5. Brain Fog
One thing that is quite common to experience is brain fog. This means that you struggle to concentrate or that your memory suffers and you might also find that you feel low in mood and energy.
This is the result of inflammation. While the inflammation will predominantly target the bladder where the bacteria/virus is located, it can also end up affecting you elsewhere. This is due to the action of ‘pro-inflammatory cytokines’ – the molecules that the body uses to signal inflammation.
These don’t just act in one area but can cause universal changes, which include changes in the brain. This is why we so often feel low and tired when we have a cold or flu. And it’s also one explanation as to why we sometimes feel depressed – several recent studies have linked inflammation in the brain to depression.