The Causes of Bladder Pain

Bladder pain can occur in both men and women, and accompany a variety of symptoms, among them burning sensations during urination and backaches. Bladder pain can be associated with a wide variety of medical conditions ranging from mild to life-threatening. Bladder pain should be taken seriously. Patients should not self-diagnose pain and should seek medical attention if the pain continues. If left untreated, minor symptoms could turn into excruciating pain and could lead to more serious health issues.

Cystitis

• One of the most common causes of bladder pain is cystitis (bladder infection). The bladder becomes inflamed and irritated due to trapped bacteria inside the urethra and bladder. Besides bladder pain, other common symptoms associated with cystitis include difficulty urinating, frequent urination, dark urine (sometimes bloody urine), backaches and low-grade fever. If left untreated, cystitis could move into the kidneys and cause a kidney infection. Cystitis needs to be diagnosed by a medical doctor and treated with antibiotics. Drinking a lot of water can help flush out harmful bacteria and alleviate symptoms.

Urethral Stricture

• Urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra (the tube through which urine passes out of the body). This stricture is associated with bladder pain because the abnormal narrowing doesn't allow all urine to be emptied from the bladder. This condition is more common in men than women. Some symptoms related to urethral stricture are burning sensations during urination, reduction in urine flow and frequent urgency to urinate. Because semen passes through the urethra, men sometimes experience painful ejaculations. Depending upon the severity of the condition, doctors prescribe either antibiotics or surgery.

Bladder Cancer

• Pain in the bladder can also be linked to bladder cancer. Abnormal cells grow inside the urinary bladder, or malignant (cancerous) growths may appear on the wall of the bladder. Bladder cancer may mask as cystitis, so patients need to be seen immediately by a doctor if they continue to experience bladder pain. Bladder cancer can also cause the following symptoms: dark and bloody urine, abdominal pain, weight loss and frequent urination.

Torulopsis

• Torulopsis is a type of fungus that causes yeast infections in women. The fungus is also found inside the respiratory system and on the skin. The fungus usually overgrows inside a woman's vagina when the immune system is weakened. Besides bladder pain, Torulopsis also causes vaginal itching and burning, cloudy urine and urinary burning. Medical doctors can determine the severity of the yeast infection and treat patients with antibiotics accordingly.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

• Bladder pain can also indicate a sexually transmitted disease (STD). STDs such as gonorrhea sometimes have similar symptoms to those of bladder infections. For men, painful, frequent urination could also be linked to an STD. Women need to be careful if they experience bladder pain (and lower pelvic pain), because it could be tied to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). If women ignore bladder and pelvic pain, STDs such as PID could worsen. If left untreated, PID could cause infertility in women.