What are the Common Symptoms of a Bladder Infection?

Early bladder infection symptoms often involve changes in urination. Common symptoms include:

• Pain or burning while urinating
• Needing to urinate more frequently than usual
• A strong or sudden urge to urinate
• Feeling the need to urinate even when the bladder is nearly empty
• Pressure, cramping, pain, or discomfort in the lower abdomen
• Cloudy urine
• Blood in the urine
• Strong-smelling urine

Not everyone experiences the same combination of symptoms. The CDC notes that urinary symptoms can also resemble symptoms associated with certain sexually transmitted infections, so an appropriate medical evaluation is important when the cause is uncertain.

Yes. A bladder infection can cause pain, pressure, cramping, or discomfort in the lower abdomen. The bladder sits in the lower pelvis, and inflammation associated with infection can produce discomfort in this area.

Lower abdominal pain does not automatically mean that a person has a bladder infection. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms. If abdominal discomfort occurs along with burning during urination, urinary urgency, frequent urination, or changes in the urine, a healthcare provider can evaluate the symptoms and determine whether testing is needed.

Prima Urgent Care in Fairfax provides care for both bladder infections and lower abdominal pain, allowing patients with these symptoms to receive an appropriate clinical evaluation.

A bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infection, so the terms are related rather than completely separate diagnoses.

The urinary tract includes the urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys. A UTI can affect different parts of this system. When the infection involves the bladder, it is commonly called a bladder infection or cystitis. The CDC identifies bladder infection as the most common type of UTI.

Symptoms such as burning during urination, frequent urination, urinary urgency, blood in the urine, and lower abdominal pressure are commonly associated with a bladder infection. Fever, chills, pain in the back or side, nausea, or vomiting can be signs that an infection involves the kidneys and requires prompt medical attention.

A provider can use the patient’s symptoms, medical history, examination findings, and urine testing when appropriate to help determine where the infection may be occurring.

An untreated bladder infection can sometimes spread from the bladder to one or both kidneys. A kidney infection is more serious and needs prompt medical care.

Signs that can occur with a kidney infection include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea or vomiting
• Pain in the back or side
• Pain that extends toward the groin

Patients should not delay medical evaluation when these symptoms occur. NIDDK advises seeking prompt treatment for symptoms of a kidney infection because early care is important.

It is also important not to assume that every episode of painful or frequent urination requires the same treatment. A healthcare professional can determine whether symptoms are consistent with a bacterial UTI and whether medication is appropriate. The CDC notes that a healthcare professional can determine whether a patient has a UTI and which antibiotic, if any, is appropriate.

Contact a healthcare provider if you develop symptoms that suggest a bladder infection, particularly painful urination, frequent or urgent urination, lower abdominal discomfort, or blood in the urine. NIDDK specifically recommends contacting a healthcare professional when bladder infection symptoms develop.

Seek prompt medical attention when urinary symptoms occur with:

• Fever or chills
• Nausea or vomiting
• Back or side pain
• Significant worsening of symptoms
• Symptoms suggesting the infection may have moved beyond the bladder

People with repeated urinary infections should also discuss the pattern with a healthcare provider because additional evaluation may be appropriate. Severe or life-threatening symptoms require emergency medical care rather than a routine urgent care visit.


Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Pain or burning during urination is one of the common symptoms of a bladder infection. It often occurs along with urinary frequency or urgency. Because other conditions can also cause burning during urination, testing may be appropriate when the diagnosis is uncertain.

Yes. A bladder infection can cause a frequent or intense urge to urinate, even when only a small amount of urine is present. This is one of the characteristic symptoms described by NIDDK and the CDC.

Cloudy or strong-smelling urine can occur with a bladder infection, but these changes by themselves do not confirm an infection. A healthcare professional can consider your other symptoms and use urine testing when appropriate to determine the cause.

Yes. Blood in the urine can occur with a bladder infection. Because blood in the urine can have other causes as well, it should be discussed with a healthcare provider rather than assumed to be caused by a UTI.

Yes. A bladder infection can spread to one or both kidneys if it is not appropriately treated. Fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or pain in the back or side can occur with a kidney infection and require prompt medical attention.

Susane Njomo, DNP, MSN, CRNI, FNP-C, FNP-BC, provides evaluation and care for patients experiencing bladder infection symptoms at Prima Urgent Care in Fairfax, VA. She reviews each patient’s symptoms, medical history, and overall health needs to help determine the appropriate next steps in care.

With experience in urgent care, Susane Njomo focuses on timely, patient-centered evaluation for concerns such as painful urination, urinary urgency, frequent urination, and lower abdominal discomfort. Her approach is based on the individual patient’s symptoms and clinical findings, with treatment recommendations made according to the specific situation.

For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 3903 Fair Ridge Dr Suite Q, Fairfax, VA 22033. We serve patients from Fairfax VA, South Riding VA, Dulles VA, Chantilly VA, Stone Ridge VA, Oakton VA, Legato VA, Burke VA, Oak Hill VA, Lees Corner VA & BEYOND! Our Fairfax location is close to Fair Oaks Hospital, Fair Oaks Mall, and Greenbriar Shopping Center.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Urinary Tract Infection Basics
CDC — Urinary Tract Infection Basics
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Bladder Infection (Urinary Tract Infection—UTI) in Adults
NIDDK — Bladder Infection in Adults
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Symptoms & Causes of Bladder Infection in Adults
NIDDK — Bladder Infection Symptoms and Causes
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Diagnosis of Bladder Infection in Adults
NIDDK — Diagnosis of Bladder Infection