Fifty to sixty percent of women will suffer with a urinary tract infection during their life, and some women will even get recurring infections. The symptoms can be painful and serious, so understanding common UTI symptoms as well as how to prevent this infection will lower your risk of recurrence.
Causes Of UTI Infections
Bacteria from outside your body can inflame and infect your urinary tract. This includes not only your bladder and urethra, but also the kidneys and ureter. Women are more susceptible to a UTI infection due to their anatomy, as a woman’s urethra is closer to her anus where e coli bacteria is present, making it easier to infiltrate into the urinary tract.
Most infections occur in the bladder and urethra, but the infection becomes more serious if it travels to the kidneys and ureter. The ureter is the duct that connects the bladder with the kidneys.
Common Symptoms Of A Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms of a UTI are fairly easy to spot, and for most women, once you experience them you recognize a recurrent infection.
They include the following:
- Burning sensation while urinating
- Persistent need or urgency to urinate
- Cloudy urine with a strong odor
- Red or brown colored urine
- Pelvic pain in the center of the pelvis and around the pelvic bone
More Serious Symptoms
Most UTI infections remain in the lower urinary tract, but if the infection enters the kidneys, the symptoms become more serious in addition to the above common symptoms. In this case you may experience pain in the back and side. Other symptoms include running a high fever with shaking and chills. Nausea and vomiting are common with an infection which has spread to your kidneys.
If the infection travels to the kidneys, permanent damage to the kidneys can occur along with life threatening situations like sepsis.
See Dr. Hyler immediately for any symptoms that make you suspect your kidneys are involved.
Preventing Urinary Tract Infections
Since women predominantly get UTIs, there are some precautions women can take to prevent them.
- Drink plenty of water and other liquids to dilute your urine and flush out any bacteria.
- It is helpful to wipe front to back after using the bathroom.
- Empty your bladder after sex.
- Wash your vaginal area before and after sexual intercourse.
- Urinate when you feel the urge. Don’t wait.
- Try cranberry juice or pills as a preventative.
Know the symptoms of a UTI and practice these precautions to prevent becoming infected.
Don’t wait to contact our board-certified OBGYN, Dr. Hyler for treatment if you experience any symptoms of a UTI. Schedule an appointment at our clinic in Middleburg and Orange Park, FL by calling (904) 264-1628.
Sources:
Urinary tract infection (UTI) – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Urinary Tract Infections: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (clevelandclinic.org)
Urinary Tract Infection: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment (healthline.com)