The bladder is a small organ within the lower abdomen that stores urine. If bacteria inadvertently enter the bladder, a patient can develop a bladder infection, which is also referred to as cystitis or a urinary tract infection. This infection can cause symptoms of increased, painful urination in affected patients. Left untreated, patients may develop severe complications of a bladder infection.
Kidney Infection or Damage
Bacteria in the bladder can travel up through the urinary tract into the kidneys. When bacteria enter the kidneys, patients can develop a kidney infection called pyelonephritis, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. This bladder infection complication can damage the cells of this organ, which can lead to permanent kidney scarring. Patients with a kidney infection or damage can experience symptoms that include high fever, back pain, blood in the urine and increased, urgent urination. These symptoms are serious and require prompt medical attention from a physician.
Sepsis
Young children or elderly patients who have bladder infection symptoms are at an increased risk of developing sepsis as a complication of this infection, explains MedlinePlus, an online medical encyclopedia established by the National Institutes of Health. Sepsis is a bladder infection complication that occurs when bacteria within the bladder spread into a patient's bloodstream. Symptoms of sepsis can include fever, chills, rash, dizziness, breathing difficulties, increased heart rate and confusion. Without immediate treatment, sepsis can be life-threatening.
Pregnancy Risks
Women who develop a bladder infection during pregnancy can experience delivery complications if the infection is not resolved. A bladder infection during pregnancy increases a woman's risk of delivering a low-birth-weight infant, reports MayoClinic.com. This type of infection can also trigger early labor in pregnant women, which increases a mother's risk of delivering an infant prematurely. To avoid these pregnancy complications, expectant mothers should receive periodic urine testing throughout their pregnancy to test for the presence of bacteria, advices the University of Maryland Medical Center. Prompt treatment of a bladder infection in pregnant women can prevent infant development problems and delivery complications.
