Experiencing Bladder Infection Symptoms?

Bladder infections are fairly easy to treat, but neglecting bladder infection symptoms is a rarely a good idea. Even though bladder infections are pretty common among women (about 20 percent of all females will get a bladder infection at one point or another), bladder infection symptoms could be a sign of chlamydia, a common STD.

Recognizing Bladder Infection Symptoms

Symptoms of a bladder infection can vary in terms of severity and discomfort. Typical bladder infection symptoms include:

• A burning sensation during urination

• The urge to urinate frequently

• Urine that is bloody or contains a strong odor

When Bladder Infection Symptoms Require STD Testing

Just because a person is experiencing bladder infection symptoms does not mean that an STD is to blame. In fact, in women, it’s not unusual to get a bladder infection following sex because vaginal intercourse allows bacteria to reach the bladder more easily. On the other hand, a burning sensation during urination is a known chlamydia symptom, and following unprotected intercourse, the disease cannot be ruled out. If bladder infection symptoms are accompanied by thick, colored discharge, then chlamydia testing should be performed as soon as possible.

Treating Bladder Infection Symptoms

For bladder infection symptoms that don’t result from a sexually transmitted disease, antibiotics generally work to alleviate discomfort and eliminate the problem entirely. When symptoms of a bladder infection are the result of an STD like chlamydia, treatment is similar in that it involves antibiotics, but the type of medication used may be different. This is why STD testing is essential when STD symptoms, many of which mimic bladder infection symptoms, persist.

When Bladder Infection Symptoms Go Untreated

Untreated bladder infection symptoms can get worse when ignored. And if an STD like Chlamydia is to blame for symptoms, then avoiding testing and treatment could result in permanent health-related repercussions, particularly for women. Undiagnosed chlamydia in females is a known cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a condition that causes chronic pelvic pain. Untreated women also risk ectopic pregnancies, which can be fatal, and infertility. Getting tested and treated when STD symptoms and bladder infection symptoms arise is the best way to avoid such unwanted consequences.