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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

When treated promptly and properly, bladder infections rarely lead to complications. But left untreated, they can become something more serious. Complications may include:

  • Kidney infection. An untreated bladder infection can lead to kidney infection (pyelonephritis). Kidney infections may permanently damage your kidneys. Young children and older adults are at the greatest risk of kidney damage due to bladder infections because their symptoms are often overlooked or mistaken for other conditions.

  • Blood in the urine. Cystitis sometimes is accompanied by blood cells in your urine that can be seen only with a microscope (microscopic hematuria) and that usually resolves with treatment. If the blood cells remain after you've been treated, your doctor may recommend you see a specialist who can determine whether there is another underlying cause.

    While blood in your urine that can be seen by the naked eye (gross hematuria) is rare with typical, bacterial cystitis, this sign is not uncommon with chemotherapy- or radiation-induced cystitis. This is sometimes referred to as hemorrhagic cystitis. Increasing fluid intake is usually the first step in treatment. If bleeding becomes severe, the treatment that initiated the bleeding is usually postponed until the bleeding stops. Severe bleeding is treated with medication or blood transfusion, if necessary.

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  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
  • Interstitial cystitis

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References
  1. Eckert LO, et al. Infections of the lower genital tract: Vulva, vagina, cervix, toxic shock syndrome, HIV infections. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/177168529-3/935265772/1524/147.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-02951-3..50025-X--cesec2_754. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  2. Infectious disease. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/177168529-3/935265772/1481/590.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50054-3--cesec94_3599. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  3. Hooton TM. Acute cystitis in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  4. Interstitial cystitis / Painful bladder syndrome. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/interstitialcystitis/. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  5. French L, et al. Urinary problems in women. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2009;36:53.
  6. Hooton TM, et al. Recurrent urinary tract infection in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  7. Ksycki MF, et al. Nosocomial urinary tract infection. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:475.
  8. Aliotta PJ, et al. Urinary tract infections. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/177168529-17/935347317/2088/688.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00030-7--s0250_14032. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  9. Natural history of bacteriuria and pyelonephritis. In: Brenner BM, et al. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3105-5..50036-0--cesec36&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3105-5..50036-0--cesec37&uniq=177168529&isbn=978-1-4160-3105-5&sid=935319858. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  10. Hemorrhagic cystitis. Chemocare.com. http://www.chemocare.com/managing/hemorrhagic_cystitis.asp. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  11. Shortliffe LMD. Infection and inflammation of the pediatric genitourinary tract. In: Wein AJ. Wein: Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/177168529-16/935328560/1445/115.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50114-X--cesec78_6964. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  12. Urinary tract infections. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp050.cfm. Accessed Jan. 5, 2010.
  13. Castle EP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz. Jan. 10, 2010.
DS00285 March 6, 2010

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