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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common. They can be painful and uncomfortable but they usually pass
within a few days or can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics. They’re more common in women than in men\u00a0– it’s
estimated that half of all women in the UK will have a UTI at least once in their life and one out of every 2,000 healthy men will develop one each year. Children also get UTIs, although this is less common.<\/p>\n
If you develop a UTI, you are likely to feel:<\/p>\n
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What is urinary tract?<\/strong><\/p>\n The urinary tract is where our bodies make, and get rid of, urine. It’s made up of:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Different types of UTI<\/strong><\/p>\n You can get an infection in the lower (bladder and urethra) or upper (kidney and ureters) part of the urinary tract and doctors often describe them as lower or upper UTIs. \u00a0Upper UTIs are potentially more serious than lower UTIs because there is a risk of kidney damage. An infection of the bladder is called cystitis and an infection of the urethra is known as urethritis.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Preventing UTIs<\/strong><\/p>\n Drinking cranberry juice may help to prevent UTIs. If you have had recurring UTIs, higher-strength cranberry capsules are recommended. These are available from most pharmacists. Don’t drink cranberry juice or take cranberry capsules Constipation (where it is difficult to defecate or poo) can increase your chances of developing a UTI. You should act quickly to treat constipation by:<\/p>\n See your GP if your symptoms don’t improve after 14 days. Women who get recurring UTIs and use condoms, should try using condoms that don’t have a spermicidal lubricant on them – it will say whether it does on the packet. Spermicidal lubricant can cause irritation and make it more likely that you’ll get a UTI.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Treating UTIs<\/strong><\/p>\n Urinary tract infections usually get better on their own within four or five days. Antibiotics can help speed up recovery time and are usually recommended for women who keep getting UTIs. In some cases, long-term use of antibiotics help to prevent the infection returning. Complications of a UTI aren’t common but can be serious. These complications usually only affect people with a pre-existing health problem, like diabetes or a weakened immune system (the body’s natural defence against infection).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Choose care at home if\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Choose your GP or GP out-of-hours service if…<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Choose 999 A&E if…<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
if you are taking warfarin (a medicine that is used to prevent blood clots).<\/p>\n\n
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