Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Overview

A urinary tract infection (UTI) happens when bacteria get into the urethra, the tube urine leaves through, and infect the urinary tract. Most UTIs are bladder infections, also called cystitis. The bacteria usually come from the skin or the rectum.

A bladder infection is common and easy to treat. If the bacteria travel up to the kidneys, it becomes a kidney infection. That's less common but more serious, and it needs care right away.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a bladder infection usually start suddenly. Young children may not be able to say what's wrong; in babies and toddlers, a fever may be the only sign.

• Pain or burning when urinating
• A frequent urge to urinate, even when the bladder is empty
• Pressure or cramping in the lower belly or groin
• Cloudy or smelly urine

Less common

• Blood in the urine (pink, red, or brown)
• Getting up at night to pee
• Kidney infection signs: fever, chills, pain in the back or side, nausea, or vomiting
• In older adults: new confusion or weakness

How it usually goes

• Day 1: Burning and a frequent urge to pee start. See a healthcare professional for a urine test and antibiotics.
• Days 1–3 of antibiotics: Most people feel much better within 1 to 2 days. Keep taking every dose.
• After treatment: Symptoms should be gone. Call if they come back or never fully went away.

Look up a symptom: Bladder pain or pressure with normal urine tests · Burning when urinating · Frequent urge to urinate · Getting up at night to pee · Pelvic or lower belly pain · Pink, red, or brown urine (blood in urine) · Smelly or cloudy urine · Stomach pain

When to get medical care

Causes

UTIs happen when bacteria, often from the skin or the rectum, get into the urethra and travel up into the bladder. E. coli, which normally lives in the gut, causes most of them.

Women get UTIs much more often than men because the urethra is shorter and closer to the rectum. Sex can push bacteria toward the urethra. A UTI isn't passed from person to person like a cold.

Does it spread or run in families?

• It isn't caught from someone else. It's caused by germs that already live on or in the body.

Who is more likely to get it

• Women, especially those who are sexually active
• Pregnancy, and after menopause
• A urinary catheter, or a blockage like a kidney stone or an enlarged prostate
• Diabetes or a weakened immune system
• Using spermicide or a diaphragm for birth control

Possible complications

• Kidney infection: Fever, chills, and pain in the back or side
• Sepsis: Rare; the body's extreme reaction to an infection
• UTIs that keep coming back: Two or more in 6 months; ask about prevention

Diagnosis

A healthcare professional can usually tell you have a UTI from your symptoms and a urine test. Some people can be checked by phone or video.

Questions you may be asked

• Whether it burns when you pee, and how often you need to go
• Whether you have a fever, chills, or pain in your back or side
• Whether there's blood in your urine
• Whether you've had UTIs before, and how often
• Whether you could be pregnant, or have new vaginal discharge or itching

The exam

They may check your temperature and gently press on your lower belly and on your back over the kidneys to check for tenderness.

Tests

A urine test is the main test:

• Urine test (urinalysis): A dipstick or lab test of a clean urine sample looks for signs of infection, like white blood cells and blood.
• Urine culture: Grows the bacteria in a lab to see which kind it is and which antibiotics work. It's used for repeat or hard-to-treat UTIs, kidney infections, men, and pregnancy.
• Imaging: An ultrasound or CT scan is sometimes used if UTIs keep coming back or a kidney infection doesn't get better.

Treatment

Antibiotics treat UTIs. Your healthcare professional will pick one based on your health and the bacteria common where you live. Most people start to feel better in 1 to 2 days.

Self-care

• Take every dose of the antibiotic, even after you feel better
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water
• Pee when you feel the urge, and don't hold it
• A heating pad on your lower belly may ease pain or pressure
• Avoid coffee, alcohol, and soda until you feel better, since they can irritate the bladder

Medicines

Antibiotics need a prescription. Your healthcare professional will choose one; these are some that are often used for bladder infections.

Medicine names link to drug information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). OwieClear doesn't give doses: follow the label or your healthcare professional.

Call your healthcare professional if you're not better after 2 to 3 days of antibiotics, or if you get a fever or back pain, which can mean the infection reached your kidneys. Kidney infections may need a different antibiotic, and sometimes treatment in a hospital. If you get UTIs often, ask about ways to prevent them.

How it compares

Prevention

These steps lower the chance of getting a UTI:

• Pee soon after sex
• Drink plenty of fluids so you pee often
• Take showers instead of baths
• Avoid douches, sprays, and powders in the genital area
• Wipe from front to back, and teach girls to do the same when potty training

Which doctor treats this

• Start with your primary care provider (family doctor or internist).
• They may send you to a urologist (urinary tract doctor).

Children, pregnancy, and older adults

• Babies and children: Young children may only have a fever, fussiness, or poor eating. Call right away for a baby under 3 months with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. Children with a UTI need a healthcare professional's care.
• Pregnancy: UTIs are more likely to reach the kidneys during pregnancy and can affect the baby. Pregnant people are tested for bacteria in the urine even without symptoms, and should call right away for any UTI symptoms.
• Older adults: A UTI may cause confusion, falls, or weakness instead of burning. Bacteria in the urine without symptoms is common in older adults and usually doesn't need antibiotics.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• If you're pregnant or planning to be, tell your prenatal provider about this condition.
• Some infections can pass to the baby during pregnancy or birth. Tell your provider if you've been exposed.
• Don't start or stop any medicine on your own. Some are safe in pregnancy and some need to be changed.
• Ask before taking any pain reliever. The FDA advises avoiding ibuprofen and naproxen after 20 weeks unless your doctor says to.
• Breastfeeding: Most medicines are fine, but ask. The NIH LactMed database lists what's known about each one.

Outlook

With antibiotics, most bladder infections clear up quickly without problems. Kidney infections take longer and need prompt care. Some people get UTIs again and again; a healthcare professional can help find ways to prevent them.

Myths and facts

Getting ready for your visit

A UTI is often quick to diagnose. A little preparation helps.

What to bring

• When symptoms started, and whether you've had a fever or back pain
• How many UTIs you've had in the past year
• Any antibiotic allergies, and what happened
• All medicines you take, and whether you could be pregnant

Questions to ask

• Which antibiotic is best for me, and how long should I take it?
• What should I do if I'm not better in 2 days?
• Do I need a urine culture?
• If I keep getting UTIs, what can I do to prevent them?

Research studies

Research studies test new ways to find and treat health problems. Some are looking for volunteers. Talk with your doctor before joining one.

Search ClinicalTrials.gov for studies on Urinary tract infection (UTI)