An infection is something that happens when bacteria enters a part of the body and starts spreading. As a matter of fact, bladder infections and UTIs are one of the most common problems faced by women across the world.
So, if it hurts, stings or itches when you urinate, you probably have an infection.
Bladder Infection vs UTI
The difference between bladder infection and UTI is that a bladder infection can only occur in the bladder while a UTI spotted in any of the parts of a urinary tract. This includes your urethra, kidneys, ureters, and ever your bladder.
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A bladder infection is something that affects the bladder of a person adversely. Bacteria gets through to the bladder and starts spreading, causing pain, burning sensations while urinating, fever, and even pain in the back.
A person should visit an emergency room immediately after having any of these symptoms.
A UTI is an infection that may affect any part of a person’s urinary tract. This occurs more commonly in females than in males.
The symptoms of a UTI overlap those of a bladder infection. Often, it is hard to distinguish which part of the tract is infected. However, the treatment for all is the same.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Bladder Infection | UTI |
|---|---|---|
| Affected part | Bladder infections only affect the bladder of a person. | A Urinary tract infection can occur in any part of the urinary tract. |
| Symptoms | Symptoms include pain or burning sensation while urinating. | Symptoms of a UTI are more serious as they involve fever, back pain, etc. |
| Meaning | A bladder is a specific type of urinary tract infection. | A UTI is an infection that may infect the entire urinary tract or only parts of it. |
| Type of Infection | A bladder infection is a bacterial infection. | A UTI may be a bacterial infection, viral infection, or even a yeast infection. |
| Treatment | Can be managed by using home remedies but seeking a doctor is advisable. | A UTI needs medical attention at the earliest. |
What is Bladder Infection?
Bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection that affects the bladder of the concerned person. People are more prone to have this type of infection, especially females.
Burning of urine, leaking urine, stomach pain infections are common symptoms. Elderly women should get themselves checked regularly.
A bladder infection that is not so serious may disappear on its own. However, if the symptoms still persist, it is advisable to visit a doctor as early as possible.
A number of people try to use home remedies. Even though they prove to be beneficial for some, they may not work for everyone.
The medical term that is used for bladder infections is ‘Cystitis’. People who are affected by this suffer from inflammation of the bladder.
Moreover, if the infection spreads to the kidneys, the problem will worsen. When doctors identify a bladder infection, they usually suggest antibiotics for the patient.
Apart from bacterial infection, such inflammation may be caused because of reactions to certain drugs, using feminine hygiene spray, or even radiation therapy.
Sometimes, cystitis may occur in a patient as a symptom of some other illness. Treatment for this type of disease may also depend on the reason due to which It occurred in the first place.
What is UTI?
The full form of UTI is a urinary tract infection. As the name suggests, a person with UTI develops infections in different parts of the urinary system.
These parts include the kidneys, urethra, ureters, and the bladder. Most of the time, people suffer from infections that occur in the lower urinary tract.
Men have a lower risk of developing a urinary tract infection than women. The symptoms of an infection may be irritating and painful.
Some of these symptoms include a burning sensation while urinating, strong-smelling urine, dark-colored urine, or pelvic pain in women.
It is very important to stop the infection from spreading to the kidneys. If such a situation occurs, the patient must visit a doctor as early as possible.
Preventive measures include drinking lots of water, cranberry juice, and other liquids. A woman should even think about changing her birth control method.
Some factors that may be responsible for causing UTIs in women are specific kinds of birth control, sexual activity, menopause, and sometimes just female anatomy. Interestingly, bacteria travels fasted in a woman’s urethra
which is much shorter than that of a man. Due to this, women must take precautions such as maintaining a good diet and proper hygiene.
Main Differences Between Bladder Infection and UTI
- Bladder infections only affect the bladder while UTIs may affect the entire urinary tract.
- A bladder infection is a specific type of urinary tract infection.
- A bladder infection is caused by bacteria, drug use, improper hygiene, etc. Meanwhile, a UTI may be bacterial, viral, or a yeast infection.
- Symptoms of a bladder infection include pain and burning sensation while urinating. On the other hand, symptoms of a UTI may be much worse.
- Bladder infections may be treated at home while UTIs require the attention of a medical expert.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673667908495
- https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/act.2006.12.297
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
