Chronic bladder infections are also called cystitis and are more common in women than men, especially during reproductive years, says Merck Manual Home Edition. The Mayo Clinic estimates that between 27 percent and 50 percent of women have at least one recurrent bladder infection in their life. Seeking treatment from a urologist is the best way to find the cause of the bladder infections. The most common symptoms include frequent need to urinate and a burning when going. Often lifestyle changes such as increasing fluid intake, avoiding baths and emptying the bladder frequently can alleviate the symptoms. Other causes require medical intervention to cure.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones they block the urine from completely coming out of the bladder, which means that all the bacteria present isn't being removed. This can result in an infection that recurs until the kidney stones are passed. Recurrent blockages can form pockets in the bladder that trap urine, further increasing the risk of chronic bladder infections.
Bacteria
For women, sex is the most common way to introduce bacteria into the body that can cause a bladder infection. The motion pushes the bacteria into a woman's urethra, which then moves to the bladder. According to Merck, using a diaphragm can increase the risk because it lowers the normal, healthy bacteria present in a woman's body, making it easier for the bad bacteria to get in and cause an infection. For men, chronic bladder infections are usually the result of bacteria in the prostrate that gets into the bladder. For men, this usually requires a long course of antibiotics, says Merck.
Catheters
Many conditions require using a catheter daily, whether at home or in the hospital. The catheter itself can often introduce bacteria into the body that can cause a bladder infection. The risk increases with repeated use of a catheter, especially if using the same catheter many times or not using sterile ones.
