Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection Test Negative But Still Have Symptons!
Through the years, I have had several people suggest to me that they are still suffering the symptoms of a Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection, but they had lab work done that came back negative. How could this be? If one is suffering with all the symptoms of a Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection such as: having to go pee frequently, with very little coming out; their urine burning like heck and they feel like their bladder is going to rupture any minute? Can the lab work possibly be wrong?
Another item that is constantly a question: is it a Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection? Many doctor’s use the term Bladder infection for a Urinary Tract Infection, although in reality there is a difference. But when you are told by a doctor that you have a Bladder Infection, generally they mean you have a Urinary Tract Infection.
I love this article from a doctor I came across. It explains in detail just how the culture’s taken for the lab are reported. It also suggest why a negative result may come back, and you still have a Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection. Perhaps Doctors need to be more educated on what exactly the labs are reporting. Read on:
by JENNIFER GUNTER, MD on September 16th, 2012 in CONDITIONS
So what if the urine culture is negative, but you or your doctor are convinced your symptoms are a bladder infection? Urine cultures report the amount of bacteria in the urine, and usually only report 100,000 colonies (groups) of bacteria per ml of urine or more. Many labs report 10,000 colonies of bacteria/ml of urine or less as negative although some use 50,000 colonies/ml as their negative cut off. The problem? At least 30% of adult women with a bladder infection will have 10,000 or fewer colonies/ml.
But there may be a situation where you or your doctor are pretty convinced you have a bladder infection (either based on your symptoms or the microscopy) and then the urine culture is read out at negative. On the assumption that you could be one of those women who gets an infection with 10,000 or fewer colonies of bacteria per urine it may very well be worth treating you for a bladder infection to see if you improve. Follow-up is essential because you should be feeling almost 100% within 48 hours, so if you are not then something else may be going on.
To read Dr. Gunter’s article: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/09/bladder-infection-negative-urine-culture.html
So YES your test can be negative and you can still have a Bladder or Urinary Tract infection.This reminds me of a man that wrote to me indicating that he just knew that he had a bladder infection, but he had gone to the doctor several times over the course of a month. Every doctor visit, test were done and came back negative. He became extremely agitated and upset. He finally took his health in his own hands, he tried the natural remedies that I had found that had helped me…and BAM- his symptoms went away and I was his savior. I was so glad to help him, but in reality, if his doctor had only assumed as Dr. Gunter suggest in the article, that if there are symptoms even if the test are coming back negative, treat it. He would not have had to go through so much agony.
I love that Dr. Gunter suggest follow up in a couple of days. If you are not feeling better after treatment (natural or other wise), then there IS something else going on.
