Urinary tract infection symptoms tend to be cumulative as the infection becomes more severe. The further into the urinary tract the infection progresses, the greater the number of symptoms. Bladder infection symptoms are often experienced when there is a kidney infection, for example. A doctor’s diagnosis is required to determine the type of urinary tract infection as symptoms may overlap and can indicate more than one type of infection.

Symptoms of a urethral infection generally include inflammation and pain at the urethral opening. Urinating is often painful due to this inflammation.

While pain at the beginning of the urethra indicates urethritis, pain that seems to originate further into the urethra is one of the many bladder infection symptoms. Other symptoms include frequent urination, often accompanied by an urgent need to urinate, and urine may be cloudy or bloody. Fever is sometimes present.

While symptoms of bladder infections in women include those given above, women may also experience pressure just above the pubic bone during a bladder infection. Often sexual intercourse is uncomfortable.

Symptoms that suggest bladder infections may also indicate kidney problems. Additional symptoms of kidney infections include high fever or chills. Back pain localized around the infected kidney is quite common and ranges from mild discomfort to sharp, stabbing pains. Nausea and vomiting are also possible indicators of kidney infection.

Young children have different urinary tract infection symptoms. The symptoms are more subtle, making the infection harder to diagnose. Irritability, a change in eating or urinating habits and incontinence may indicate a urinary tract infection in children. A fever that has no obvious cause may also be a sign of urinary tract infection. Such symptoms are easily mistaken for the flu or other health problems.

 

 

Jones, C.L. (nd). Urethritis. Retrieved March 13, 2002, from www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2601/0014/2601001424/p1
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National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. (updated 2001). Urinary tract infections in adults. [NIH Pub. No 04-2097]

Rowland, B. (nd). Kidney infections. Retrieved March 13, 2002, from www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2603/0000 /2603000073/
p1/article .jhtml?term=kidney+infections.