No matter what method of bladder management you choose your risk of bladder and kidney infection is higher than it was before your injury.

Q: Who is at greatest risk for bladder infections?

A: The risk for a bladder infection is felt to be highest for people who use any type of catheter.

The type of technique used however, is less important than how strictly you follow the directions for using your technique.

Overstretching the bladder and high pressures in the bladder add to the risk of bladder infection.

If you carefully follow the instructions provided by your health professional, each of the techniques can work well with a low risk of serious infection and kidney problems.

Even when you carefully follow good techniques, bladder infections will occur two to three times each year for most people with SCI.

Q: What should I do if I have a bladder infection?

A: Most infections stay in the bladder and cause either no or only minor problems.

Such infections can usually be easily treated with antibiotics taken by mouth.

It is important to treat bladder infections when you have symptoms to prevent the infection from traveling up to the kidney.

Q: What happens if the infection goes into my kidney?

A: If the infection in the bladder does travel up to the kidney the situation is very different.

If left untreated you may get very sick with high fevers and require hospitalization. If the infection persists or becomes chronic, especially if it occurs with hydronephrosis, it may damage your kidneys.

It is important to remember that each method of managing your bladder has some risk of increasing pressure in the bladder. Each technique has an infection risk. Pressure and infection are a very bad combination and people who have both problems will need to see a physician regularly.

To learn more about Kidney infections go to: http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/index.htm