Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Symptoms of urinary tract infection, such as pain or burning when urinating, can vary from person to person as the infection can affect the urethra, bladder or kidneys.

Generally, urinary tract infection is caused by bacteria from the intestine that reach the urinary system and is, therefore, more frequent in women due to the proximity of the anus to the urethra, explains urologist in Noida.

The treatment for urinary tract infection should be guided by a urologist in Ghaziabad and usually includes taking antibiotics because when it is not properly treated, it can reach the kidneys, being a more serious complication.

Types of urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection can be classified as:

1. Urethritis: infection in the urethra

Urethritis arises when bacteria only infect the urethra, causing inflammation and symptoms such as:

• Frequent desire to urinate.
• Difficulty starting to urinate.
• Pain or burning to urinate.
• Yellowish discharge in the urethra.

In these cases, it is advisable to consult a urologist Greater Noida to start treatment with antibiotics, in order to eliminate bacteria from the urethra. However, the intimate area must also be kept clean and dry, as well as increasing water intake.

2. Cystitis: bladder infection

Bladder infection is the most common form of urinary tract infection and occurs when bacteria manage to pass the urethra and reach the bladder, causing:

• Urgent desire to urinate, but in small quantities.
• Burning sensation when urinating.
• Presence of blood in the urine.
• Cloudy urine with an intense and unpleasant smell.
• Abdominal pain or feeling of heaviness in the bottom of the belly.
• Fever from 37.5 to 38ºC.

It is recommended to consult a urologist in Vaishali as soon as one or more of these symptoms appear to initiate the appropriate treatment with antibiotics, in order to prevent the infection from spreading to the kidneys.

In case of back pain, fever above 38ºC or vomiting, go to the emergency room immediately.

3. Pyelonephritis: kidney infection

Most urinary infections affect only the urethra or bladder, however, in the most severe cases, the bacteria can reach the kidneys and cause a more serious infection, which leads to:

• Fever above 38.5ºC.
• Severe pain in the belly, back or groin.
• Pain or burning when urinating.
• Cloudy urine.
• Presence of pus or blood in the urine.
• Frequent desire to urinate.

In addition, chills, nausea, vomiting, and excessive tiredness may also appear. In the elderly, this type of infection usually causes confusion even before the other symptoms appear.

If pyelonephritis is suspected, it is important to go to the best urologist in Noida or hospital immediately to identify the problem and start antibiotic treatment directly in the vein.

Symptoms of urinary tract infection in a baby

Identifying the symptoms of urinary tract infection in the baby can be difficult, as babies and children cannot explain what they are feeling. However, in these cases the most common signs are:

• Fever above 37.5ºC for no apparent reason.
• Crying when urinating.
• Urine with an intense smell.
• Presence of blood in the diaper.
• Constant irritability.
• Decreased appetite.

Whenever these symptoms appear, it is important to consult your paediatrician in Noida to assess the possibility that your baby may be developing a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms of urinary tract infection in pregnancy

The symptoms of urinary tract infection in pregnancy are the same as when you are not pregnant. But, during pregnancy, the infection is more common, due to the low immune system and the increase of proteins in the urine that cause greater growth and development of bacteria.

Treatment for urinary tract infection in pregnancy can be done by taking antibiotic drugs that do not affect pregnancy.

How the diagnosis is made?

The diagnosis is made by testing for urinary tract infection or examining urine. Tests such as routine urine, urine culture, and an antibiogram can be performed to find out which bacteria are involved to decide the best antibiotic.

Other imaging tests, such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, may be ordered in case of pyelonephritis to identify possible complications caused by urinary tract infection. These complications can happen when the treatment is not started as soon as the symptoms appear, and in the case of people with the weakened immune system, being a rarer situation to happen, warns the best urologist in Ghaziabad.

What causes urinary tract infection?

The cause of urinary tract infection and the entry of bacteria in the urinary system are among the most common: Escherichia coli (approximately 70% of cases), the Staphylococcus saprophyticus, species of Proteus and Klebsiella and faecalis Enterococcus. These bacteria can enter the urethra causing symptoms such as pain in the abdomen, burning, and urgency to urinate, and when they continue to rise, reaching the bladder and kidneys, symptoms such as fever or chills, in addition to drops of blood in the urine.

Is urinary infection transmissible?

Urinary tract infection is not an easily transmitted disease, and although a person’s urethra has bacteria, these bacteria may not proliferate in their partner, however, it depends on the partner’s immune system. Healthy people are much less likely to be infected during sexual intercourse, but the chances are increased when they have a weakened immune system.

Treatment for urinary tract infection

The treatment is done with the use of antibiotics indicated by the best urologist in Greater Noida, being the most indicated form of treatment. The treatment lasts 7-10 days, it is important to take the medicine until the date informed by the best urologist in Vaishali, even if the symptoms disappear before that. It is also important to drink more water, because the more urine the body produces, the more easily bacteria are eliminated in the urine.

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How to prevent urinary tract infection?

To avoid urinary tract infection, it is advised:

• Wash the external genital region with soap and water after sexual intercourse.
• After urinating and defecating, always clean the intimate region from front to back, in order to prevent the arrival of E. Coli bacteria in the vagina, since it is present in the anal and peri-anal region, being the main cause of urinary infection.
• Completely empty your bladder every time you urinate to avoid residual urine that increases the chances of urinary tract infection.
• Drink more water, drinking at least 1.5 L of clear liquids per day.
• Maintain a diet rich in fiber to decrease the time the stool remains inside the intestine, which decreases the amount of bacteria inside it.
• Do not use perfume or scented cream in the vagina area as this can irritate the skin and increase the risk of urinary tract infection.
• Keep the vulva region always dry, avoiding wearing tight clothing and absorbent daily, in order to reduce perspiration in this area.

These advices should be followed daily, especially during pregnancy, a time when there is a greater risk of urinary tract infection due to hormonal changes and due to the increased weight on the bladder, which favors the proliferation of bacteria.