Bladder infections are a common problem for women, accounting
for more than 6 million office visits each year. Men, because of
the greater distance between their bladder and urethral opening,
only rarely develop bladder infections. The primary symptoms of
a bladder infection are burning during urination, frequency of
urination, and urgency to urinate, possibly accompanied by pain
in the lower abdomen and cloudy or bloody urine. Occasionally,
the infection spreads upward into the kidneys, producing
symptoms such as intense back pain, high fever, chills, nausea,
and diarrhea. Conventional treatment for bladder infections
consists of appropriate antibiotic treatment guided by urine
culture. Women with frequent bladder infections may keep on hand
a prescription for antibiotics to be used when symptoms arise.
Some women may choose to take antibiotics continuously to
prevent infection. Certain hygiene habits, such as showering
before or urinating after oral sex or intercourse, are commonly
said to be helpful, altho