Since bladder infections are very painful, we try to handle them for you as soon as possible.
The symptoms generally involve frequent urination of very small amounts, burning with urination, a pain located just above your pelvic bone, which is worse with movement such as a car ride, and occasionally blood in your urine.
Please keep in mind that the symptoms of a bladder infection may have other causes than bacteria in your bladder. Also, bladder infections are caused by a variety of bacteria that are not sensitive to each possible antibiotic. For this reason I suggest we either email you a requisition for a lab close to you where you can leave a sample, or you come to the office and give us a clean catch urine sample. As soon as you have left a sample, you can begin on one of the medications that we use for UTIs and we will know after the culture if we are treating you correctly.
Kidney infections are associated with pain just above your waist in you back, a temperature over 101F and feeling tired and achy. These must have a urine culture, and it should be done as soon as possible so we can begin you on and antibiotic. If you suspect a kidney infection, please let us know when you call.
Vaginal infections can mimic a bladder infection causing the need to urinate frequently and a feeling that you need to urinate all the time. If your urine culture comes back negative, this is usually the cause.
Burning with urination can be caused by vaginitis, lichen sclerosis et atrophicus, allergic reaction in the vulva ( frequently from feminine wipes) and Vulvadynia.
I like to treat Bladder infections either with herbs or a short term, three day antibiotic. The herbs that help with bladder infections are freeze dried cranberrytablets and D-Manose.
Chronic UTIs are a fairly common problem for women, especially for women who are having intercourse. I have found that cranberry tablets, one three times a day for three months can prevent infection. If the infection only tends to happens after intercourse, you can prevent it by getting up after you are finished, urinating and taking a cranberry tablet with a glass of water.
Occasionally I have had women use a single antibiotic following intercourse to prevent infections. I only use this when the cranberry or D-Manose isn’t working.
I have worked with some women who have had health issues that are not directly associated with UTIs. When we addressed theses other issues the infections stopped. For this reason I suggest that if you are having a problem with recurrent infections, visit us so we can evaluates your whole self. This is most likely to get better results.[Contact us]