Associated symptoms
Symptoms that can accompany a urinary tract infection are manifold, depending on which part of the urinary tract system is affected by the infection. If the urethra itself is infected, this can manifest itself as a severe burning sensation when urinating and itching in the area of the urethra. Also in the case of a bladder infection, urination is often accompanied by a very painful stinging.
The amount of urine per visit to the toilet is small, but there is a constant urge to urinate, this is called pollakiuria. This can lead to blood admixture in the urine (hematuria). If the infection has ascended to the kidneys, it is an inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis).
This is often accompanied by a greatly reduced general condition, high fever and chills. The affected kidney length is knocking painful. Nausea and vomiting can also occur in the case of inflammation of the renal pelvis.
Pain is a relatively typical symptom of a urinary tract infection. If the bladder or the urethra is affected by the inflammation, the pain mainly occurs as a strong stinging and burning sensation every time you urinate. In the case of inflammation of the renal pelvis, dull pain in the area of the affected renal bed as well as strong knocking pain in the affected renal bed can occur.
Typically, a urinary tract infection is accompanied by pain. In classic cystitis, the pain occurs during urination; in pelvic inflammatory disease, it occurs independently. However, there are also patients who do not feel any pain when the urinary tract is infected.
Especially old and confused people may have pain, but they cannot express it adequately. This makes the diagnosis more difficult. Fever is a typical symptom of an upper urinary tract infection, i.e. an infection that particularly involves one of the two kidneys.
Inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis) is a serious clinical picture that can be accompanied by high fever up to over 40°C, chills and a greatly reduced general condition. Antibiotics and antipyretics should be used to reduce the fever. Itching is a symptom that occurs particularly in isolated inflammation of the urethra (urethritis).
The itching is then localized in the area of the urethra. It can be accompanied by a painful stinging and burning sensation when urinating. Back pain occurs mainly in the context of an upper urinary tract infection.
Although the pain feels as if it is localized in the back, in most cases it is pain in the area of one of the two renal pelvis. If the kidney is infected, it may swell. The kidney itself is not sensitive to pain.
However, if it swells, the capsule that surrounds the kidney is under tension. The capsule is equipped with pain-sensitive strain sensors. An enlargement of the kidney due to inflammation can therefore lead to flank pain.
This is known as kidney capsule stretching pain. Nausea and vomiting are also symptoms that can occur, especially in the case of inflammation of the renal pelvis. They are rather rare in uncomplicated cystitis.
In the case of inflammation of the renal pelvis, there is also a severe impairment of the general condition with chills, fever and pain. Blood in the urine is called haematuria in technical jargon. Macrohaematuria refers to a quantity of blood that can be seen in urine with the naked eye.Microhaematuria is the detection of blood in the laboratory or by means of a strip test without the blood being visible to the naked eye.
One of the most common causes of blood in urine is kidney stones. However, urinary tract infections can also be accompanied by blood being added to the urine. A bladder infection with blood in the urine is also called hemorrhagic cystitis.
Once the infection has healed, no more blood can be detected in the urine. The detection of blood in the urine is done either by a gaze diagnosis or by urine examination via laboratory test or urine strip test. Discharge is not a typical symptom of cystitis.
Even in the case of inflammation of a kidney, discharge rarely occurs. In isolated inflammation of the urethra (urethritis), however, in addition to a burning sensation when urinating and itching, there is often discharge from the urethra. In the context of a bladder infection, there is burning pain in the lower abdomen when urinating and frequent urge to urinate. Lower abdominal pain at rest (i.e. independent of urination) can also occur in the context of a bladder infection. The symptoms often disappear completely after a few days in otherwise healthy patients, even if left untreated.
