A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a type of infection (usually bacterial) that affects the urinary tract. UTIs can affect one or several parts of the urinary tract, including the urethra, ureters, kidneys and bladder.
Urinary tract infections develop when bacteria, often from the skin or anus, enters the urinary tract. Due to the difference in distance between the anus and the urethra, UTIs tend to occur more frequently in women than in men.
If you have a UTI, you may experience a range of symptoms, including overly frequent urination and pain or burning feelings when you need to urinate.
Most of the time, urinary tract infections can be treated with oral medications, e.g. antibiotics. However, UTIs that spread to your kidneys can become significantly more serious and, in some cases, may require urgent medical care.
Below, we’ve listed the symptoms and potential health complications of a urinary tract infection (UTI). We’ve also explained what causes UTIs, how they’re typically diagnosed by a healthcare professional and the UTI treatment and prevention options that are currently available.
Although not all urinary tract infections cause noticeable symptoms, there are several common symptoms that you may notice if you develop a UTI:
When a urinary tract infection spreads to the kidneys, it can cause more severe and noticeable symptoms. These may include:
The exact symptoms of a UTI can vary based on the part of your urinary tract that’s affected. If you have a UTI, you may notice one or several of the symptoms listed above. Some symptoms may be more severe than others. In the elderly, confusion and mental changes may be the only sign that a person has a UTI.
Urinary tract infections can affect people of all ages. In infants and toddlers, the most common sign of a UTI is fever. Young children may not be fully able to properly identify or communicate about their UTI symptoms. If you think that your child has a UTI, you should talk to a healthcare professional.
Urinary tract infections generally don’t lead to complications, as long as they’re treated promptly and effectively. However, when left untreated, a UTI can potentially spread throughout the body and, in some cases, lead to serious and potentially life-threatening health complications.
If left untreated or inadequately treated, a UTI may lead to the following complications:
You should talk to a healthcare professional as soon as you notice any of the symptoms listed above. If you have a UTI, acting quickly will allow you to start treating the UTI before it can spread further into your urinary tract and potentially damage organs such as your kidneys.
Most urinary tract infections can be treated at home using antibiotics. However, if your UTI has spread or you have a severe UTI, you may need to be treated in the hospital.
If you’re concerned that your child may have a UTI, it’s best to talk to a healthcare professional as soon as you can. You should seek medical assistance right away if your child is younger than three months and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria or other pathogens get into your urethra and bladder. They can spread into the urethra from your vagina, fingers, skin or rectum, or from your sexual partner’s genitals, fingers or skin.
UTIs can also develop from bacteria on sex toys and other objects that come into contact with the skin near your urethra. Certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, may also cause UTIs.
Urinary tract infections can affect men and women of all ages. However, certain risk factors may cause you to have a higher chance of developing a UTI.
Because of the short distance between the urethra and the bladder, as well as the closeness of the rectum to the vagina, women have a higher risk of developing UTIs than men. Around half of all women will develop a UTI at some point in life.
Several other factors can increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infection. You may be more at risk if you:
If you’re worried that you might have a urinary tract infection, it’s best to talk to a healthcare professional. UTIs are usually easy to diagnose and treat and, if treated early, are less likely to spread and cause health complications.
Your healthcare provider may ask you about recent symptoms, such as pain, discomfort or burning sensation while you urinate, or a need to go to the toilet often. They may also perform a physical exam.
While it can feel embarrassing to talk about topics such as urination with a healthcare professional, it’s important that you provide clear, accurate information to help your healthcare provider make an accurate diagnosis and provide the best possible treatment.
To accurately diagnose a urinary tract infection, your healthcare provider may ask you to complete one or several tests:
Your healthcare provider may request that you take additional tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and blood culture. These can help to identify if the infection has spread beyond your urinary tract to your bloodstream.
Most urinary tract infections can be treated using oral medications such as antibiotics for bacterial UTIs. Your healthcare provider will prescribe the most effective antibiotic based on the type of bacteria that’s causing your infection. Commonly prescribed antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs include:
Antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that cause a urinary tract infection to develop. When you have a UTI, you may notice an immediate improvement in your symptoms, often within a day or two of starting treatment.
Even if your symptoms stop after you start using antibiotics, it’s important to continue using your medication as directed by your healthcare provider. Stopping treatment before you finish the entire course of your medication may increase the risk of the UTI coming back as well as promote antibiotic resistance.
If your urinary tract infection is causing you pain, such as a burning feeling during urination, your healthcare provider may also prescribe medication to treat this.
Many urinary tract infections disappear for good after treating with antibiotics. However, some people experience recurring urinary tract infections that come back, even after treatment with prescription medication.
Recurrent urinary tract infections often require a more regular treatment than more sporadic infections.
To treat recurrent UTIs, healthcare providers will occasionally prescribe prophylaxis to be taken either daily or before sex .
If you are postmenopausal, your healthcare provider may prescribe an estrogen-based treatment to help with recurrent UTIs. Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women has been shown to play a role in the development of a UTI.
If you experience recurrent urinary tract infections after sexual activity, your may need to take a single dose of an antibiotic after sex.
Most urinary tract infections are considered simple. However, UTIs that develop due to certain anatomical abnormalities, medical conditions or atypical organisms, during pregnancy or after treatment with antibiotics are categorized as complicated urinary tract infections.
In addition, all UTIs in males are considered complicated due to the protective nature of the long male urethra.
Complicated UTIs can often require different, more thorough treatments than simple UTIs. If the infection spreads into the kidneys or bloodstream, it can potentially cause life-threatening health complications that may require hospitalization and emergency treatment.
If your healthcare provider thinks that you have a complicated or severe UTI, you may need to go to hospital to be treated. If the UTI is caused by a structural problem in your urinary tract, you may need to get surgery to avoid recurrent infections.
Most urinary tract infections can be treated effectively using antibiotics. If you have a UTI, it’s important to closely follow your healthcare provider’s instructions and take all of your medication to prevent the infection from returning.
To reduce discomfort and make the recovery process easier, you may want to try the following home remedies and lifestyle changes:
After you’ve completed treatment with antibiotics or other prescribed medications, it’s important to follow up with your healthcare provider to check that the infection is completely gone. If you don’t experience any improvement after using antibiotics as prescribed, contact your healthcare provider.
Practicing healthy habits and making small changes to your lifestyle may help you to prevent urinary tract infections. To reduce your risk of developing a UTI, try doing the following:
If you think that you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), it’s important to talk to a healthcare professional as soon as you can. Acting swiftly to diagnose and treat your infection will reduce your risk of developing complications.
Consult with a licensed healthcare provider now to discuss your symptoms and learn more about what you can do to treat a urinary tract infection (UTI).
If appropriate, the provider can write you a prescription on the spot and send it directly to a local pharmacy of your choice, allowing you to get the relief you need fast, all without having to go to a healthcare provider’s office.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.