Urinary infection

Before using this guide

If you’re asking on behalf of someone else, please make sure the person is:

• conscious and alert
• responding normally to you

• Symptoms of UTIs

  Lower UTIs

  Infections of the bladder (cystitis) or urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body) are known as lower UTIs. These can cause:

  • a need to pee more often than usual
  • pain or discomfort when peeing
  • sudden urges to pee
  • feeling as though you’re unable to empty your bladder fully
  • pain low down in your tummy
  • urine that’s cloudy, foul-smelling or contains blood
  • feeling generally unwell, achy and tired

  You can speak to your pharmacist for advice and treatment on lower UTIs.

  Lower UTIs are common and aren’t usually a cause for major concern.

• Upper UTIs

  Infections of the kidneys  or ureters (tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder) are known as upper UTIs. These can cause the same symptoms as lower UTIs and also:

  • a high temperature (fever) of 38ºC (100.4ºF) or above
  • pain in your sides or back
  • shivering and chills
  • feeling and being sick
  • confusion
  • agitation or restlessness

  Upper UTIs can be serious if left untreated, as they could damage the kidneys or spread to the bloodstream.

• You think you, your child or someone you care for may have a UTI and:
  • have a very high temperature, or feel hot and shivery
  • have a low temperature below 36°C
  • are confused or drowsy
  • have pain in the lower tummy or in the back, just under the ribs
  • can see blood in your pee

  If your GP is closed, phone 111.

  These symptoms could mean you have ackidney infection , which can be serious if it’s not treated as it could cause sepsis .

• • you have symptoms of an upper UTI
  • your child has symptoms of a UTI
  • the symptoms are severe or getting worse
  • the symptoms haven’t started to improve after a few days
  • you get UTIs frequently
  • your symptoms come back after treatment

  Your GP team can:

  • rule out other possible causes of your symptoms by testing a sample of your urine
  • prescribe antibiotics if you have an infection

  Chronic UTIs

  In some people UTI symptoms do not go away. Short-term antibiotics do not work and urine tests do not show an infection.

  This might mean you have a chronic (long-term) UTI. This can be caused by bacteria entering the lining of the bladder.

  Because urine tests do not always pick up the infection and the symptoms can be similar to other conditions, chronic UTIs can be hard to diagnose.

  Chronic UTIs might be treated with antibiotics that you take for a long time.

  Chronic UTIs can have a big impact on your quality of life. If you have been treated for a UTI but you still have symptoms, speak to your GP about chronic UTIs and ask to be referred to a specialist.

  Treatment for UTIs

  UTIs are normally treated with a short term course of antibiotics .

  Most women are given a 3-day course of antibiotic capsules or tablets. Men, pregnant women and people with more serious symptoms may need a slightly longer course.

  Your symptoms will normally pass within 3 to 5 days of starting treatment. Make sure you complete the whole course of antibiotics that you’ve been prescribed, even if you’re feeling better.

  Over-the-counter pain relief such asc paracetamol  can help with any pain. Drinking plenty of fluids may also help you feel better.

  Return to your GP if your symptoms don’t improve, get worse, or come back after treatment.

  What causes a UTI?

  UTIs occur when the urinary tract becomes infected, usually by bacteria. In most cases, bacteria from the gut enter the urinary tract through the urethra.

  This may happen when wiping your bottom or having sex. But often it’s not clear why it happens.

  The following may increase your risk of getting a UTI:

  • conditions that obstruct your urinary tract, such as kidney stones
  • difficulty emptying your bladder fully
  • using a contraceptive diaphragm or condoms  coated in spermicide
  • diabetes
  • a weak immune system – for example from chemotherapy or HIV
  • a urinary catheter (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine)
  • an enlarged prostate gland  in men

  Women may be more likely to get UTIs because their urethra is shorter than a man’s and is closer to their anus (back passage).

  How to prevent a UTI

  There are some things you can do to try to prevent UTIs.

  Do

  • go to the toilet as soon as you need to pee
  • always empty your bladder fully
  • stay well hydrated
  • wipe your bottom from front to back when you go to the toilet
  • pee as soon as possible after having sex
  • have a shower rather than a bath
  • wear underwear made from cotton, rather than synthetic material such as nylon
  • avoid tight jeans and trousers.