When Should I See A Urologist Instead Of A Primary Care Doctor Or Other Specialist
Urologists are best trained to treat any condition involving the urinary tract and the male reproductive system. Other healthcare professionals may be involved in your care-a urologist may work with an oncologist to treat prostate cancer, or with a gynecologist to treat pelvic pain in women. However, if you have a urologic condition, the urologist will be at the head of your medical team.
Sometimes a patient will be referred to a urologist by another health care professional, as Valerie was. But often people go straight to a urologist for treatment. Your primary care doctor may be able to treat some minor urologic issues. However, if your symptoms do not go away-like in Valerie’s case-it is best to see a urologist and get to the root of the problem. If you know your symptoms or condition involve the urinary tract or male reproductive system, you may choose to see a urologist as your first step. To find a urologist in your area and even narrow your search by type of urologic condition, visit UrologyHealth.org/FindAUrologist.
Complications Of A Uti
Complications of UTIs arent common, but they can be serious and require immediate treatment by a doctor. They usually affect people diagnosed with diabetes, a weakened immune system, men with recurrent UTIs, or women who are pregnant.
If a UTI is left untreated, bacteria may travel to the kidneys causing kidney infection, damage and even kidney failure. Blood poisoning can happen and occurs when the infection spreads from the kidneys to the blood-stream.
If the infection moves to the kidneys, there may be high fever, back pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. If you have these symptoms, it is important to see your doctor.
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Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection may have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Pain or burning during urination
- A strong urge to urinate
- Cloudy or bad-smelling urine, or urine that is pink or red
- Pain in the lower belly, in the pelvis , or in the rectum
- Pain on one side of the back under the ribs
- Fever and chills
- Nausea and vomiting.
Other health conditions also could cause some of these symptoms. A person who has a kidney infection will probably have more severe symptoms.
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V Latest News About Online Doctors Who Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Online doctors have traditionally offered treatments for UTIs and other common health problems. However, their popularity has skyrocketed as a result of COVID-19.
- Over the past two years, Medicare and private insurance companies have expanded coverage for telemedicine and virtual wellness visits, and many private insurers have followed suit. These changes have eliminated the need for an existing doctor-patient relationship, among other requirements.
- In 2019, the FDA approved the combination antibacterial drug Recarbrio , which is used to treat complicated urinary tract infections and intra-abdominal infections. Telemedicine professionals can prescribe a variety of antibiotics depending on the patients needs.
- A study evaluating more than 20,600 UTI patients showed that telemedicine visits were appropriate for most average-risk patients who were able to self-diagnose. Researchers found that this treatment method is convenient, cost-effective, and suitable for most patients.
Treating Chronic Urinary Tract Infections
If a person suffers from two or more infections to the urinary tract in a year, they need to speak to their gynecologist to suggest a treatment regimen. Multiple options are available with some of them being:
- Being prescribed for a low antibiotic dosage to be taken over a prolonged period. This is useful in preventing repeat infections
- Sex is a popular trigger for a UTI. A doctor can recommend taking one dosage of antibiotics following sexual intercourse
- A doctor can prescribe for one to be taking antibiotics every time the symptoms recur for one or two days.
- Being subjected to a prophylaxis treatment that is a non-antibiotic.
A person that suffers from chronic infections can also do urine tests at home. This will help determine if there is a need to see a doctor or not. The home urine tests will also help a patient see if the infection is cleared, although this does not excuse a person from finishing their prescription.
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Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
If you are a healthy adult man or a woman who is not pregnant, a few days of antibiotic pills will usually cure your urinary tract infection. If you are pregnant, your doctor will prescribe a medicine that is safe for you and the baby. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine. Its important that you follow your doctors instructions for taking the medicine, even if you start to feel better. Skipping pills could make the treatment less effective.
Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine makes your urine turn bright orange, so dont be alarmed by the color when you urinate.
Ii How We Chose The Best Online Doctors For Utis
If you have a UTI, you need fast, effective relief, and an online doctor can help. While many companies offer virtual health care consultations, the providers included in this guide focus on UTIs, womens health, and other medical issues commonly treated by urgent care facilities. To find the best online doctor for UTIs, we looked at prices, insurance coverage, hours of operation, scheduling, ease of filling prescriptions, and customer satisfaction.
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What Causes Urinary Tract Infections
Normal urine is sterile and contains fluids, salts, and waste products. It does not contain bacteria, viruses, or fungi. A UTI occurs when germs, most often bacteria from the digestive tract, get into the opening of the urethra and start to multiply.
Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which normally live in the colon.
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What About Cranberry Juice For Uti
Its a long-held belief that consuming cranberry juice may help prevent and treat urinary tract infections. While its true that cranberries contain an active ingredient that can prevent adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract, there is still no evidence that cranberry products can treat a UTI.
One of the reasons: Products like cranberry juice or cranberry capsules are not explicitly formulated with the same amount of PACs that have shown potential in lab studies. Moreover, a 2019 report in the Journal of Urology noted that the availability of such products to the public is a severe limitation to the use of cranberries for UTI prophylaxis outside the research setting.
In all, theres actually very little high-quality research on the topic of prevention. For instance, a 2016 study in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that among female nursing home residents, daily consumption of cranberry capsules resulted in no significant prevention of UTIs.
While consuming cranberry juice or supplements is not considered a first-line treatment of urinary tract infections, in most cases, it cant hurt. After all, drinking plenty of liquids does dilute your urine and help spur more frequent urination, which flushes bacteria from the urinary tract. The exception: Those who are taking blood-thinning medication, such as warfarin, should not consume cranberry juice. And those with diabetes should be mindful of the high-sugar content of fruit juices.
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When To See A Doctor For Urinary Tract Infection
Sometimes a mild UTI will go away without medical treatment. The use of antibiotics, though, can decrease the length and severity of infection, and help prevent the development of complications. Most healthcare providers recommend contacting your doctor as soon as you notice bladder infection symptoms or urinary tract infection symptoms.
You should also see your healthcare provider if you get frequent UTIs. If you have three or more urinary tract infections in 12 months, call your doctor.
How To Know If You Have A Urinary Tract Infection
When you start to feel an urgent need to find a bathroom, and when it starts to burn when you do go, you could be experiencing the early stages of a urinary tract infection, or UTI as it is commonly called. According to the National Kidney Foundation, UTIs are responsible for nearly 10 million doctors office visits per year. One in five women will have at least one UTI, also called cystitis, during her lifetime. Men and children can also get UTIs. But what exactly is a UTI and why is it so common?
A UTI can be any infection in the urinary system including the urethra, bladder, ureters or kidneys. These painful infections generally start at the beginning of the system, or the urethra opening, and progress upward until medical treatment arrests the spread. Most UTIs are contained to the urethra and bladder.
Proper medical care is needed for this condition. At Advance ER in Dallas, TX, we know how to diagnose and to treat UTIs with our in-house laboratory and patient pharmacy. A UTI can be extremely painful, said Advance ER physician Dr. Ronnie Shalev. Its not something to try to tough out, it needs medical treatment.
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What Are Some Of The Symptoms Of A Uti
The common symptoms of a UTI could include pain or burning sensation during urination. You could also experience a frequent or intense urge to urinate, and sometimes very little comes out. More serious symptoms could include pain or pressure in your back or lower abdomen, feeling tired or shaky, fevers or chills.
How To Treat A Bladder Infection
You cant treat a bladder infection at home. Bladder infection treatment requires antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria. It can take a few doses of antibiotics before symptoms begin to improve. In the meantime, you can use home remedies for bladder infection symptom relief. To ease bladder infection pain and discomfort, try the following strategies:
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Apply heat to soothe your abdomen. You can use a heating pad or a hot water bottle. Use warm, not hot, heat.
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Drink plenty of fluids to flush out the bacteria. Water is the best choice. Avoid drinks that can irritate the urinary tract and make your symptoms worse. This includes carbonated drinks and those containing alcohol, caffeine, and citrus juices.
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Take phenazopyridine to relieve pain in the urinary tract. This drug is available over the counter without a prescription as various brands, including Azo. It will not cure or treat the bladder infection, but it can ease the pain while the antibiotics start to work. The safest way to take it is after seeing your doctor and discussing its use.
Cranberry juice is a popular choice for people who want to prevent bladder infections. The science on prevention is inconclusive, but drinking it is safe for most people. However, cranberry juice cant treat a bladder infection and may actually irritate the bladder.
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Should You See A Urologist For A Urinary Tract Infection
Youve got to urinateall the timeand it hurts when you go.
Memorably uncomfortable and distracting, a urinary tract infection can radically disrupt your life. Although the body is built to keep bacteria from entering the urinary tract, sometimes those defenses break down. Then, bacteria make their way through the urethra, enter the urinary tract and multiply, resulting in a UTI.
A UTI typically causes the following symptoms:
- Cloudy, discolored and/or bloody urine
- Foul-smelling urine
- No symptom relief with urination
- Pain, burning and/or stinging when urinating Pelvic pain
The most common UTIs affect the bladder and urethra. However, a more serious infection can migrate to the kidneys. According to the National Kidney Foundation, one in five women has a UTI at some point in life. And while the condition is more common in women, 12 percent of men get UTIs as well, according to the Urology Care Foundation. UTIs are also more common as both women and men age.
Consequently, UTIs result in approximately 8.1 million doctor visits annually.
When To See A Doctor About A Uti
As mentioned, antibiotics are typically needed to treat a UTI, so it’s important to seek prompt care if you notice the signs of one.
Especially if:
- Your symptoms are severe or getting worse
- Your symptoms don’t improve after a few days
- You’re getting recurrent UTIs
“Early and effective UTI treatment helps ensure that the infection is dealt with while it’s easiest to treat and before it progresses to the kidneys,” says Dr. Kannady. “Even a mild kidney infection can come with fairly debilitating symptoms, including fever, vomiting and intense pain. These infections also require a longer course of antibiotics.”
And the more serious the kidney infection, the greater the risk of complications. They can range from hospitalization to even permanent kidney damage or a life-threatening bloodstream infection in some cases.
In men, UTIs also can spread to the prostate and cause prostatitis which also often requires a longer course of antibiotics to treat.
“By initiating antibiotics as soon as a UTI is identified, we can greatly reduce the risk of these more complex and serious outcomes,” says Dr. Kannady.
Lastly, if your UTI symptoms don’t improve after taking antibiotics for a few days, be sure to follow up with your doctor.
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How Do I Get Tested For A Uti
You have to talk with a nurse or doctor to know for sure if you have a UTI. Testing usually begins with a nurse or doctor talking with you about your medical history and your symptoms. Theyll also do a simple test, called a urinalysis: all you do is pee in a cup, and theyll test it for certain bacteria or other signs of infection.
In addition to the urinalysis, your doctor or nurse might test you for certain STDs, which can lead to UTIs or have similar symptoms.
How Are Urinary Tract Infections Treated
You will need to treat a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria and fight an infection. Antibiotics are typically used to treat urinary tract infections. Your healthcare provider will pick a drug that best treats the particular bacteria thats causing your infection. Some commonly used antibiotics can include:
- Nitrofurantoin.
Its very important that you follow your healthcare providers directions for taking the medicine. Dont stop taking the antibiotic because your symptoms go away and you start feeling better. If the infection is not treated completely with the full course of antibiotics, it can return.
If you have a history of frequent urinary tract infections, you may be given a prescription for antibiotics that you would take at the first onset of symptoms. Other patients may be given antibiotics to take every day, every other day, or after sexual intercourse to prevent the infection. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best treatment option for you if you have a history of frequent UTIs.
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Doctor Recommended Urinary Tract Infection Supplements
As a ghost, he was not afraid of Lei Fa.The situation in front of him is very obvious.The human who looks exactly like the Lord of Bai Yujing is not a ghost at all, with a blank face, empty eyes, no pain, no other reaction, and is a controlled puppet.Divine Sovereign Chixiao has never seen such a miraculous puppet technique.The appearance can be confused with the real one, and the combat power is also very powerful.What s more terrifying is that his ability to learn is very strong, which makes him have a strange illusion that the puppet in front of him does not seem to be completely controlled.Instead, learn consciously and hone yourself through battle.Of course, the puppet doesn t have a mind.It can only be said that the controller is too skilled, giving the puppet a soul.It stands to reason that since the puppet is so powerful, the puppet master must be relatively weak, and it is the correct way to directly attack the puppet master, but the Lord Chixiao disdains it.
How Do You Get Rid Of A Uti At Home
You may ask how to get rid of this type of infection at home or if there are any effective home remedies for a urinary tract infection. Using a natural or home remedy like drinking cranberry juice for an infection in the urinary tract can often relieve some of the symptoms. However, these are ineffective at killing off the bacteria that caused the infection. Home remedies for a urinary tract infection may simply mask symptoms, rather than killing the infection-causing bacteria. Even if you reduce your symptoms, the bacteria are still present in the urinary tract and can cause you to feel ill. If the bacteria are still alive, your symptoms are likely to return or worsen. Putting off treatment can let the bacteria grow and spread through other parts of the urinary system, which can end up with more intense symptoms. Your condition can worsen if you wait.
UTIs can also be called a bladder infection because this is the area of the body where the bacteria thrive. Most generally, the infection begins in the opening of the urethra or where the urine is released from the body. Prevention is the best medicine, and there are a few steps you can take to help prevent a UTI.
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What Training Does My Urologist Have
As with all doctors, urologists must complete an undergraduate degree and four years of medical school. But did you know the training doesn’t stop there? After medical school, a urologist will have five or six more years of training called residency. Residency programs may include one or two years of surgical training. After that, there may be three or four years of clinical training in urology. . All urologists will have both surgical and clinical training. Next, some urologists may choose to do one or two more years of training called a fellowship. Fellowships allow doctors to focus on a specific branch of urology, such as urologic oncology , female urology, pediatric urology, male infertility, sexual health and erectile dysfunction, or kidney stones. Urologists must also pass a licensing exam, and be board-certified by the American Board of Urology.
Even licensed and board-certified urologists are constantly learning and improving their skills. To keep their licenses and stay up to date in the latest knowledge, urologists are required to take education courses each year. “We are always learning,” Dr. Weiss explained. “Throughout my career we have seen many improvements in diagnosis, treatment and technique. So our success rates get better and better. We keep advancing and every day there’s something new!”