Bladder cancer and bladder infection share many of the same symptoms (increased urgency, frequency and pain with urination or incontinence), which can make it hard for you to determine which one you have. In this article, we’ll explore how the conditions differ and ways to tell them apart.
Symptoms
Bladder Infection
Do you experience a burning feeling when you urinate or an intense urge to urinate only to let out very little urine? These are common signs that you may have a bladder infection. Bladder infections are more common than bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer symptoms are far more complex and typically include a change to the appearance of your urine. Your urine may become orange, pink, rusty brown, dark red, or bright red in color, which would indicate there’s blood in your urine, Verywell notes. However, blood in urine is also a sign of a bladder infection.
Other symptoms common in cases of bladder cancer include:
- The need to urinate more frequently, even when your bladder isn’t full
- Pain—including burning, or general discomfort—when you urinate
- Pain in the lower back, mid-back, or side
- Urinating when you’re not meaning to
- Trouble getting the urine stream started
- Feeling like something is blocking the flow of urine
Causes
Bladder cancer
According to Verywell Health, “Bladder cancer occurs when cells of the bladder lining grow out of control and start spreading to other parts of the organ and, potentially, other parts of the body. This growth can disrupt the normal functioning of the bladder and other essential organ systems. If left untreated, bladder cancer can be deadly.”
Bladder infection
Bladder infections, sometimes called cystitis or urinary tract infections (UTI), are caused by a germ—usually bacteria—that takes residence in the bladder. Bladder infections are the most common type of UTI, however, UTIs can develop in any part of the urinary tract.
In females, the bacteria typically comes from the vagina or the bowel. In males, bladder infections are usually due to issues like enlarged prostate, which restrict normal urine flow.
Men are less prone to developing bladder infections, however, when they do develop an infection, it is often due to an underlying issue like an enlarged prostate.
Bladder infections cause inflammation and disrupt the normal working of the urinary tract. When they spread to the kidneys, they