Where To Get Tested For Urinary Tract Infection

Bacteria Trigger Nerve Cells To Cause Pain

Researchers have found that bacteria can directly stimulate sensory neurons to produce pain and suppress inflammation. The finding may lead to better treatments for painful bacterial infections.

A tooth abscess, urinary tract infection, or other type of bacterial infection can cause intense pain. The pain is often accompanied by inflammation, which is produced by the immune systems attack on the bacteria. Its been thought that pain stems from immune cells, which release cytokines and growth factors that can induce inflammation and trigger sensory nerves.

A team led by Drs. Isaac M. Chiu and Clifford J. Woolf at Boston Childrens Hospital sought to better understand the pain caused by bacterial infections. Their research was funded by NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development .

The researchers used a mouse model of skin infection to study pain produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus . Commonly known as Staph, these bacteria are a major cause of surgical infections. The study appeared on September 5, 2013, in Nature.

The team found that pain, as assessed by sensitivity of the mice to mechanical, heat and cold stimuli, didnt correlate with tissue swelling or immune activation. Rather, pain correlated with the amount of bacteria present.

Read Also: Urinary Tract Infection After Prostate Surgery

Burning Sensation You May Have A Uti

A urinary tract infection or UTI happens in millions of Americans each year. A UTI can cause pain during urination and more commonly affects women. Several signs show the severity of the infection. These include intense back pain. Understanding whats happening during a UTI can help people get the right treatment right away.

How To Get Rid Of A Uti In 24 Hours

Are you experiencing painful urination and a constant need to run to the bathroom? If so, then youre already wondering how to get rid of a UTI in 24 hours. The seven home remedies in this article can help.

If youre still experiencing symptoms after 24 hours, then you need antibiotics. To get your hands on them, youll need to visit the doctor.

The doctors at Oxford Urgent Care will provide you with prompt treatment and relief. Check out our contact information and visit our office as soon as possible to remedy your UTI.

You May Like: Signs Your Tooth Is Infected

What Causes A Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections are caused by microorganisms usually bacteria that enter the urethra and bladder, causing inflammation and infection. Though a UTI most commonly happens in the urethra and bladder, bacteria can also travel up the ureters and infect your kidneys.

More than 90% of bladder infection cases are caused by E. coli, a bacterium normally found in the intestines.

How Vets Diagnose Utis In Dogs

There are many ways to tell if a dog has a UTI and to investigate the underlying causes for why an infection occurred in the first place. Its important to obtain a definitive diagnosis whenever there is evidence of urinary tract disease, or else UTIs may come back.

Here are the ways that veterinarians test for UTIs in dogs.

Recommended Reading: Can Nitrofurantoin Treat Yeast Infection

Treatment Strategies For Recurrent Utis

Recurrent urinary tract infections, defined as three or more UTIs within 12 months, or two or more occurrences within six months, is very common among women these but arent treated exactly the same as standalone UTIs. One of the reasons: Continued intermittent courses of antibiotics are associated with allergic reactions, organ toxicities, future infection with resistant organisms, and more.

Because of this, its strongly recommended that you receive both a urinalysis and urine culture from your healthcare provider prior to initiating treatment. Once the results are in, the American Urological Association suggests that healthcare professionals do the following:

• Use first-line treatments. Nitrofurantoin, TMP-SMX, and fosfomycin are the initial go-tos. However, specific drug recommendations should be dependent on the local antibiogram. An antibiogram is a periodic summary of antimicrobial susceptibilities that helps track drug resistance trends.
• Repeat testing. If UTI symptoms persist after antimicrobial therapy, clinicians should repeat the urinalysis, urine culture, and antibiotic susceptibility testing to help guide further management.
• Try vaginal estrogen. For peri- and post-menopausal women with recurrent UTIs, vaginal estrogen therapy is recommended to reduce risk of future UTIs.

RELATED: The Link Between UTIs and Sex: Causes and How to Prevent Them

Treating A Yeast Infection

Yeast infections are treated using antifungal medications. These are available in many forms, such as clotrimazole and miconazole, which are available over the counter. There is also an oral medication, fluconazole , available as a prescription if you prefer a pill to a vaginal cream or suppository.

Don’t Miss: German Shepherd Ear Infection Home Remedies

Is There Treatment For Utis

Most UTIs are easy to treat. Treatment for UTIs is generally antibiotics, which get rid of the infection. You can also take over-the-counter pain medicine if you want.

Antibiotics are usually quick and effective most symptoms go away within a day or 2 of taking medicine. But be sure to finish all of your medicine, even if your symptoms go away. If you stop your UTI treatment early, the infection might still be there or could come back.

If your symptoms dont go away after a few days, or for more severe infections like a kidney or prostate infection, your doctor or nurse may recommend more tests, different medication, or refer you to a specialist.

Why It Is Done

A home test for urinary tract infection may be done to:

• Find a UTI, especially in people who have UTIs often.
• Check how well treatment of a UTI is working. If you are being treated for a UTI, you can test your urine at home to see if the antibiotics have cured the infection.
• Test young children who have frequent bladder infections but may not be able to report their symptoms. A home test for these children is done under a doctor’s care.

Also Check: Urinary Tract Infection Water Retention

Who Is Most At Risk Of Developing A Urinary Tract Infection

• Wiping from back to front after a bowel movement
• Being postmenopausal
• Structural defects of the urinary tract
• The presence of kidney or bladder stones
• Urinating without fully emptying the bladder.

UTIs in children are reasonably common, affecting up to 8% of girls and 2% of boys. Young children also have a higher risk of kidney damage from UTIs than adults. Some children are born with vesicoureteral reflux, where urine reenters the bladder from one or both ureters, which also increases the likelihood of UTIs.

Recovery And Management Of Utis In Cats

Most cats will fully recover within 7-10 days of developing a urinary tract infection, but they may need to remain on a canned diet for longer. Your vet may check a urine sample after treatment to determine if all the bacteria are gone.

Occasionally, cats will develop repeated urinary tract infections. Cats with recurring UTIs often require more testing to determine the underlying cause.

Read Also: Urine Infection Symptoms And Treatment

Diagnosing Uti: Tests And Screenings Early Diagnosis And Your Doctors

There is more than one way to diagnose a urinary tract infection . Knowing which test you need will help ensure you get the treatment you require quickly. When UTIs are treated properly in a timely fashion, they rarely lead to complications. However, UTIs can result in serious consequences, including kidney damage, if left undiagnosed and untreated.

RELATED: 8 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections

Types Urinary Tract Infection And Symptoms

Patient usually present with pain , urination problems with or without fever. Mild cases may show no symptoms , while severe infections may be dangerous , and may require hospitalization. Symptoms of UTI vary between different types of the disease. Some of the commonly reported symptoms include the following:

• Urination problems: Patient may may present with one or more of the following urine symptoms:Burning urination , Frequent urination , urgency and incomplete voiding. Blood in urine.Cloudy, dark, or strange or strong-smelling urine, mixed with blood in some cases
• Pain: Lower body pain

Recommended Reading: Best Antibiotic For Severe Sinus Infection

Cultures And The Laboratory Diagnosis Of Utis

Routine bacterial urine cultures. Urine culture may not be necessary as part of the evaluation of outpatients with uncomplicated UTIs . However, urine cultures are necessary for outpatients who have recurrent UTIs, experience treatment failures, or have complicated UTIs. Urine cultures are also necessary for inpatients who develop UTIs. The bacterial culture remains an important test in the diagnosis of UTI, not only because it helps to document infection, but also because it is necessary for determination of the identity of the infecting microorganism and for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. This is particularly true because of the increased incidence of antimicrobial resistance.

Catheterized patients and many patients with infections of the lower urinary tract have colony counts much lower than 105 cfu/mL if the specimens are obtained via suprapubic aspirate or catheterization . Accordingly, the most appropriate diagnostic criterion for urine culture specimens obtained via suprapubic aspirate or catheterization is a bacterial concentration of 102 cfu/mL .

Interpreting culture results for urine specimens yielding common urinary tract pathogens.

What About Cranberry Juice For Uti

Its a long-held belief that consuming cranberry juice may help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. While its true that cranberries contain an active ingredient that can prevent adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract, there is still no evidence that cranberry products can treat a UTI.

One of the reasons: Products like cranberry juice or cranberry capsules are not explicitly formulated with the same amount of PACs that have shown potential in lab studies. Moreover, a 2019 report in the Journal of Urology noted that the availability of such products to the public is a severe limitation to the use of cranberries for UTI prophylaxis outside the research setting.

In all, theres actually very little high-quality research on the topic of prevention. For instance, a 2016 study in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that among female nursing home residents, daily consumption of cranberry capsules resulted in no significant prevention of UTIs.

While consuming cranberry juice or supplements is not considered a first-line treatment of urinary tract infections, in most cases, it cant hurt. After all, drinking plenty of liquids does dilute your urine and help spur more frequent urination, which flushes bacteria from the urinary tract. The exception: Those who are taking blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin, should not consume cranberry juice. And those with diabetes should be mindful of the high-sugar content of fruit juices.

You May Like: Ear Infection Treatment Ear Drops

Why Should I Take The Full Dose

Antibiotics work well against UTIs. You might start to feel better after being on the medicine for just a few days.

But even so, keep taking your medicine. If you stop your antibiotics too soon, you wonât kill all the bacteria in your urinary tract.

These germs can become resistant to antibiotics. That means the meds will no longer kill these bugs in the future. So if you get another UTI, the medication you take might not treat it. Take the full course of your medicine to make sure all the bacteria are dead.

Get Your Prescription Filled Right Away

Once you are done with your appointment and have received a prescription for an antibiotic, its important you get it filled at a pharmacy as soon as possible. The faster you start taking your medication, the faster your UTI will be gone.

If you usually use next-day prescription delivery or a mail order pharmacy, this is one time when you should avoid doing this. These options can cause a delay by anywhere from 1 day to 1 week . Youre better off using a local pharmacy in this case.

If going into the pharmacy is a concern due to COVID-19, many pharmacies have added options to help minimize the amount of time you are inside the building. Some options to ask about at your pharmacy include:

• Same-day delivery through services like Instacart

• Using the pharmacys drive-thru pick-up window

• Curbside pick-up

• Paying ahead of time through the pharmacys smartphone app to make your time spent at the checkout counter faster

Every pharmacy is different, so make sure to ask your personal pharmacy if these options are available at your location.

Read Also: Does Benadryl Help With Tooth Infection

Can I Become Immune To The Antibiotics Used To Treat A Uti

Your body can actually get used to the antibiotics typically used to treat a urinary tract infection . This happens in people who have very frequent infections. With each UTI and use of antibiotics to treat it, the infection adapts and becomes harder to fight. This is called an antibiotic-resistant infection. Because of this, your healthcare provider may suggest alternative treatments if you have frequent UTIs. These could include:

• Waiting: Your provider may suggest that you watch your symptoms and wait. During this time, you may be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids in an effort to flush out your system.
• Intravenous treatment: In some very complicated cases, where the UTI is resistant to antibiotics or the infection has moved to your kidneys, you may need to be treated in the hospital. The medicine will be given to you directly in your vein . Once youre home, you will be prescribed antibiotics for a period of time to fully get rid of the infection.

Im Pregnant How Will A Uti Affect My Baby

If you have a UTI and it isnt treated, it may lead to a kidney infection. Kidney infections may cause early labor. Fortunately, asymptomatic bacteriuria and bladder infections are usually found and treated before the kidneys become infected. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection early and properly, it wont hurt your baby.

Read Also: Does Tooth Infection Go Away

You May Like: Infection Control For Healthcare Professionals

Getting Tested For A Uti

Testing for a UTI usually takes place in a doctors office, laboratory, or hospital. Most tests for UTIs involve a urine sample obtained by clean-catch or catheterization. Your doctor can help determine which method is appropriate for you.

• Clean catch urine samples are collected by patients with special precautions to prevent outside germs from getting into the urine sample. Patients are given instructions on obtaining a clean catch sample and avoiding contamination.
• Catheterization involves inserting a thin rubber tube through the urethra into the bladder. When performing this procedure, the urine is collected in a sterile container for testing before removing the catheter.

Key Points About Urinary Tract Infections

• Urinary tract infections are a common health problem that affects millions of people each year. These infections can affect any part of the urinary tract.
• Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which normally live in the colon.
• The most common symptoms of UTIs include changes in urination such as frequency, pain, or burning urine looks dark, cloudy, or red and smells bad back or side pain nausea/vomiting and fever.
• Antibiotics are used to treat UTIs. Other treatments may include pain relievers, and drinking plenty of water to help wash bacteria out of the urinary tract.
• Other things that can be done may help reduce the likelihood of developing UTIs.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Difference Between A Yeast Infection And Chlamydia

See A Healthcare Provider

While UTIs arent usually a cause for major concern, if you dont get them treated, they can lead to more serious problems like a kidney infection. If you have a UTI, make an appointment with a healthcare provider as soon as possible. The fastest way to feel better is by taking an antibiotic to kill the bacteria causing your infection.

If going to see a provider in-person is not an option , there are plenty of telehealth services available that will allow you to set up a virtual appointment. Check out GoodRx Care for treatment of UTIs as well as many other medical conditions.

During your appointment, your provider will ask you questions about what symptoms you are experiencing and if you are prone to UTIs. You might be asked to provide a urine sample either in the office you are seen in or at a lab close to you. Lastly, your provider will prescribe you a course of antibiotics to get started on right away.

Some common antibiotics used for treating UTIs include nitrofurantoin , sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim , and ciprofloxacin . Typically, you only need to take them for 3 to 5 days, and most people start to feel relief within the first 2 to 3 days. Antibiotics can cause nausea, stomach upset, and diarrhea for many people. But, taking your dose with food can help lessen nausea and stomach upset, and taking a probiotic supplement like L. acidophilus can help with the diarrhea.

Treatment From A Gp For Utis That Keep Coming Back

If your UTI comes back after treatment, or you have 2 UTIs in 6 months, a GP may:

• prescribe a different antibiotic or prescribe a low-dose antibiotic to take for up to 6 months
• prescribe a vaginal cream containing oestrogen, if you have gone through the menopause
• refer you to a specialist for further tests and treatments

In some people, antibiotics do not work or urine tests do not pick up an infection, even though you have UTI symptoms.

This may mean you have a long-term UTI that is not picked up by current urine tests. Ask the GP for a referral to a specialist for further tests and treatments.

Long-term UTIs are linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer in people aged 60 and over.

Also Check: Infection In Cheek From Tooth