Urinary Tract Infection
Introduction: A urinary tract infection ( UTI) is usually caused by bacteria. When bacteria travels up the urethra and gets into the bladder or kidneys it can cause a UTI. Bladder infections are more common than kidney infections and both are more common among women than men because of a shorter urethra.
Symptoms: Symptoms of a bladder infection include:
- Pain or burning feeling when you urinate
- The need to urinate more often
- The need to urinate suddenly or in hurry
- Blood in the urine
Symptoms of a kidney infection include:
- Fever
- Back pain
- Nausea or vomiting
Testing: Sometimes a simple urine test is needed to find out which bacteria is growing in the urine however most times just learning about your symptoms a doctor can diagnose and treat most uncomplicated urinary tract infections. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a urinary tract infection, speak to a doctor from The Kingsley Clinic from the comfort of your home to get the diagnosis and treatment today.
Treatment: Most urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotic pills. These medications work by killing the bacteria that causes infection. If you have a bladder infection you will probably need treatment with antibiotics for 3 to 7 days. If you have a kidney infection, you will probably need to take antibiotics for longer, maybe 7 to 10 days. if you have complications or are at higher risk ( for example with diabetes or immunocompromised state) you may need to be treated with IV antibiotics in the hospital.
Symptoms typically begin to improve within a day of starting antibiotics but you should always finish the entire antibiotic course otherwise the bacteria may become resistant and come back.
If needed, you can also take a medication to numb your bladder. This medicine eases the pain caused by urinary tract infection and also reduces the need to urinate. One such over-the-counter brand of this medication is called Azo (generic name- phenazopyridine). It is important to know that this medication may cause discoloration of your urine.