Overview
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a term used to describe an infection in any part of your urinary system, which is made up of your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower part of the urinary system, so your bladder and urethra. Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than men.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Symptoms
Urinary tract infections don’t always have symptoms, but they can include:
- A burning sensation when urinating
- Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
- A strong, persistent urge to urinate
- Urine can appear cloudy or red, bright pink or “cola-coloured.”
- Particularly strong-smelling urine
- Women can experience pelvic pain, particularly around the centre of the pelvis and the pubic bone.
Diagnosis
Depending on its severity and which part of your urinary system is affected, there are several elements to diagnosing a UTI. These can include:
- A urine sample
- Your doctor may then grow some urinary tract bacteria in a lab. This helps them understand bacteria are causing the infection and so can advise on the best medications to treat it.
- If you experience frequent infections that your doctor thinks may be caused by an abnormality in the urinary tract, they may advise you to have an ultrasound, a CT scan or MRI to get images of it.
- Finally, if you have UTIS regularly, your doctor may perform a cystoscopy using a long, thin tube with a lens (cystoscope) inserted in your urethra and passed through to your bladder to see inside them.
Causes & Prevention
Causes
UTIs are usually caused by bacteria from faeces entering the urinary tract. The bacteria enter through the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra). Women have a shorter urethra than men, which means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause the infection.
Other health conditions can sometimes cause UTI, such as:
- Pregnancy
- Conditions that block the urinary tract – such as kidney stones
- Conditions that make it harder to fully empty the bladder – such as an enlarged prostate gland in men and constipation in children
- Using a urinary catheter (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine)
- Having a weakened immune system through conditions such as type 2 diabetes, chemotherapy or HIV.
Prevention
There are several simple ways to help avoid getting a UTI. Things you can do include:
- Wiping from front to back when you go to the toilet
- Try to fully empty your bladder when you urinate
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Take showers instead of baths
- Wear loose cotton underwear
- Pee as soon as possible after sex
Additionally, avoiding these things can also help::
- Don’t use perfumed bubble bath, soap or talcum powder
- Try not to hold your urine in if you feel the urge to go.
- Do not wear tight, synthetic underwear, such as nylon
- Avoid wearing tight jeans or trousers
- Do not use condoms or diaphragms with spermicidal lube on them – try non-spermicidal lube or a different type of contraception.
Treatments
Treatment is usually a course of antibiotics. Once you start the treatment, your symptoms should clear up within five days in adults and two days in children. It is crucial to finish the course of antibiotics, even if you start feeling better.
If your UTI returns any time after initial treatment, you will usually be prescribed a longer course of antibiotics. If you keep getting UTIs and regularly need treatment, your doctor may give you a repeat prescription for antibiotics.
Things you can do yourself
If you have mild urinary tract infections (UTIs) and mild symptoms, these can often pass within a few days. The following can help to ease the pain while the symptoms clear up:
- Take paracetamol
- Place a hot water bottle on your stomach, your back or between your thighs
- Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids – this helps your body flush out the bacteria
It can also be uncomfortable to have sex if you have UTI – you can’t pass it on, but because of the pain, It may help to avoid having sex until you feel better.
Conclusion
Urinary tract infections can be painful but not infectious and are usually treated with antibiotics. If it is a mild case, there are simple things that you can do to ease the pain.
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