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Bladder Infection

A bladder infection is an infection of the urinary bladder with microorganisms. The condition may be asymptomatic, especially during pregnancy which can be a major contributing factor to maternal and fetal morbidity.

bladder infection symptoms:

The most common symptoms of urinary tract infection include:

  • painful urination
  • frequent urination (a strong desire to urinate often)
  • cloudy urination

In some cases, women also complain of a feeling of not emptying the bladder and heaviness in the lower abdomen.

bladder infection symptoms from an alternative perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these symptoms are broken down even further. Bladder Infections, and Urinary Tract Infections fall under the category of "Lin" or "Painful Urinary Syndrome." There are over 17 classifications of "Lin" based on the way the symptoms of bladder infection present. Just looking at the above western symptoms we can say that:

  • Painful Urination: Burning pain in the urethra during urination is due to "Heat" or "Damp-Heat." Pain before urination indicates stagnation of Qi, while pain after urination indicates deficiency of Qi.
  • Frequent Urination: If the urine is pail, frequent urination indicates either a deficiency of "Kidney Yang" or a sinking of "Spleen Qi." If the urine is dark and urination painful, then the diagnosis is "Damp Heat." Scanty urination with dark urine indicates a deficiency of "Kidney Yang."
  • Cloudy Urination: While not the only way to identify a bladder infection (above it was stated that many infections are asymptomatic), the color of ones urine does give great insight into the internal condition. Looking closer:
    • Pail Urine: indicates deficiency of "Kidney Yang."
    • Dark Urine: indicates deficiency of "Kidney Yin."
    • Cloudy Urine: indicates "Dampness" which is almost always indicates a bladder infection.
    • Rust Colored and Blood in the Urine: indicates either "Blood Heat" or "Qi Deficiency" while small clots of blood in the urine indicate "Blood Stasis"

Posted by Staff at June 24, 2005 5:58 PM

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Comments Archive

What med's are prescribed for bladder,urinary,and kidney infections.
Thanks,
Jane Hulstein

Posted by: Jane Hulstein at December 13, 2006 6:52 PM

My partner has had abdominal pains and has blood in his urine. He has just drank a lot of water and the urine is running clear. For approx. two days he has been suffering from indegestion. Any idea if this is something we should be worried about?

Worried "Her In Doors"

Posted by: Kerry Barclay at February 2, 2007 11:51 PM