Urinary Tract Infection

What is a UTI?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection occurring in any area of your urinary system: ureter, urethra, kidneys, or bladder. Most UTIs happen in the urethra or the bladder.

What are the symptoms of a UTI?

Some of the symptoms of a UTI include:

• Cloudy urine
• Pelvic pain in women
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Urine with a strong odor
• Burning sensation during urination

Your urine might also be discolored or red, which usually means you have blood in your urine. Some UTIs don’t bring any symptoms.

What are the complications of a UTI?

If the infection spreads to your kidneys, complications can happen, such as:

• Frequent infections
• Sepsis
• Permanent kidney damage
• A narrowing of the urethra and an inflamed urethra (urethritis)
• Chemicals from your immune system that cause inflammation in your body

UTIs heighten the risk of premature birth in pregnant women.

What causes a urinary tract infection?

When your body’s natural defenses don’t work properly, bacteria can infect and stay in your urinary tract, typically the bladder. The infection worsens when the bacteria multiply.

An infection of the bladder is typically caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) — a bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, gastrointestinal bacteria can travel from the anus to the urethra, resulting in a urethral infection.

Some babies are born with urinary tract abnormalities that cause a backup of urine in the urethra and a heightened chance of a UTI.

A suppressed immune system weakens your body’s defense against infections and makes you more likely to get a UTI.

Some forms of birth control, such as diaphragms, can heighten your risk of getting a UTI. In women, when estrogen levels decline the following menopause, this can make the urinary tract more likely to become infected. Another potential cause of a UTI is sexual intercourse.

What are the treatments for UTIs?

Brandon Riverview Medical Associates offers convenient UTI testing and other screenings to assess your overall health, such as urine testing.

Your provider might suggest various treatments for your UTI, including medications, such as antivirals, antibiotics, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatories. The most common medications to combat a UTI infection include fosfomycin and trimethoprim.

At Brandon Riverview Medical Associates, you receive valuable information on how to protect your urinary system, build up your immune system, and reduce your risk of getting UTIs in the future.

If you have questions or concerns about a UTI and the health of your urinary system, use the online scheduling system or call Brandon Riverview Medical Associates.