A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra.
Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. Infection limited to your bladder can be painful and annoying. However, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys.
Doctors typically treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. But you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a UTI in the first place.
What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?
Symptoms of UTIs
Types of UTIs
Causes of UTIs
UTI Tests and Diagnosis
Treatments for UTIs
Chronic UTIs
Chronic UTI Treatment
How to Prevent UTI Re-Infection
Questions You May Ask
What is the cause of UTI?
Can a UTI go away on its own?
How do you get rid of a UTI fast?
How long does UTI last?
What is the main cause of UTI in females?
Why does it hurt at the end of peeing?
Can you flush out a UTI with water?
Do UTIs come on suddenly?
How can you test for a UTI at home?
What are the first signs of a urine infection?
What is the difference between a UTI and a bladder infection?
What should you not do when you have a UTI?
How do you know if a UTI has turned into a kidney infection?
What to do when you feel a UTI coming?
Can a man give a woman a UTI?
Can you get a UTI without being sexually active?
What does the pain of a UTI feel like?
How do I stop my pee from burning?
What causes painful urination besides a UTI?
What can cause painful urination in females?
Why does it hurt at the end of peeing?
What should you not eat when you have a UTI?
Can you pass a UTI to your partner?
Why am I suddenly getting UTIs?
How quickly do UTIs come on?
Do UTIs come on suddenly?
Can I get antibiotics for UTI without seeing a doctor?
What does the beginning of a UTI feel like?
What are the signs of a urine infection?
What is the most common cause of UTI?
Can you get a UTI from being dehydrated?
What’s the difference between a bladder infection and a UTI?
How did I get a bladder infection?
What helps UTI pain at night?
What is the fastest way to get rid of a bladder infection?
What to avoid while having a UTI?
What to do when you feel a UTI coming?
What should you not do with a UTI?
Risk factors
Urinary tract infections are common in women, and many women experience more than one infection during their lifetimes. Risk factors specific to women for UTIs include:
- Female anatomy. A woman has a shorter urethra than a man does, which shortens the distance that bacteria must travel to reach the bladder.
- Sexual activity. Sexually active women tend to have more UTIs than do women who aren’t sexually active. Having a new sexual partner also increases your risk.
- Certain types of birth control. Women who use diaphragms for birth control may be at higher risk, as well as women who use spermicidal agents.
- Menopause. After menopause, a decline in circulating estrogen causes changes in the urinary tract that make you more vulnerable to infection.
Other risk factors for UTIs include:
- Urinary tract abnormalities. Babies born with urinary tract abnormalities that don’t allow urine to leave the body normally or cause urine to back up in the urethra have an increased risk of UTIs.
- Blockages in the urinary tract. Kidney stones or an enlarged prostate can trap urine in the bladder and increase the risk of UTIs.
- A suppressed immune system. Diabetes and other diseases that impair the immune system — the body’s defense against germs — can increase the risk of UTIs.
- Catheter use. People who can’t urinate on their own and use a tube (catheter) to urinate have an increased risk of UTIs. This may include people who are hospitalized, people with neurological problems that make it difficult to control their ability to urinate and people who are paralyzed.
- A recent urinary procedure. Urinary surgery or an exam of your urinary tract that involves medical instruments can both increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infection.
Complications
When treated promptly and properly, lower urinary tract infections rarely lead to complications. But left untreated, a urinary tract infection can have serious consequences.
Complications of a UTI may include:
- Recurrent infections, especially in women who experience two or more UTIs in a six-month period or four or more within a year.
- Permanent kidney damage from an acute or chronic kidney infection (pyelonephritis) due to an untreated UTI.
- Increased risk in pregnant women of delivering low birth weight or premature infants.
- Urethral narrowing (stricture) in men from recurrent urethritis, previously seen with gonococcal urethritis.
- Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection, especially if the infection works its way up your urinary tract to your kidneys.
Prevention
You can take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you’ll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
- Drink cranberry juice. Although studies are not conclusive that cranberry juice prevents UTIs, it is likely not harmful.
- Wipe from front to back. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra.
- Empty your bladder soon after intercourse. Also, drink a full glass of water to help flush bacteria.
- Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra.
- Change your birth control method. Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.