A bladder infection and a urinary tract infection (UTI) are two terms that are often used interchangeably because they refer to the same essential condition. Specifically, a bladder infection, also referred to as cystitis, is a type of urinary tract infection. Kidney infections and infections of the urethra also fall under the category of UTI. Each of these infections occurs as the result of bacteria invading the bladder, the kidney or the urethra after traveling through the urinary tract.
The two infections present the same symptoms. Such symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, pain upon urinating and very little urine output at times despite a level of supreme urgency. In some cases, there may be blood in the urine and a person may experience fever and chills.
A bladder infection and a urinary tract infection can strike anyone at any age. Urinary tract infections, however, occur more frequently in women. Research indicates that men over the age of 50 get urinary tract infections more often than younger men do. Individuals with underlying illnesses, such as diabetes, or who use a urine catheter are also more likely to contract an infection in the urinary tract.
A bladder infection is not a life-threatening illness. Left untreated, however, a it can travel to the kidneys. A urinary tract infection affecting the kidneys may lead to irreversible kidney damage or kidney failure.
In girls and women, sexual intercourse and vaginal irritants can cause urinary tract infections. Bubble baths, spermicides, perfumed soaps and feminine deodorant products may all cause irritation, which can ignite a bladder infection or UTI. By mere proximity of the anus to the female genitalia, as well as the short length of the female urethra, many women suffer infection caused by E. coli bacteria entering the urinary tract. Infections are not contagious, however, and are usually cleared up with home remedies, such as drinking Uva Ursi tea, flushing the urinary tract with plain water, as well as drinking cranberry juice. In some cases, however, an infection may only respond to antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.
In men, an enlarged prostate is the most common cause of a urinary tract infection. This is particularly true for men over the age of 50 who are more prone to developing prostate issues. For both men and women, episodes of a bladder infection and a urinary tract infection can be recurring.