• "Belly girl" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Robert McDon. (Robert McDonald) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
  
  

Function

• The female urinary tract is not as strong as the male urinary tract. Pregnancy and childbirth put a major strain on the muscles that control the bladder, which can lead to urinary incontinence.
  
  

Types

• A urinary tract infection (UTI) is just one culprit to consider if experiencing bladder pain. UTIs occur when bacteria foreign to the urinary tract enters the urethra and travels up to the bladder. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, can also cause UTIs.
  
  

Identification

• Standard urine cultures cannot detect chlamydia. A health care provider must request to check for chlamydia in the urine sample.
  
  

Warning

• If left untreated, bladder infections can advance and require more potent antibiotics, which can be damaging to the immune system. Infection can also spread to the upper urinary tract, causing kidney infections.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Many UTIs that cause bladder pain can be avoided by making small changes to daily life. Drinking plenty of water and frequently emptying your bladder is beneficial, along with taking Vitamin C and drinking natural cranberry juice.