Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common problem and about five percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for UTI. Approximately 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men will experience at least one symptomatic urinary tract infection during their lifetime.
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection?
UTIs can present with pain in your abdomen and pelvic area and may make you feel like emptying your bladder more often. You may even try to urinate but only produce a few drops and/or feel some burning as your urine comes out. At times, you may lose control of your urine. You may also find that your urine smells unpleasant or is cloudy.
Kidney infections often cause fevers and back pain. These infections …show more content…
If you have symptoms of UTI, then you should contact your doctor. Ways to diagnose a UTI are via urinalysis and/or urine culture. If you ever see blood in your urine, you should contact your doctor right away. Blood in the urine may be caused by a UTI but it may also be from a different problem in the urinary tract.
You may need further tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to assess the urinary tract. How are urinary tract infections treated?
A simple UTI can be treated with a short course of oral antibiotics. A seven-day course of antibiotics will usually treat most uncomplicated UTIs. However, some infections may need to be treated for several weeks. Unless UTIs are fully treated, they can frequently return. You should also remember to drink plenty of liquids, especially around the time of a UTI.
If the UTI is a complicated UTI, then a longer period of antibiotics is given and usually is started intravenously in the hospital. After a short period of intravenous antibiotics, then the antibiotics are given by mouth for a period up to several weeks. Kidney infections have usually been treated as a complicated UTI.
Frequently asked questions: Will a UTI cause damage to the …show more content…
Some patients have anatomical and genetic predispositions that tend to make one person more susceptible than another. How do I avoid UTIs?
There are some simple steps women can use to avoid UTIs. Women who have gone through menopause and have lost the normal estrogen output have a change in the lining of the vagina. Estrogen replacement under the guidance of doctor can be a simple solution. Since certain patients cannot take estrogen replacement, you should contact your doctor prior to beginning any regimen.
Urination after sexual intercourse may also decrease the risk of UTI because it can flush out any bacteria that were introduced during intercourse. Sometimes a dose of antibiotics after intercourse can help prevent recurrence of UTIs.
Certain forms of birth control, such as spermicidal foam and diaphragms, are known to increase the risk of UTIs in women who use these as their form of contraception.
You should also drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated.
You should not delay urinating and should not rush when urinating. Also, holding in urine and not emptying your bladder completely can increase your risk of
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common problem and about five percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for UTI. Approximately 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men will experience at least one symptomatic urinary tract infection during their lifetime.
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection?
UTIs can present with pain in your abdomen and pelvic area and may make you feel like emptying your bladder more often. You may even try to urinate but only produce a few drops and/or feel some burning as your urine comes out. At times, you may lose control of your urine. You may also find that your urine smells unpleasant or is cloudy.
Kidney infections often cause fevers and back pain. These infections …show more content…
If you have symptoms of UTI, then you should contact your doctor. Ways to diagnose a UTI are via urinalysis and/or urine culture. If you ever see blood in your urine, you should contact your doctor right away. Blood in the urine may be caused by a UTI but it may also be from a different problem in the urinary tract.
You may need further tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to assess the urinary tract. How are urinary tract infections treated?
A simple UTI can be treated with a short course of oral antibiotics. A seven-day course of antibiotics will usually treat most uncomplicated UTIs. However, some infections may need to be treated for several weeks. Unless UTIs are fully treated, they can frequently return. You should also remember to drink plenty of liquids, especially around the time of a UTI.
If the UTI is a complicated UTI, then a longer period of antibiotics is given and usually is started intravenously in the hospital. After a short period of intravenous antibiotics, then the antibiotics are given by mouth for a period up to several weeks. Kidney infections have usually been treated as a complicated UTI.
Frequently asked questions: Will a UTI cause damage to the …show more content…
Some patients have anatomical and genetic predispositions that tend to make one person more susceptible than another. How do I avoid UTIs?
There are some simple steps women can use to avoid UTIs. Women who have gone through menopause and have lost the normal estrogen output have a change in the lining of the vagina. Estrogen replacement under the guidance of doctor can be a simple solution. Since certain patients cannot take estrogen replacement, you should contact your doctor prior to beginning any regimen.
Urination after sexual intercourse may also decrease the risk of UTI because it can flush out any bacteria that were introduced during intercourse. Sometimes a dose of antibiotics after intercourse can help prevent recurrence of UTIs.
Certain forms of birth control, such as spermicidal foam and diaphragms, are known to increase the risk of UTIs in women who use these as their form of contraception.
You should also drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated.
You should not delay urinating and should not rush when urinating. Also, holding in urine and not emptying your bladder completely can increase your risk of