What's difference between IC and UTI?

[jgandy]

I'm new with this whole IC stuff? I am having alot of pain. How do I tell the difference between a UTI or if I'm having a flare up from IC?
I'm confused, but want to feel better.

[icjen]

Have you been dx'd with IC? If you're having a change in symptoms it could be a UTI. You can call your doctor, tell him about your symptoms and ask for a urinalysis, and c&s. That will tell you if there's actually a bacteria or not. Hope you're feeling better soon!

Jen

[Katrina]

Burning with urination?
Blood?

Anything that is a completely different symptom than your norm instead of just a increase in symptoms should be brought to the attention of your doctor and could mean some kind of infection is going on.

http://www.remedyfind.com/newsletter...lCystitis.html flare triggers I wrote this on flares and understanding flares...it may help.

What are your symptoms?
One thing that helps me is illiminating other things that cause flares.

Flares may be because of: stress, food, food allergies, certain vitamins, nasal allergies, fumes, over working yourself, exercising wrongly or too much, sex, gas, hormones, yeast infections, bacterial infections, smoking, car rides, viruses or being sick, being over tired, treatments affecting you badly, test affecting you badly, surgeries, baths of more than just water, temperature or weather changes, diarrhea or constipation, hunger or over eating, and many other things. Some things you can help lesson or prevent…some not. If you are flaring there is a lot you can do Katrina’s collective list of pain treatment ICN ICN’s survey from patients

Hope you feel better soon!!!

[Dixiefireball]

From someone who keeps real uti's this is how i know if i have a UTI instead of a flare.
my urine becomes more darker, it burns more when i pee, and i also see white floaty looking things in my urine.
my back hurts more in the kidney area also....
When its just a flare i don't have the darker urine, my kidneys doesn't ache, i rarely see white floaty things in the urine unless there is a uti..

it wouldn't hurt for you to make an appt to be on the safe side.....
if the pain gets to intense you should go ahead call the office or go into the e.r for treatment...

Remember we are all different and sometimes there is no way of telling for sure if there is a uti without having a test done...
You could also go to the drug store and buy one of those uti kits to see if it will pick up a uti, but my uro told me those doesn't pick up all infections and as many as i keep that would be a waste of my money, but for someone who doesn't get them it may be worth it to be able to take the test at home to see then if there is a problem then call..
hope you feel better soon plz let us know.
sending you hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[ICNDonna]

Sometimes I can't tell the difference --- even after 31 years with IC. My motto is "if in doubt, check it out."

Donna