of the differences in the shape and length of the urethra in different people. A female with a shorter urethra may get more UTIs. Most women's urethras are only about 40mm long. That's about 1 and a half inches. Males generally get fewer UTIs than females because they have longer urethras.

There are several ways bacteria can get into the urethra. During sexual intercourse, the bacteria in the vaginal area can be pushed into the urethra, which causes irritation in the bladder. In fact, any time the vaginal area is rubbed, bacteria can be pushed into the urethra. You can get a bladder infection from oral sex too. Infections are also common in women who wear tight jeans.