What is the difference between a bladder infection and a urinary tract infection?
I have had both both but I never really understood the difference. A bladder infection obviously affects your bladder opposed to your urinary tract and the UTI affects the urinary tract. How do the symptoms differ? Are they both treated the same way? Thanks
The symptoms of both are about the same, with the exception of pain / discomfort in the pelvic area (for bladder infection) and the kind of urine you pass (cloudy / strong smelling for cystitis and bacteria in the urine for a UTI.
Bladder infection (cystitis) symptoms
■A strong, persistent urge to urinate
■A burning sensation when urinating
■Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
■Blood in the urine (hematuria)
■Passing cloudy or strong-smelling urine
■Discomfort in the pelvic area
■A feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen
■Low-grade fever
UTI symptoms
■A strong, persistent urge to urinate
■A burning sensation when urinating
■Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
■Blood in the urine (hematuria) or cloudy, strong-smelling urine
■Bacteria in the urine (bacteriuria)