This image shows how bacteria from the skin or rectum can travel up the urethra and cause a bladder infection. Talk to your healthcare professional if you have symptoms of a UTI or for any symptom that is severe or concerning.
Taking antibiotics, prescribed by a healthcare professional, at home can treat most UTIs. However, some cases may require treatment in a hospital. Bacteria cause UTIs and antibiotics treat them. However, any time you take antibiotics, they can cause side effects. Side effects can include rash, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and yeast infections. More serious side effects can include antibiotic-resistant infections or C.
Call your healthcare professional if you develop any side effects while taking your antibiotic. Sometimes other illnesses, such as sexually transmitted diseases , have symptoms similar to UTIs. To help prevent friction and skin irritation from condoms, be sure to use enough water-based lubricant during sex.
Avoid using condoms that have been coated with spermicide. Diaphragms may put pressure on the urethra. This can decrease bladder emptying, increasing the risk for bacterial growth and infection. After menopause , a decrease in estrogen level changes the normal bacteria in your vagina. This can increase the risk for a UTI. If you suspect that you have a UTI based on your symptoms, contact your doctor.
Your doctor will review your symptoms and perform a physical examination. To confirm a diagnosis of a UTI, your doctor will need to test your urine for microbes. This means the urine sample is collected at the middle of your urinary stream, rather than at the beginning. This helps to avoid collecting bacteria or yeast from your skin, which can contaminate the sample. Your doctor will explain to you how to get a clean catch.
When testing the sample, your doctor will look for a higher number of white blood cells in your urine. This can indicate an infection. Your doctor will also do a urine culture to test for bacteria or fungi. The culture can help identify the cause of the infection. It can also help your doctor choose a treatment. If your doctor suspects the UTI is viral, special testing may need to be performed. Viruses are rare causes of UTIs but can be seen in people who have had organ transplants or who have other conditions that weaken their immune system.
If your doctor suspects that you have an upper tract UTI, they may also need to do a complete blood count CBC and blood cultures, in addition to the urine test.
Most UTIs go away after treatment. However, some people develop chronic UTIs. Recurrent UTIs are common among women. If you have chronic UTIs, your doctor may want to check for any abnormalities or obstructions in your urinary tract. Here are some common tests:.
UTIs during pregnancy can cause high blood pressure and premature delivery. UTIs during pregnancy are also more likely to spread to the kidneys. Bacterial UTIs are treated with antibiotics. Viral UTIs are treated with medications called antivirals.
Often, the antiviral cidofovir is the choice to treat viral UTIs. Fungal UTIs are treated with medications called antifungals. The form of antibiotic used to treat a bacterial UTI usually depends on which part of the tract is involved.
Urinary tract infections UTIs affect your urinary tract, including your bladder cystitis , urethra urethritis or kidneys kidney infection. UTIs may be treated with antibiotics, but they're not always needed. These symptoms suggest a kidney infection, which can be serious if it's not treated. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one. Go to You'll be asked about your symptoms and may need to give a urine sample. Your doctor or nurse may offer self-care advice and recommend taking a painkiller.
Although not always backed up by clinical research, some women have found some suggestions useful in reducing their risk of developing urinary tract infections, including:. Cranberries usually as cranberry juice have been used to prevent UTIs. Cranberries contain a substance that can prevent the E. However, recent research has shown that cranberry juice does not have a significant benefit in preventing UTIs, and most people are unable to continue drinking the juice on a long-term basis.
Let your doctor know if you are having cranberry juice as it can alter the effectiveness of some antibiotics. It is important to seek medical attention if you think you may have a UTI — particularly if you think you may have a bladder or kidney infection, both of which are very serious conditions. Early treatment of urinary infection can help to prevent infection spreading to the bladder or kidneys.
Your doctor will test your urine to check which micro-organism is present. Urinary tract infections usually respond quickly and well to antibiotics. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Anthrax is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial disease that occasionally infects humans. The Western obsession with cleanliness may be partly responsible for the increase in allergic asthma and conditions such as rhinitis. Careful prescribing of antibiotics will minimise the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.
Aspergillus is a fungus that commonly grows on rotting vegetation. It can cause asthma symptoms. The simplest form of prevention for lyssavirus is to avoid close contact with bats. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
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