The answer to the above question would be yes.
Urinary Tract Infections, or UTIs, are a common health issue in most parts of the world. The condition can cause extremely uncomfortable symptoms. This write-up discusses bloating, a frequently occurring UTI symptom.
Here, do note that bloating is usually not the primary indicator of these infections. It occurs due to certain physiological changes resulting from UTIs. Read on to understand how UTI and bloating are related.
Why Does UTI Cause Bloating?
UTIs can be uncomplicated or complicated. If you have an uncomplicated urinary tract infection, you are unlikely to develop UTI-induced bloating. However, it is extremely common for individuals with a complicated UTI to feel bloated. It usually happens due to one or more of the reasons below:
Immune Response: When you develop an infection, certain physiological changes occur in your system to keep it protected. These changes are referred to as immune responses. UTIs tend to cause inflammation of the patient’s urinary tract and bladder as an immune response to the infection. With these parts of the body inflamed, the patients often feel abdominal fullness or pressure.
Altered Gut Flora: UTIs are treated with antibiotics.While they help the patient to recover fast, they often end up altering their gut flora. This change may result in various gastrointestinal issues, including temporary bloating.
Connection Between the Gut and Urinary Health: For most laymen, this is an unexplored area of human health. There’s a crucial link between your gut and urinary health. When you suffer from a gut microbiome imbalance, certain bacteria (for instance, Escherichia coli or E. coli) start multiplying in your gut and eventually move to your bladder and urethra. The result is a urinary tract infection. If the cause of your UTI lies in your gut, you will most likely experience bloating until the infection is cured.
Rare form of UTIs: Bloating is a common outcome of a rare form of UTI known as emphysematous cystitis or EC.Like most variations of UTI, this infection is also more common among older adults, i.e., individuals above 65 years. EC is a life-threatening condition and results in constant gas buildup around the patient’s bladder. Diagnosing this rare UTI is usually difficult, as its symptoms overlap with those of regular UTIs. In most cases, EC is detected incidentally during imaging tests such as CT scans, X-rays, and ultrasounds.
Other UTI Symptoms People Get Along with Bloating
Doctors cannot diagnose a urinary tract infection just because you are experiencing bloating. Here are a few other symptoms that indicate that you may be experiencing bloating due to a UTI:
- Pain and burning sensation during urination
- Extreme and sudden urinary urgency even with an empty bladder
- Abnormally increased frequency of urination
- Pelvic pain accompanied by cramps and a feeling of pressure
- Discolored and foul-smelling urine
- Presence of visible particles in the urine
- Blood in your urine (condition referred to as hematuria)
How to Manage Bloating Due to a UTI?
Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics and other supporting medications to end the infection and manage all UTI symptoms, including bloating. You must take your medications as prescribed to experience the benefits. Here are a few more things you can do to get relief from UTI-induced bloating:
- Keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least 2.5 to 3 liters of water every day. This will help flush out the bacteria and alleviate bloating and water retention.
- Apply a heat compress to your pelvic region to ease bladder pressure.
- Stop consuming all kinds of food that may irritate your stomach and lead to gas production. Some food items you must avoid when experiencing UTI include broccoli, beans, cabbage, and all kinds of spicy foods. Also, stay away from caffeine, alcohol, and aerated beverages.
- As mentioned above, antibiotics tend to alter gut flora. Adding probiotics to your daily diet can restore the balance of gut microbes and reduce bloating. The best probiotic for UTI patients is yogurt.
Conclusion
Visiting a urologist and getting the right diagnosis and treatment is the only way to reverse UTI-related bloating. If you are in the Bronx or a nearby neighborhood and feel that your bloating may be connected to a UTI, contact Magnet Health. The urology department of the clinic is represented by the most qualified and experienced urologists in the country.
