What Is A Uti
A UTI refers to an infection in any part of your urinary system, including your kidneys, bladder, and urethra. It most commonly occurs in your lower urinary tract, where the bladder and urethra are located.
Women can be as much as 30 times more likely to develop UTIs than men due to a shorter urethra. This means that bacteria travel more quickly and easily from your urethra to your bladder.
Acute cystitis, in particular, often affects women and triggers bladder inflammation. On its own, a bladder-related infection is painful and bothersome. But if left untreated, it could spread to your kidneys and pose serious consequences.
Note that not all UTIs exhibit signs and symptoms in patients, so its possible to be completely unaware that you have one. When they do present, however, symptoms commonly include:
- Urinating often in small quantities
- A burning sensation when you pee
- A reddish, bright pink, or brownish color
- Strong-smelling or cloudy urine
- Pelvic pain , especially in the center of your pelvis and near your pubic bone
- Feeling tired or shaky
- Pain or pressure in your lower abdomen
- Fever or chills
The three different types of UTIs are as follows:
- Urethritis
Its an inflammation of your urethra. Symptoms include a discharge from your urethra and burning urination.
- Cystitis
Bladder inflammation thats marked by painful, burning urination and cloudy urine, as well as a frequent need to pee.
- Pyelonephritis
- Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
- Nitrofurantoin
- ephalexin ceftriaxone
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
If you are a healthy adult man or a woman who is not pregnant, a few days of antibiotic pills will usually cure your urinary tract infection. If you are pregnant, your doctor will prescribe a medicine that is safe for you and the baby. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine. Its important that you follow your doctors instructions for taking the medicine, even if you start to feel better. Skipping pills could make the treatment less effective.
Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine makes your urine turn bright orange, so dont be alarmed by the color when you urinate.
Option #: Uti Symptoms Return After Antibiotics
Another story is when your urine test did show a UTI. You then took antibiotics, felt completely fine, but several days later woke up with the same nasty UTI symptoms.
Here two options are possible: we were unable to eliminate the infection completely or it is reinfection, says Dr. Hawes if only 2-3 days elapsed since treatment and symptoms recurred, most likely we were not able to clear the infection. However, if you get an infection 2-3 weeks after your last antibiotic treatment, count it as reinfection.
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How Are Recurrent Utis Treated
Treatment for recurrent UTIs depends on what’s causing them. Sometimes the answer is as simple as teaching a child to empty their bladder as soon as they have the urge to go.
If a condition like VUR is causing the infections, the solution is a bit more complicated. Kids with VUR must be watched closely, because it can lead to kidney infection and kidney damage. Most kids outgrow the condition. Some might need surgery to correct the reflux.
Some kids with VUR benefit from daily treatment with a small amount of antibiotics, which can also make surgery unnecessary. Kids with VUR should see a pediatric urologist, who can decide if antibiotic treatment is the best option.
In some cases, surgery is needed to correct VUR. The most common procedure is ureteral reimplantation, in which one or both of the ureters are repositioned to correct the backflow of urine from the bladder. This procedure requires only a small incision and, in some children, can be done using robotic-assisted laparoscopy. When surgery is necessary, the success rate is high, but not everyone is a good candidate for it.
Kids may be candidates for ureteral reimplantation if they:
- have an intolerance to antibiotics
- get recurrent infections while on antibiotic treatment
- have severe, or “high-grade,” reflux
- are older kids and teens with reflux
Who Is At Risk For Hematuria
People who are most likely to have blood in their urine are those with existing diseases that are known to cause hematuria, such as the ones listed in the section related to causes of hematuria. However, certain actions may increase a persons chances of having blood in their urine. These include:
- Smoking
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Is Blood In Your Urine A Reason To Be Concerned
If you notice blood in your urine, don’t ignore it. There are many possible causes of this condition, known as hematuria. While some are simply treated and not dangerous, others may need immediate medical attention.
Not all hematuria can be seen with the human eye. In fact, the most common type of hematuria-called microscopic hematuria-can only been seen by a health care expert under a microscope. In many cases, microscopic hematuria is spotted when a person has a urine test during a health exam.
When a person can see the blood in his or her urine, the condition is called gross hematuria. People with gross hematuria have urine that is pink, red or brown.
“There’s a common misconception that if you see blood in your urine once and then it goes away that you’re in the clear,” says Angela B. Smith, MD, Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. “But it’s important to seek care the very first time you see blood in the urine, so your doctor can confirm that it’s there and refer you to a urologist for an evaluation.”
In most cases, people with either type of hematuria do not have pain or any other signs or symptoms.
Option #: Persistent Uti Symptoms After Treatment
Here is another option: they sent your urine sample to a lab and later told you that according to the test you have a UTI. However, antibiotics resolved some symptoms , but the urge to urinate or pain in the lower abdomen remained.
As you could imagine, there could be a scenario when not only you have a full-blown UTI, but also an inflamed bladder lining is causing additional symptoms, as discussed above.
In this case, you, most likely, will see a reduction in pain, and your urine will become clear. However, pain in the bladder area and slight irritation after urination might still linger.
Moreover, when patients mention they feel burning in the urethra rather than the bladder, its quite normal. In fact, the urethra has more nerve endings that could be easily irritated due to underlying inflammation.
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How Do I Know If The Treatment Isnt Working
If the treatment isnt working, your symptoms will stay the same, get worse, or you will develop new symptoms. Call your doctor if you have a fever , chills, lower stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. You should also call your doctor if, after taking medicine for 3 days, you still have a burning feeling when you urinate. If you are pregnant, you should also call your doctor if you have any contractions.
Tell Us Whats Troubling You
Disclaimer: The information provided is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed healthcare provider. If you have any questions about your medical condition, you should always seek the counsel of your physician or another certified health expert. Because of whatever youve read on this website, you should never dismiss competent medical advice or put off obtaining it altogether.
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Clumping Litter And Also Sodium Bentonite
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Seventy-five percent of the litter we buy for our felines today is quite horrible for the setting. They all have the very same issue that Fullers Earth had in the 50s, they create a great deal of dangerous dirt airborne, awful for both animals along with human beings. Other than in the 1980s, Sodium Bentonite was introduced into litter just to make it less complicated to scoop since the dampness made globs.
Sodium Bentonite is strip-mined, which is a process that causes water air pollution along with wild animals variation, and a lot more. There are many naturally degradable and also natural products on the shelves that benefit your pet as well as the setting too. Blood In Cat Urine After Antibiotics
What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
-
a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
-
an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
-
a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
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Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations
If your childs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
Treatment for a Bladder Infection
Prevention of Bladder Infections in Girls
How Are Urinary Abnormalities Diagnosed
It’s important for a doctor to rule out any underlying problems in the urinary system when a child gets UTIs repeatedly. Kids with recurrent infections should see a pediatric urologist to see what is causing the infections.
Some problems can be found before birth. Hydronephrosis that develops before birth can be seen in an ultrasound as early as 16 weeks. In rare cases, doctors may consider neonatal surgery if hydronephrosis affects both kidneys and is a risk to the fetus. Most of the time, though, doctors wait until after birth to treat the condition, because almost half of all cases seen prenatally disappear by the time a baby is born.
Doctors will closely watch the blood pressure of a newborn thought to have hydronephrosis or another urinary system abnormality, because some kidney problems can cause high blood pressure. Another ultrasound may be done to get a closer look at the bladder and kidneys. If the condition appears to be affecting both kidneys, doctors usually will order blood tests to check kidney function.
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Possible Complications To Watch For
Talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your dogs condition.
- Some dogs who take medications can develop side effects such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Make sure you understand what your dogs reaction to any prescribed medications should be.
- It is possible for a dog to appear to be on the road to recovery and then suffer a setback. If your dog strains to urinate, produces only a small amount of urine at any given time, urinates very frequently, seems to be uncomfortable while urinating, or the hematuria worsens, call your veterinarian.
- In rare cases, dogs with hematuria may become unable to pass urine, which is potentially fatal if left untreated. If you think your dog may be unable to urinate, call your veterinarian immediately.
Check If It’s A Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms of a UTI may include:
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- needing to pee more often than usual during the night
- pee that looks cloudy
- needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
- needing to pee more often than usual
- lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
- a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
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Drinking Plenty Of Fluids
While youre being treated for a UTI, drink lots of fluids. This will make you pee more often, which flushes bacteria out of your body. The best choice is water.
To avoid worsening your symptoms, limit beverages that irritate the urinary tract. These drinks include:
- coffee
- carbonated drinks, like soda
- artificially-sweetened beverages
Many people think cranberry juice can help, but the research is lacking. A 2012 review of studies determined that cranberry juice cant prevent or resolve UTIs.
Do I Need To See A Doctor
Yes. Painful urination can be a symptom of a more serious problem. You should tell your doctor about your symptoms and how long youve had them. Tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have, such as diabetes mellitus or AIDS, because these could affect your bodys response to infection. Tell your doctor about any known abnormality in your urinary tract, and if you are or might be pregnant. Tell your doctor if youve had any procedures or surgeries on your urinary tract. He or she also need to know if you were recently hospitalized or stayed in a nursing home.
If your doctor thinks your pain may be from vaginal inflammation, he or she may wipe the lining of your vagina with a swab to collect mucus. The mucus will be looked at under a microscope to see if it has yeast or other organisms. If your pain is from an infection in your urethra , your doctor may swab it to test for bacteria. If an infection cant be found, your doctor may suggest other tests.
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Whats Next When Uti Symptoms Linger After Antibiotics
If you have a UTI that isnt responding to antibiotic treatment, further testing will likely begin with a urine culture to analyze the bacteria causing the infection.
If another type of bacteria, fungi, or virus is responsible for your UTI, your doctor will prescribe a more appropriate treatment.
There are also some lifestyle changes that can help reduce the frequency of UTIs, as well as the severity of your symptoms.
Its important to note that these recommendations work best for UTIs, bladder infections, and kidney infections, as these three conditions are treated similarly.
If youve been diagnosed with another underlying condition thats causing your symptoms, your treatment will likely be different.
research has suggested that UTI frequency may be linked to an increase in bladder cancer risk. However, the research on this is sparse.
But that doesnt mean there isnt a link between UTI-like symptoms and cancer. In fact, there are two types of cancer that can cause UTI-like symptoms: bladder cancer and prostate cancer.
If youre experiencing any of the symptoms listed below, talk to your doctor so a proper diagnosis can be made.
Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer
It is veryimportant that you visit your GP as soon as you notice anything unusual – theearlier that bladder cancer is diagnosed, the more quickly it can be treatedand the better the outcome.
The most common symptoms are:
- Blood in theurine
- Recurrenturinary infections
- Frequency orurgency or pain on passing urine when no infection found on urine tests by thedoctor
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Signs That A Uti Is Not Responding To Antibiotics
Naturally, the most obvious sign that your UTI isnt responding to antibiotics is the persistence of infection-related symptoms. Additionally, you might even develop new symptoms. If you have a fever , lower abdominal pain, chills, nausea, or vomiting, consult a doctor immediately.
If youre pregnant with a UTI and start having contractions, be sure to seek medical attention right away. Although UTIs are common in expectant mothers, they can become problematic if not addressed quickly. They may increase your babys chances for premature birth and low birth weight.
In general, if ignored, UTIs create serious medical complications . At times, a kidney infection is considered life-threatening, especially in cases of septicemia. This happens when bacteria enters your bloodstream and leads to blood poisoning.
When To See Your Gp
See your GP if you have a fever and persistent tummy, lower back or genital pain, or if you notice a change to your usual pattern of urination.
Most kidney infections need prompt treatment with antibiotics to stop the infection from damaging the kidneys or spreading to the bloodstream. You may also need painkillers.
If you’re especially vulnerable to the effects of an infection for example, if you have a pre-existing health condition or are pregnant, you may be admitted to hospital and treated with antibiotics through an intravenous drip.
After taking antibiotics, you should feel completely better after about two weeks.
In rare cases, a kidney infection can cause further problems. These include blood poisoning and a build-up of pus in the kidney called an abscess.
Read more about treating a kidney infection and the complications of a kidney infection
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