The human bladder is a small sterile pouch within the lower abdomen that stores excess fluid waste until it is excreted from the body as urine. A UTI---or urinary tract infection---is a condition that develops when bacteria enters the bladder. Typically, antibiotic treatment is necessary to treat the symptoms and side effects associated with a UTI.
Difficulty Urinating
When bacteria enter the normally sterile environment within the bladder, they begin to grow and replicate. The bacteria can embed themselves within the lining of the bladder wall, which causes significant irritation. If this occurs, the bladder will attempt to flush the bacteria out of the bladder by signaling the need to urinate. This can cause you to experience a frequent and urgent need to urinate, even if you do not have any fluid within your bladder. The inflammation caused by the bacteria can make urinating painful or uncomfortable. A burning sensation is frequently reported by people with this type of infection, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains in its patient education information on UTIs.
Changes in Urine
A UTI can cause changes in the color or clarity of your urine. Healthy urine is typically transparent and light yellow in color. When your bladder is invaded by bacteria, your body initiates an immune response by sending white blood cells to the bladder to help fight off the infection. If you have a UTI, you excrete these white blood cells within your urine. This can cause your urine to appear cloudy or emit a strong, abnormal smell. You may also excrete small amount of blood in your urine, called hematuria, causing your urine to appear orange or red in color.
Abdominal or Back Pain
Pain within the abdomen or back is a common side effect of a UTI. The bacteria within your urine can irritate the bladder, causing inflammation or pain to develop in the abdominal area. Bacteria can also flow up into your kidneys from the bladder. Your kidneys are located on either side of your back, right beneath your rib cage. A UTI that moves into the kidneys---a condition referred to as pyelonephritis by the University of Maryland Medical Center---can cause inflammation, irritation and pain to develop in the back.
Kidney Infection or Damage
Recurrent UTIs that spread to the kidneys can cause significant damage to the organs, which can lead to scarring, alterations in blood pressure or---in severe cases---kidney failure.
