URINARY TRACT INFECTION
What is urinary tract infection?
The urinary tract is made up of the parts of the body that produce, store and get rid of urine. These include the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
The kidneys make urine. Urine flows from the kidneys down tubes called the ureters. These tubes bring urine to the bladder. From the bladder, urine exits the body through the urethra.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of any part of the urinary tract. It is caused when bacteria invade the urinary tract. Bacteria on the skin or in the area near the anus can enter the urinary tract from the urethra and move up the urinary tract, sometimes as far as the kidneys. Women have a shorter urethra than men, which makes it easier for women to get a UTI. In rare cases, infection can spread by the blood to the urinary tract from other parts of the body.
What are the symptoms of urinary tract infection?
Urinary tract infections can make you feel as if you need to urinate often. They can also make urinating painful. Sometimes, only small amounts of urine come out. At other times, you might not be able to control the flow of urine.
The urine may look cloudy or may have a foul smell. It may contain blood or pus.
If the UTI is in the kidneys, you may have fever and back pain.
What tests are needed?
Your physician may want to perform a test on your urine. This is called a urinalysis. You will need to provide a clean catch urine sample. The steps for getting a clean catch urine sample are:
- Begin to urinate
- Stop urinating
- Position clean cup to catch urine
- Release 3 or 4 ounces of urine
- Stop urinating
- Remove and cap cup
- Finish urinating
Your sample will be tested to see if you have a UTI.
Some tests can be done in the physician's office, but others may have to be sent away to a lab. Final results will take a few days but treatment will usually start straight away.
What treatment is needed?
Most UTIs are treated with antibiotics. Antibiotic capsules or pills are usually taken by mouth each day for a few days.
For difficult-to-treat infections, antibiotics may be given by a needle into a vein. Physicians also sometimes treat these infections with antibiotics taken by mouth for weeks instead of days.
If you are given antibiotics, take them as prescribed. Do not stop early even if you feel better.
If you get a lot of UTIs, your physician may want to study your urinary tract more closely. This can be done with ultrasounds, X-rays or other scans. These tests can find problems that make you more likely to get a UTI. Some of these problems can be treated with surgery.
Do - Do drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. Drinking water helps prevent and get rid of a UTI. Drinking cranberry juice can also help
- Do call your physician if you get a rash or hives. You should also call if you have any difficulty breathing