Overview
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that occurs when germs (called bacteria) get into the urinary tract. When you have a UTI several times within a year, it's called a recurrent UTI.
Your urinary tract is the system that makes urine and carries it out of your body. It includes your bladder and kidneys and the tubes that connect them.
Most UTIs are bladder infections. A bladder infection most often isn't serious if it's treated right away. But if you don't take care of a bladder infection, it can spread to your kidneys. A kidney infection is serious and can cause lasting damage.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) in women
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is a general term for an infection anywhere between the kidneys and the urethra (where urine comes out). Most UTIs are bladder infections. They often cause pain or burning when you urinate.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) in men
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is a term for an infection anywhere between the kidneys and the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body). Most UTIs are bladder infections. They often cause pain or burning when you urinate.
What are the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
The symptoms are different depending on where the infection is.
Symptoms of a UTI in the bladder include:
- Pain or burning when you urinate.
- An urge to urinate often, but usually passing only small amounts of urine.
- Pain in the lower belly.
- Urine that looks cloudy, is pink or red, or smells bad.
Symptoms of a UTI in the kidneys include:
- Pain in the flank. This is felt just below the rib cage and above the waist on one or both sides of the back.
- Fever and chills.
- Nausea and vomiting.
Some people have bacteria in their urinary tract without having any symptoms. It may lead to infections that cause symptoms, but in many cases it doesn't. It usually goes away without treatment.
What causes a recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI)?
UTIs are caused by germs (bacteria). They enter the urethra and travel up the urinary tract.
- Germs that normally live in the large intestine and are in feces (stool) are the most common source of infection.
- Sexual intercourse may move bacteria into the urinary tract. This is more common in women.
- Catheters are a common source of infection in people who are in hospitals or long-term care centers. Catheters are flexible tubes put into the bladder to allow urine to drain.
- Sometimes bacteria traveling through the blood or lymph system can cause kidney or bladder infections.
Women tend to get more bladder infections than men. This is likely because women have shorter urethras, and their rectums are closer to their urethras. So it's easier for germs to move up to the bladder.
UTIs in older men are often related to prostate problems. Having an enlarged prostate can limit the body's ability to pass urine.
Women who have UTIs that keep coming back (recur) may have inherited genes that make them more likely to get these infections. UTIs that recur in men can be a sign of prostate infection (prostatitis).
How is a urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnosed?
To diagnose a UTI, your doctor will ask for a sample of your urine. It's tested to see if it has germs that cause bladder infections. Your doctor will also ask you about your past health and do a physical exam.
If your doctor thinks you have a UTI, he or she may have you start taking antibiotics right away. You won't have to wait for the results of your test.
Your doctor may do other tests if you have infections often, if antibiotics don't help, or if the infection comes back. You may also need more tests if the UTI causes other problems or if your kidneys are infected. You may get tests to see if there are problems with your urinary tract that make you more likely to get UTIs. Sometimes tests are needed to find out if the UTI is caused by unusual bacteria.
How is a recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) treated in teens and adults?
Women with bladder infections that come back (recur) may be treated with preventive antibiotic therapy. When a man has a UTI that comes back, it can be a sign of prostate infection (prostatitis). Long-term prostatitis can be hard to treat. Follow-up checkups are needed for men if the infection recurs.
When to call
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- Symptoms such as a fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting get worse or happen for the first time.
- You have new pain in your back just below your rib cage. This is called flank pain.
- There is new blood or pus in your urine.
- You are not able to take or keep down your antibiotics.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
- You are not getting better after taking an antibiotic for 2 days.
- Your symptoms go away but then come back.
