Can A UTI Cause Bladder Leakage?
Do you leak when you laugh, cough or sneeze? If the answer is yes, then this blog post is for you! You may be suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI).
The symptoms of a UTI are not only related to your bladder but can also cause leakage.
This article will give an overview of why UTIs are associated with bladder leakage and what other causes there may be.
We’ll also cover how to treat them both at home and in the doctor’s office. So let’s get started!
Why are UTIs associated with bladder leakage?
The most common cause of a UTI is when bacteria enter the urethra and travel up to the bladder. Once in the bladder, an infection may develop. The most common type of bacteria that causes UTIs is Escherichia coli (or E. Coli).
The symptoms of a UTI may include pain or burning sensation when you urinate, frequent urges to urinate, and cloudy urine.
The most typical symptoms associated with bladder leakage are stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI). Bladder leakage can be caused by a number of factors but in this blog post, we will focus only on the ones that may be caused by a UTI.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is when you leak urine when you exercise, cough or laugh. It usually happens because of an injury to your pelvic muscles and can occur in both men and women. SUI often isn’t noticeable until other problems develop such as weakening of the muscles that support and hold your bladder in place. The main risk factors for SUI are having a baby through vaginal delivery, chronic coughing, obesity, history of falls, smoking, and old age.
urge urinary incontinence (UUI): is defined as an urge to urinate with or without leakage of urine before you reach the toilet. It is also known as overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). The main risk factors are being female, age 65 years or older, diabetes mellitus, and chronic urinary tract infections.
UTIs are associated with SUI in women because when a woman contracts a UTI these are some of the changes that can happen to your internal organs:
Swollen bladder, which puts tension on the urethra.
Overactive bladder muscles, which trigger frequent urination.
Decreased urine “stretch” reflexes, meaning it’s harder to hold your urine until you get to the toilet.
Symptoms of UTI include:
- Lower abdominal pain or cramping on one or both sides. This is often worse when you pee or after you’ve been sitting for a while. This is called dysuria, and it often happens every time you pee.
- Burning or stinging feeling when you pee
- Strong urges to urinate, even if the bladder isn’t full and urine is only trickling out
- Pelvic pain in women
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Increased frequency of passing urine
- Increasing pain or pressure in the lower back, above the pubic bone
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
How does a UTI cause urinary incontinence?
A UTI can irritate your bladder, which may lead to urinary incontinence. The irritation comes from the development of bacteria in the bladder that causes inflammation. This then leads to leakage.
The doctor will diagnose a UTI by asking specific questions about your symptoms and using diagnostic tools such as urine samples, urinalysis, and imaging studies.
UTIs can be treated at home as well as with antibiotics.
Home treatment of UTI
If you have a mild to moderate UTI, you can try the following steps at home:
- Drink plenty of fluids: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water makes it easier for your body to flush out bacteria and germs.
- Stop drinking fluids 2 hours before bedtime so that your bladder is not full when you are trying to sleep. This helps prevent waking up because you’re having urges to go tinkle.
- Increase vitamin C intake: It has been shown that people who have recurrent UTIs have low levels of vitamin C in their urine. This is believed to be because the body attempts to fight off infection by creating an acidic environment in the bladder, which stops the growth of bacteria. Vitamin C helps to keep your urinary tract acidic.
- Drink unsweetened cranberry juice: The active ingredient in cranberry juice is thought to prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract.
- Women who had previously suffered from UTIs consumed an 8-ounce (240-mL) serving of cranberry juice every day for 24 weeks in a 2016 research. The group that drank cranberry juice experienced fewer UTI occurrences than the control group.
- Take a probiotic: A recent study found that women who took a probiotic supplement, containing Lactobacillus reuteri, experienced fewer UTIs compared to those who took a placebo. Researchers believe the reason why is because of the bacteria in this probiotic work against E. coli by competing for nutrients and attachment sites on the bladder wall.
- Cranberry: Some studies suggest that cranberry juice may decrease the risk of UTIs in some women. It is thought that cranberry juice works as a biofilm and prevents bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract.
- Clove Oil: Clove oil has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that may be helpful in the prevention of UTIs.
Bottom Line
The first line of treatment for UTIs at home focuses on drinking plenty of fluids and increasing vitamin C intake.
This will help flush the bacteria through your urinary tract and decreases inflammation of the bladder.
Cranberry helps prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract, which prevents them from multiplying.
Probiotics are also another way to prevent UTIs because they help kill E. coli by competing for nutrients and attachment sites on the bladder wall.
Clove oil is an anti-inflammatory that may be effective to help fight off pain, pressure, burning, and frequent urination associated with a UTI. There are many natural remedies you can try to prevent UTIs.
If symptoms continue for more than a few days, seek medical attention immediately.
