Who Is At Risk Of A Uti
Urinary tract infections can affect any person regardless of age, gender and ethnicity. They are, however, more common in females because they have shorter urethras, which are also closer to the rectum. This allows the bacteria to enter the urinary tract of the females more easily than that of the males.
Some of the other risk factors that increase the likelihood of UTIs are
When To See A Doctor
Contact your doctor if you have pain or discomfort when you urinate or other symptoms of a bladder infection, especially if the symptoms have been present for two days or more. If an infection lingers for too long, you risk the bacterial infection traveling to other parts of your body, including your kidneys. Therefore, you should seek treatment if you notice symptoms.
Your doctor will complete a physical examination and collect a urine sample to send for lab analysis to determine if an infection is present. Complications from an uncomplicated bladder infection are typically rare with antibiotic treatment. However, if you develop fever, chills, nausea, or confusion, you should immediately contact your doctor. These symptoms suggest a more serious infection that has spread to your kidneys. If you have a kidney infection, you may need an IV treatment of high-dose antibiotics, which may require hospitalization.
Show Sources
Read Also: Botox For The Bladder Side Effects
Urinate When The Need Arises
Bacteria in the urinary tract is always under pressure during frequent urination. This can help to clear them out.
It also brings down the amount of time that bacteria in the urine are exposed to cells in the urinary tract. Urinating at the right time usually reduces the risk associated with attaching and forming an infection.
It is advisable to always urinate as soon as possible when the urge comes in order to help prevent and treat UTIs.
You May Like: Do Urine Infections Go Away On Their Own
How Do You Know If Your Uti Is Getting Better
Everyone recovers from a UTI differently. The first sign your UTI is getting better is symptom relief. The blowtorch in your urethra should start cooling off. Your bladder will let you sit on the couch instead of the toilet.
Fevers, chills, nausea and systemic symptoms may take a couple of days to get better. Use supportive therapies like over-the-counter medications to minimize the severity.
What if your UTI is NOT getting better? Again, seek immediate medical assistance with a urologist to rule out a drug-resistant bacteria or another cause for your symptoms.
How Are Utis Treated
UTIs are treated with antibiotics. After several days of antibiotics, your doctor may repeat the urine tests to be sure that the infection is gone. Itâs important to make sure of this because an incompletely treated UTI can come back or spread.
If a child has severe pain when peeing, the doctor may also prescribe medicine that numbs the lining of the urinary tract.
Give prescribed antibiotics on schedule for as many days as your doctor directs. Keep track of your childâs trips to the bathroom, and ask your child about symptoms like pain or burning during peeing. These symptoms should improve within 2 to 3 days after antibiotics are started.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids, but skip drinks that containe caffeine , such as soda and iced tea.
Most UTIs are cured within a week with treatment.
Read Also: Acv For Urinary Tract Infection
How Long Does A Uti Last Untreated
In case UTI is left untreated, it could result in more complicated situations that could also be fatal to an infected person.
Some of the complications include:
Signs and symptoms of a bladder infection include pain during urination, pain in the lower back and frequent urge of urination by producing very little pee. Increased intake of water can help pain and fasten the healing process.Recurrent UTIs can be avoided by simultaneously treating problems with the digestive system in women and prostate problems in men. It helps to be proactive and prevent UTI by the following cleanliness after bowel movement and also eating a good healthy diet. Cranberry juice and supplements are known, to an extent, to prevent UTIs.
UTI left untreated for weeks after the incidence of primary symptoms, causes the bacteria colonizing the bladder to move upwards, infecting the ureters. This leads to accumulation of urine in the ureters as well.When ureters are not completely emptied of urine, there is a swelling and intense pain. The urine smells foul and patient develops a high fever. Although painful and time-consuming, treating UTI at this stage is necessary to prevent further damage.
Dont Miss: Get Rid Of Bladder Infection Without Antibiotics
What Qualifies As A Recurrent Uti And What Causes Them
Patients who have had two urinary tract infections in the past six months or three in the past year have recurrent urinary tract infections. Patients who have recurrent urinary tract infections are often referred to a urogynecologist or a urologist for further evaluation, and may require treatment to prevent infections.
Risk factors for recurrent urinary tract infections can be divided into two categories: behavioral and genetic. Behavioral risk factors include sexual activity, a new sexual partner and the use of spermicides. Genetic and health-state risk factors include having a mother with a history of UTIs, having UTIs as a child, diabetes, fecal incontinence, urinary incontinence and being post-menopausal.
Dont Miss: Can Urgent Care Treat A Yeast Infection
Also Check: Can Urgent Care Treat A Yeast Infection
How Much Water Should You Drink To Flush Out A Uti
Drink Water Make sure you drink plenty of fluids. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends drinking six to eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day in order to flush bacteria out of your urinary tract. Fluids also help to dilute your urine, so bacteria doesnt grow to begin with.
Wipe From Front To Back
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , UTIs can develop when bacteria from the rectum or feces gain access to the urethra. This small channel allows urine to flow out of the body.
Once bacteria are in the urethra, they can travel up into other urinary tract organs, where they can lead to infections.
Recommended Reading: Immediate Relief Urinary Tract Infection Pain
How Do I Know If The Treatment Isnt Working
If the treatment isnt working, your symptoms will stay the same, get worse, or you will develop new symptoms. Call your doctor if you have a fever , chills, lower stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. You should also call your doctor if, after taking medicine for 3 days, you still have a burning feeling when you urinate. If you are pregnant, you should also call your doctor if you have any contractions.
How To Know If You Have A Urinary Tract Infection
When you start to feel an urgent need to find a bathroom, and when it starts to burn when you do go, you could be experiencing the early stages of a urinary tract infection, or UTI as it is commonly called. According to the National Kidney Foundation, UTIs are responsible for nearly 10 million doctors office visits per year. One in five women will have at least one UTI, also called cystitis, during her lifetime. Men and children can also get UTIs. But what exactly is a UTI and why is it so common?
A UTI can be any infection in the urinary system including the urethra, bladder, ureters or kidneys. These painful infections generally start at the beginning of the system, or the urethra opening, and progress upward until medical treatment arrests the spread. Most UTIs are contained to the urethra and bladder.
Proper medical care is needed for this condition. At Advance ER in Dallas, TX, we know how to diagnose and to treat UTIs with our in-house laboratory and patient pharmacy. A UTI can be extremely painful, said Advance ER physician Dr. Ronnie Shalev. Its not something to try to tough out, it needs medical treatment.
Also Check: Urine Test For Bladder Infection
Read Also: Can You Treat A Kidney Infection At Home
Home Remedies For A Uti
Still, some mild UTIs may clear up with the use of home remedies. While their effectiveness is still somewhat debated, the following home remedies may help to clear up a UTI:
- Drinking water, which may help to flush out bacteria from the urinary tract
- Drinking cranberry juice, which has antioxidants with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
- Getting enough vitamin C, which could help boost your immune system to fight the infection
Many physicians will advise their patients to try these home remedies in addition to antibiotics. Contact your healthcare provider for advice as it pertains to your unique situation.
What Are The Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections
An infection occurs in the urinary tract when bacteria enter the urethra and sets up camp there. Sometimes they will migrate from there to the bladder, causing further infection. If you dont get treated, the bacteria can even move on to the kidney. When we urinate, we often flush out the bacteria, but sometimes this bacterium can take root.
You really dont want this to happen, as it can turn quite serious and require a hospital stay, as well as lead to an even worse kidney or bladder infection. These bacteria usually come from the colon. Sometimes other tiny organisms that are sexually transmitted can also cause these kinds of infections.
Common causes of UTIs include:
- Sexual intercourse
You May Like: T1 Bladder Cancer Life Expectancy
You May Like: Buy Antibiotics For Sinus Infection
How To Treat A Cat Uti At Home
A cat UTI is more common in female cats than male cats.
However, male cats can have serious complications from UTIs as well.
Cats diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis can also have crystal formation. Male cats may experience blockage in their narrow urethras, which can become deadly.
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria grows in the bladder.
UTIs and bladder infections usually cause physical discomfort, although some show no signs at all.
Cats with UTIs typically exhibit:
Dont Miss: What Is A Bladder Doctor Called
Drink Plenty Of Water
Although urinating can be painful when you have a UTI, its important to drink as many fluids as possible particularly water. Most adults should aim to drink between six and eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
The more you drink, the more youll urinate, which can help flush harmful bacteria from the urinary tract.
Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Chronic Sinus Infection
How Long Should You Take The Antibiotics For
Usually, a single dose of with a special drug is enough to relieve the symptoms. Alternatively, there are antibiotics that are taken for 3, 5 or 7 days.
The studies found the following: A one- to three-day treatment was enough to relieve the symptoms in most women who had uncomplicated cystitis. Taking for longer didnt improve symptom relief but it did lead to more side effects, such as stomach and bowel problems or rashes.
When someone has cystitis, can be detected in their urine. After a five-day course of , the urine was bacteria-free in almost all the women. After a three-day course of antibiotics, bacteria could still be found in some womens urine. But this didnt result in more women developing cystitis again.
Read Also: Is An Iud Still Effective With Antibiotics
What Makes A Uti Worse An Ultimate Uti Faq
Many of us have experienced it: a burning sensation while peeing along with pelvic pain. You may have a urinary tract infection, commonly referred to as a UTI. A Brief Intro to UTIs A UTI is an infection in the Read More
Many of us have experienced it: a burning sensation while peeing along with pelvic pain. You may have a urinary tract infection, commonly referred to as a UTI.
Also Check: Antibiotics Used For Yeast Infection
Can A Uti Be Treated Without Antibiotics
Antibiotics are very effective means of treatment for UTIs. However, in some cases, the body can often resolve minor and uncomplicated UTIs on its own without antibiotics.
Following some estimates, about 25-42 percent of uncomplicated UTI infections are usually clear on their own. In these cases, people may most likely try a number of home remedies to speed up recovery.
Complicated UTIs require medical treatment. Such UTIs involve at least one of the fundamental factors:
Change in the urinary system or organs, in the form of a swollen prostate as well a reduced flow of urine
Kinds of bacteria that may be resistant to antibiotics
Problems that affect the immune system, such as HIV, cardiovascular disease, or lupus
How Long Does It Take For A Uti To Go Away Topic Guide
Recommended Reading: How Long After Being Infected With Hiv Do Symptoms Appear
Can Urinary Tract Infections Be Prevented Or Avoided
There are many lifestyle choices that can help you prevent UTIs. These are some of the things you can do to protect yourself from them:
- Drink plenty of water to flush out bacteria. For some people, drinking cranberry juice may also help prevent urinary tract infections. However, if youre taking warfarin, check with your doctor before using cranberry juice to prevent urinary tract infections. Your doctor may need to adjust your warfarin dose or you may need to have more frequent blood tests.
- Dont hold your urine. Urinate when you feel like you need to. Some children dont go to the bathroom often enough. If your child does this, teach him or her to go to the bathroom several times each day.
- Wipe from front to back after bowel movements. Teach your child to wipe correctly.
- Urinate after having sex to help wash away bacteria.
- Use enough lubrication during sex. Try using a small amount of lubricant before sex if youre a little dry.
- If you get urinary tract infections often, you may want to avoid using a diaphragm as a birth control method. Ask your doctor about other birth control choices.
- Avoid taking or giving your child bubble baths.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing , and dress your child in loose-fitting clothing.
- If you are uncircumcised, wash the foreskin regularly. If you have an uncircumcised boy, teach him how to wash his foreskin.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
If you are a healthy adult man or a woman who is not pregnant, a few days of antibiotic pills will usually cure your urinary tract infection. If you are pregnant, your doctor will prescribe a medicine that is safe for you and the baby. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine. Its important that you follow your doctors instructions for taking the medicine, even if you start to feel better. Skipping pills could make the treatment less effective.
Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine makes your urine turn bright orange, so dont be alarmed by the color when you urinate.
Read Also: What Antibiotics Are Given For Sinus Infection
What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
-
a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
-
an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
-
a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
What Is A Uti
A UTI or urinary tract infection refers to an infection affecting any part of the urinary tract. The urinary tract starts from the site where the urine is formed, the kidneys and ends at the tiny tube called urethra from which the urine is released to the exterior. The urine is carried from the kidneys via tube-like slender structures called the ureters, one arising from each kidney. They carry the urine to the urinary bladder where the urine is stored until it is eliminated from the body through the urethra. UTIs are common infections and are generally named after the affected site in the urinary tract. An infection of the bladder is called cystitis, of the kidney is called pyelonephritis and of the urethra is called urethritis. A UTI is generally caused when bacteria, often from the skin around the urethra or the rectum, enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract.
Also Check: Whats The Best Antibiotic For Ear Infection
How Is It Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may have lab tests of your urine and discharge from the urethra and prostate gland.
For serious or repeated infections, you may need:
- An intravenous pyelogram . An IVP is a special type of X-ray of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
- An ultrasound scan to look at the urinary tract.
- A cystoscopy. This is an exam of the inside of the urethra and bladder with a small lighted instrument. It is usually done by a specialist called a urologist.