Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's)

The urinary tract is the system in which makes and releases urine from your body. The kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra make up the urinary tract system in the body, in both males and females. An UTI or Urinary Tract Infection can produce if bacteria or germs make their way into your UT system, which would then cause an infection, which is much more common in females than in males due to their shorter urethra, and the ability for germs to travel much more quickly and reach the bladder or kidneys easily. Most of which are bladder infections, or urethra infections, however this is not always the case. These can be treated, however if they go untreated for too long, it can cause the infection to move to the kidneys, causing a much more serious infection, and this could cause many issues, even permanent damage.

According to MayoClinic.com, the symptoms include, but are not limited to a strong and persistent urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, the passing of small amounts of liquid frequently and the frequent need to urinate with very little urine able to come out, urine that appears to be cloudy, urine that appears to be red, bright pink, or cola-colored which is a sign of blood in the urine, urine that smells strongly, pelvic pain in women, or rectal pain in men, as well as a tender and heavy feeling stomach. Although there are many symptoms, not always will there be symptoms for the infection. There are three main types of UTI’s, including Kidney UTI, which could cause upper back and side pains, high fevers, shaking and chills, nausea and even vomiting. There is also Bladder UTI’s, which can cause pelvic pressure, lower abdomen discomfort and frequent yet painful urination as well as blood within the urine. Urethra UTI’s usually produce a burning sensation when urinating. It can be more serious, even if not in the kidneys, if you are older than 65, pregnant, or have existing issues with your kidneys, have diabetes, or have a weak immune system, and your doctor should be notified and treated quickly.

UTI’s can be diagnosed with a tested sample of urine, and if there are germs in the urine, it is a Urinary Tract Infection. This is the most common diagnosis, although some doctors can easily know it is a UTI through the symptoms experienced and through feeling your lower stomach or abdomen, and the amount of pain felt when pressure is applied in the lower stomach. Also, if your urinary tract infection seems abnormal, there could be other procedures such as an ultrasound or computerized tomography scan to create images of your urinary tract in order to see any complications not found in lab tests of urine. Also, the doctor could use a scope in order to see inside of your bladder, especially if your UTI’s are often and recurrent, a procedure called cystoscopy which is the use of a long thin tube with a lens to see inside the urethra and bladder, which is inserted into your urethra and passed through to your bladder.

They can usually be prevented through drinking lots of liquids, urinating right after sexual intercourse, not holding urine for long periods of time – if you need to urinate, do so when you need to and urinate often. If you do get a UTI, however, they can be treated through prescribed antibiotics by your doctor, following the exact directions.

If the infection is in your urethra or bladder and is treated quickly, the effects are usually only temporary pain and burning through urine, however if the infection makes it into your kidneys, the effects can be quite severe, and even permanent. This could include kidney damage or other damage to the urinary tract system due to the vomiting, back and rib cage pains, and also bleeding that may occur.

 Resources

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Urinary Tract Infections." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 29 Aug. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/urinary-tract-infection/DS00286.

"Urinary Tract Infections." WebMD. WebMD, 16 May 2011. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/urinary-tract-infections-in-teens-and-adults-topic-overview.