A bladder infection is a painful, uncomfortable, and sometimes embarrassing condition. Not only do bladder infections often cause a lot of pain and discomfort, but they can also make you feel generally ill and lethargic as though you had the flu or cold. They may make urination painful and might cause you to go to the toilet often. They can interfere with sex and they can lead to further complications if left untreated.
But while bladder infections might draw attention to themselves, they aren’t always easily diagnosed and in some cases might be easily mistaken for other conditions. For those reasons then, this post will take a look at the warning signs that suggest a bladder infection so that you can take action. That action, by the way, should be to visit your physician. They will advise you on the next course of action and may prescribe you with antibiotics to kill off the infection and help you back to full health.
1. Low-Grade Fever
A bladder infection is caused by, well, an infection of the bladder. This is a form of urinary tract infection (UTI) seeing as the bladder can actually be considered as part of the urinary tract. Bladder infections may not be what you consider as UTIs, but in fact, this is actually the most common form of UTI!
Like any infection, your body will respond to a bladder infection by trying to drive the virus/bacteria out of your system. This will trigger a number of symptoms that we associate with cold or flu – seeing as these are also forms of infection! This includes a low-grade fever. You may feel hot in yourself and to touch but also have the shivers. You might sweat too.
Fevers themselves aren’t bad for you. In fact, they are positive in that they help to drive out the infection. That said, it’s very important that you keep drinking water in order to lower your body temperature and to keep yourself hydrated. The latter point is especially important, considering the nature of some other bladder infection symptoms.