Do I Have A Uti Or Kidney Infection

How Do I Know If I Have Uti Or Std

Although there are common symptoms between STI and UTI such as painful or difficult urination, frequent urination or the urge to urinate, as well as urine that is cloudy, dark or has a strange smell, etc. with STD it is mostly asymptomatic, i.e. there is no sign or symptom of the STD/STI virus present inside the body. So, the only way remains to confirm if the symptom belongs to an STD/STI is by getting tested for STD near you. Moreover, if you have Chlamydia then you will be tested positive for UTI.

That brings us to our next question.

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Alleviating Discomfort Caused By Uti Bloating

The bloating and pain associated with UTIs can cause severe discomfort and may last for a few days or even up to a week. Some suggestions for helping to alleviate this discomfort include:

• drink lots of water at least one large glass of water every hour to try and flush the infection out of the body
• eat small healthy meals regularly
• reduce sugar intake as certain types of bacteria feed off it in particular, avoid fizzy drinks as these can also cause gas
• limit your intake of any foods that you know you react to, such as wheat or beans
• certain nutrients have been shown to help with the symptoms of UTIs, including cranberry extract , D-mannose, and good bacteria

Who’s Most Likely To Get A Kidney Infection

Women and children are most at risk of developing a kidney infection, as well as other urinary tract infections such as cystitis.

Other factors can also put you more at risk of developing a kidney infection, including:

• having a condition that blocks, or obstructs, your urinary tract, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate children with constipation can also be at an increased risk
• being born with an abnormality in your urinary tract
• having a condition that prevents you emptying your bladder fully, such as an injury to your spinal cord this can allow bacteria in your bladder to multiply and spread
• having a weakened immune system for example, due to type 2 diabetes or as a side effect of chemotherapy
• having an infection of the prostate gland called prostatitis the infection can spread from the prostate gland into the kidneys
• having a urinary catheter
• being female and sexually active sexual intercourse can irritate the urethra and allow bacteria to travel into your bladder
• being pregnant this can cause physical changes that slow the flow of urine out of your body and make it easier for bacteria to spread to the kidneys
• having undergone female genital mutilation an illegal practice where a woman’s genitals are deliberately cut or changed for cultural, religious and social reasons

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Is It Possible To Have A Uti Without Symptoms

4.4/5possible to have a UTI withoutsymptomsUTIshavesymptomsburning

Moreover, can you have a UTI without any symptoms?

Fever is not a common symptom of bladder infection fever is more typical of urinary tract infections that have spread to the kidneys or bloodstream. It is possible to have a bladder infection without having the characteristic symptoms. In some cases, bladder infections may not cause symptoms at all.

Also Know, can you have a UTI for months and not know it? Symptoms and risksThe most common UTI symptoms include burning with urination, frequent urination, a sense of urgency to urinate, and pain in the area of the bladder. A lack of symptoms may result in a UTI going untreated and then spreading to the kidneys, and then the bloodstreama potentially fatal condition.

Keeping this in consideration, how long can you have a UTI without knowing it?

In some people, bacteria are present in the urine before symptoms of a urinary tract infection develop. If this occurs, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection. In other people, asymptomatic bacteriuria can continue indefinitely without causing obvious illness or discomfort.

Can you have a UTI without bacteria?

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as cystitis are common in women but, in around a quarter of cases, no infection is found using standard testing. However, doctors have assumed that women with negative tests do not have a bacterial infection.

Are Frequent Utis A Sign Of Diabetes Or Is A Uti A Symptom Of Diabetes

A review from 2005 found that an astounding 50% of people with diabetes have some type of dysfunction of their bladder- thats half of every man and woman with diabetes. There are quite a few theories which we have already discussed, but again, most of the newer theories and research have only been conducted on rats.

Another fact this review highlights is that women who have Type 1 diabetes have a higher risk for kidney infections , which can potentially damage the kidneys function long term. This may lead to the need for a kidney transplant as the damage becomes severe.

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Treatment For Utis Vs Kidney Infection Treatment

UTIs, including kidney infections, can be treated with a course of antibiotics. The type of antibiotic can depend on the type of bacteria thats causing your infection as well as how severe your infection is.

The doctor will often start you on an antibiotic that works against a wide variety of UTI-causing bacteria. If a urine culture is performed, the doctor may switch your antibiotic to one thats most effective at treating the specific bacterium thats causing your infection.

Simple UTIs can be treated with short 3- to 5-day courses of antibiotics. Treatment for kidney infections generally lasts 7 to 14 days, depending on which class of antibiotic is prescribed.

You may begin to feel better after only a few days on antibiotics. However, you should still make sure that you complete your entire treatment course as prescribed. If you do not take all of your antibiotics, the stronger bacteria may not be killed, causing your infection to persist and flare up again.

If youre pregnant, your doctor may also request a repeat urine sample following a kidney infection, even if your symptoms have resolved. This allows them to check to see whether your infection has completely cleared.

If there are still bacteria present in the sample, you may need another course of antibiotics. Persistence of bacteria can potentially harm an unborn baby.

People with severe kidney infections may need to be hospitalized. In this case, you may receive antibiotics and fluids intravenously.

What Is A Uti Anyway

A UTI, or urinary tract infection, happens when bacteria enters into any part of your urinary system, which includes the urethra, the bladder, the kidneys or the uterus. If not flushed out of the system, the bacteria can lead to an infection, or a UTI.

If youve ever had a UTI , you probably havent forgotten the symptoms. UTIs are very unpleasant, to say the least, and are often accompanied with one or more of the following:

• A burning sensation when urinating

• A strong urge to urinate often, usually passing only small amounts of urine at a time.

• Cloudy and/or strong smelling urine

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Diagnosis Of Kidney Infection

Imaging tests Imaging Tests of the Urinary Tract There are a variety of tests that can be used in the evaluation of a suspected kidney or urinary tract disorder. X-rays are usually not helpful in evaluating… read more are done in people who have intense back pain typical of renal colic, in those who do not respond to antibiotic treatment within 72 hours, in those whose symptoms return shortly after antibiotic treatment is finished, in those with long-standing or recurring pyelonephritis, in those whose blood test results indicate kidney damage, and in men . Ultrasonography or helical computed tomography studies done in these situations may reveal kidney stones, Stones in the Urinary Tract Stones are hard masses that form in the urinary tract and may cause pain, bleeding, or an infection or block of the flow of urine. Tiny stones may cause no symptoms, but larger stones… read more structural abnormalities, or other causes of urinary obstruction.

Causes And Risk Factors Of A Kidney Infection

Kidney infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses that spread in your urinary tract, but bacterial infections are much more common.

In fact, about 90 percent of kidney infections are caused by a single type of bacteria, Eschericia coli, or E. coli, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The infection is thought to occur from bacteria that travel from your gastrointestinal tract to your skin surface, through your urethra to your bladder, then through the tubes that connect your bladder and kidneys.

Normally, urine flushes any potentially harmful bacteria out of your ureters before they can cause an infection. But sometimes this doesnt happen due to the following conditions:

• Structural abnormalities in your ureters or kidneys
• Enlarged prostate
• Urine backflow from your bladder to your kidneys

Its also possible for bacteria from your bloodstream to enter your kidneys and cause an infection. This happens most commonly with staphylococcus, or staph, bacteria.

Kidney infections that spread from your bloodstream tend to develop after surgery or as a consequence of another infection elsewhere in the body. For example, if an artificial joint or heart valve becomes infected, the kidneys can become secondarily infected.

Its very uncommon for kidney surgery to lead to a kidney infection.

A number of factors can increase your risk of developing a kidney infection:

This reduced urine flow can make it easier for bacteria in your bladder to migrate into your kidneys.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Infection

A number of symptoms can indicate to your doctor that you may have a kidney infection. The more severe the symptoms, the more likely the infection involves the kidney. Symptoms of a kidney infection include:

• Sudden onset of chills

If you experience any of these sudden onset symptoms, please seek medical attention.

Are There Any Complications From A Kidney Infection

Most people who develop a kidney infection make a full recovery if treatment is given promptly. Possible complications which occur in a small number of cases include:

• Sometimes germs from a kidney infection get into the bloodstream, particularly if treatment is delayed. This may cause blood poisoning . This can be serious or even life-threatening.
• In pregnant women who develop pyelonephritis occasionally, it may result in the baby being born early or with a lower birth weight.
• A kidney abscess can develop. This is a collection of pus that forms within the kidney.
• The infection can sometimes cause some permanent damage to kidney tissues.

These complications are uncommon but may be more likely if:

• You become severely ill with the kidney infection.
• You have kidney stones.
• Your immune system is suppressed for example, if you have cancer, if you are taking medication such as steroids or chemotherapy, or if you have AIDS.
• You have poorly controlled diabetes.
• You are an older person .
• You are pregnant.

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is also a rare complication. In this condition the kidney tissues are rapidly destroyed by the infection and the bacteria can release toxic gases which can build up in the kidneys. You become very unwell if you develop this complication. This complication seems mostly to affect people who have poorly controlled diabetes.

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What Causes A Urinary Tract Infection

While the most common cause of a urinary tract infection is bacteria, it can also be caused by a fungal infection.

There are other several causes to urinary tract infections and for you, there could even be two things at once causing an infection! Unfortunately, improper hygiene can be the leading cause of urinary tract infections. Another leading cause, especially in people with diabetes and the elderly is urinary stasis or the bladder not fully emptying. Fungal urinary tract infections are an additional cause in people with diabetes, but happen less frequently.

If you have diabetes, chances are you have heard of neuropathy. Neuropathy is the damage that is caused to the nerves in your body from high blood sugars over time. Damage from neuropathy normally starts in your fingers and toes, and then moves to your hands and feet, on an upward spiral. This is called peripheral neuropathy it continues moving upward until it reaches all of your body if you do not get your blood sugars under control while the damage is occurring.

For people with diabetes, autonomic neuropathy is a late complication of diabetes resulting in issues with the bladder and tracts within the bladder emptying properly. This leads to what is called urinary stasis, when urine is left in the bladder after you urinate. If the bladder does not empty fully, urine remains in the bladder causing bacteria to form, leading to the urinary tract infections.

By Tammy Shifflett RN, BSN, CDE, CPT

Things You Can Do Yourself

To help ease symptoms of a urinary tract infection :

• takeparacetamolup to 4 times a day to reduce pain and a high temperature for people with a UTI, paracetamol is usually recommended over NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin
• you can give childrenliquid paracetamol
• rest and drink enough fluids so you pass pale urine regularly during the day
• avoid having sex

Some people take cystitis sachets or cranberry drinks and products every day to prevent UTIs from happening, which may help. However, there’s no evidence they help ease symptoms or treat a UTI if the infection has already started.

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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Utis

UTIs can cause such signs as:

• pain, burning, or a stinging sensation when peeing
• an increased urge or more frequent need to pee
• waking up at night a lot to go to the bathroom
• belly pain in the area of the bladder
• foul-smelling pee that may look cloudy or contain blood

If you have any symptoms of a UTI, youll need to go to a doctor right away. The sooner you begin treatment, the less uncomfortable youll be. Call your doctors office or clinic. If you cant reach your doctor, you can visit an urgent care center or hospital emergency room. The most important thing is to take action as soon as possible.

A Pharmacist Can Help With Utis

You can ask a pharmacist about treatments for a UTI.

A pharmacist can:

• offer advice on things that can help you get better
• suggest the best painkiller to take
• tell you if you need to see a GP about your symptoms

Some pharmacies offer a UTI management service. They may be able to give antibiotics if they’re needed.

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How Are Acute Kidney Infections Treated

Children are typically given oral antibiotics to take at home. However, if the infection is advanced, a child may receive intravenous antibiotics in the hospital. Staying well hydrated is an extremely important part of treatment, and children should drink plenty of fluids during and after treatment. There is evidence that good hydration during recovery may help reduce long-term kidney damage.

Can A Kidney Infection Be Prevented Or Avoided

You can help prevent a kidney infection or UTI if you:

• Drink enough water
• Avoid using douches and scented products in your genital area
• Wipe your genital area from front to back

Although anyone can get a kidney infection, some people are at greater risk. Youre more likely to get a kidney infection if you:

• Have a weakened immune system
• Have to use a catheter to remove urine from your bladder
• Have vesicoureteral reflux . This is a condition where urine can flow up or down your ureters

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How Common Are Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections are very common, occurring in 1 out of 5 women sometime in their lifetime. Though UTIs are common in women, they can also happen to men, older adults and children. One to 2% of children develop urinary tract infections. Each year, 8 million to 10 million visits to doctors are for urinary tract infections.

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What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.

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Ok So How Do I Make Sure I Never Get A Uti Or A Kidney Infection

As they say, prevention is the best cure! And there are many things you can do to ensure that youre reducing your risk for an infection, and preventing build up from occurring in the kidneys.

• Practice good hygiene. Always wipe from front to back, keep your genital area clean, wash before and after sex. Basically, do your best to keep bacteria from even having a chance of getting into the urinary system in the first place.

• Drink lots of water. If youre dehydrated, youre not only increasing your chance of a UTI, but youre also decreasing your urine output, meaning that more minerals have a chance to build up and settle in the urinary tract or kidneys.

• Make sure to urinate whenever you feel you have to go. Dont hold it in. This concentrates the urine allowing bacteria to build up and spread.

• Alter your diet if you find youre prone to kidney stones. Cut down on certain meats and shellfish and opting instead for more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Avoid consuming too much sugar. Cut back on sodium, and eat more oxalate-rich foods .

And if you do start experiencing any of the symptoms above, be sure to see a doctor right away. UTIs, kidney infections, and kidney stones can usually be treated fairly easily, but its important to seek medical attention before any complications develop.