How To Test For Male Urinary Tract Infection

How Do Utis Affect Pregnancy

Urinary Tract Infections, Animation.

Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy raise your risk for UTIs. UTIs during pregnancy are more likely to spread to the kidneys.

If youre pregnant and have symptoms of a UTI, see your doctor or nurse right away. Your doctor will give you an antibiotic that is safe to take during pregnancy.

If left untreated, UTIs could lead to kidney infections and problems during pregnancy, including:

Premature birth

How Urinary Tract Infections Are Treated In Men

Whether an infection affects a man or a woman, the treatment is the same: a round of antibiotics to kill the bacteria and get rid of UTI symptoms. For an uncomplicated infection, a woman typically needs to take an antibiotic for one to three days. For men, a longer course of at least seven days of antibiotics is required, says Trost.

Things You Can Do Yourself

To help ease symptoms of a urinary tract infection :

takeparacetamolup to 4 times a day to reduce pain and a high temperature for people with a UTI, paracetamol is usually recommended over NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin
you can give childrenliquid paracetamol
rest and drink enough fluids so you pass pale urine regularly during the day
avoid having sex

Some people take cystitis sachets or cranberry drinks and products every day to prevent UTIs from happening, which may help. However, there’s no evidence they help ease symptoms or treat a UTI if the infection has already started.

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What Is The Treatment Of A Urine Infection

A course of an antibiotic medicine will usually clear the infection quickly. This is usually for seven days. You should see a doctor if your symptoms are not gone, or nearly gone, after a few days.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen will usually ease any pain, discomfort, or high temperature .
Have plenty to drink to help prevent a lack of fluid in the body if you have a fever and feel unwell.

What Are Treatments Available For Utis

Though UTIs are usually not serious or a sign of concern, they can cause severe pain and discomfort. If not treated, some UTIs can lead to more serious conditions that may have life-changing effects.

To alleviate this pain and discomfort, here are some tips!

Consult your doctor and he might prescribe some antibiotic medications which you will have to take either once or twice a day for 5-7 or more days.

We recommend drinking adequate fluids to stay hydrated and urinate often while taking your antibiotics. Many people prefer drinking cranberry juice to prevent UTIs but there is no strong evidence that supports this home remedy.

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Interpreting Home Test Results

These tests work similarly to a pregnancy test, using a test strip that a person wets with fresh urine.

After 12 minutes, the test strip will change color, indicating whether a UTI is present. A person must match the color of the test strip pads to the color blocks on the foil pouch in the test kit.

Most strips test for leukocytes and nitrites. Some also check pH levels.

Leukocytes are a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight off infection. Healthy urine contains chemicals called nitrates that can turn into nitrites if an infection is present. Therefore, the presence of leukocytes or nitrites in the urine is often a sign of a UTI.

Lastly, some home strips test pH levels. Healthy urine is slightly acidic, with a pH value in the range of . A pH level of 8.5 or 9 can indicate the presence of an infection and, therefore, a UTI.

If a home test is positive for any of these indicators, an individual likely has a UTI.

Seek Medical Attention For Utis

It is important to seek medical attention if you think you may have a UTI particularly if you think you may have a bladder or kidney infection, both of which are very serious conditions. Early treatment of urinary infection can help to prevent infection spreading to the bladder or kidneys.

Your doctor will test your urine to check which micro-organism is present. Urinary tract infections usually respond quickly and well to antibiotics.

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Can Uti Cause Any Complications In Men

UTI rarely causes complications. If they occur, they may include:

Infection of the kidney : If a lower UTI remains untreated for a long time, it can spread to the kidneys and result in pyelonephritis.
Chronic kidney disease: Untreated kidney infection can result in permanent damage to the kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
: refers to widespread infection in the body and is a life-threatening condition. It may result from a kidney infection that has turned serious.

Usually A Man With Uti Faces The Following Common Symptoms:

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

Pain and burning sensation while passing urine
Sudden and frequent urges to pass the urine
Dark brown urine due to the presence of blood

If the urinary infection becomes severe and reaches the kidneys or to the prostate gland, the person can face the below-mentioned symptoms as well.

Constant fatigue

These are the severe symptoms of urinary tract infections.

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Can I Become Immune To The Antibiotics Used To Treat A Uti

Your body can actually get used to the antibiotics typically used to treat a urinary tract infection . This happens in people who have very frequent infections. With each UTI and use of antibiotics to treat it, the infection adapts and becomes harder to fight. This is called an antibiotic-resistant infection. Because of this, your healthcare provider may suggest alternative treatments if you have frequent UTIs. These could include:

Waiting: Your provider may suggest that you watch your symptoms and wait. During this time, you may be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids in an effort to flush out your system.
Intravenous treatment: In some very complicated cases, where the UTI is resistant to antibiotics or the infection has moved to your kidneys, you may need to be treated in the hospital. The medicine will be given to you directly in your vein . Once youre home, you will be prescribed antibiotics for a period of time to fully get rid of the infection.

Appendix 1 Point Of Care Urine Collection Prior To Urine Culture1

Urine Collection

Upon rising or at any time, collect urine in the C& S container provided.

Wash and dry hands.

Begin urinating into the toilet. Without stopping the flow of urine, place the container in the urine stream to collect some urine and remove the container before the urine stops flowing.

Close the container tightly, taking care not to touch the rim or the inside of the container with your fingers.

Labelling:

Label the container with your name, date of birth, and the date of collection.

Packaging:

Place the container in the bag provided and securely close the bag.

Fold any paperwork and place in the external pocket of the specimen transport bag.

This ensures the specimen will not leak onto the paperwork.

Storage and Transport:

Refrigerate and bring specimen to the laboratory within one hour of collection.

References:

Organism	The report only includes organisms suspected to be uropathogens . This depends on patient demographics, concentration of the specific organism and the specific laboratory protocol. In urine with multiple organisms, identification may not be performed as it may produce misleading results that are not related to the UTI.
Antibiotic susceptibilities	The report only includes antibiotics that can be used for UTI. The specific antibiotics listed depend on the patient demographics, documented antibiotics and allergies, organism identified, colony count of the organism and the specific laboratory protocol.

References:

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Signs Of A Kidney Infection To Know And When To Go To The Hospital

Youre probably not constantly on the lookout for signs of a kidney infection. But getting a urinary tract infection can open you up to also getting an infection in one or both kidneys, which means this is an illness that should be on your radar. Yep, its an unfortunate truth: A urinary tract infection can lead to a kidney infection, which is medically known as pyelonephritis and can be incredibly serious. So if youre experiencing symptoms of a UTI and thinking, Eh, I can wait a few more days to get those antibiotics, think again. Heres what you need to know about the signs of a kidney infection, its underlying causes, why its so important to get treatment as soon as you can, and more.

The Pathogen: The Commensal Flora

How to Treat Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Naturally

UTI is frequently caused by organisms which are normal commensals in the distal urethra and adjacent sites. The most common route of infection is by ascension. The well-recognized gender difference in the prevalence of UTI is clearly related to the short length of the female urethra. Uropathogens are part of the normal faecal flora. These bacteria colonize the perianal region and then ascend in females to the introitus vaginae which is a reservoir for several uropathogens, particularly if the vaginal flora is not intact. Colonization spreads to the periurethral area, urethra, and bladder, strongly depending on sexual activity. Even during voiding, however, there is sufficient turbulence in the female urethra to allow backflow of organisms into the bladder. The role of normal vaginal flora in the defence against genital colonization with potentially pathogenic adhering E. coli has been demonstrated in several studies. The reported vaginal colonization rate of E. coli varies from 6 to 26% .

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Group B Streptococcus **

Group B strep is a common bacterium often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. It is not sexually transmitted. Also, it is not spread through contaminated food or water.

GBS infections are serious and potentially life-threatening. However, their association with urinary tract infections , such as kidney, bladder or prostate infections, is rather rare.

Risk for serious Group B strep infections increases in adults 65 years and older.

**The epidemiological evidence gathered through our multi-year observations supports the use of herbs contained inUribiotic Formulafor urinary tract infections caused byGroup B streptococcus . This evidence, however, has not been evaluated by the FDA.

How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Uti And Bladder Infection

Bladder infections are a type of UTI that involves the lower urinary tract, including the bladder. A bladder infection can spread to other parts of your urinary tract or kidneys if left untreated. The symptoms of bladder infections and UTIs can be similar. See a doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of a UTI, such as painful or frequent urination, pain in your central lower abdomen, or blood in your urine.

Causes Of Lower Urinary Tract Infection

The lower urinary tract consists of the bladder and urethra. The skin around your urethra may have bacteria, such as Escherichia Coli, gonococcus, and Chlamydia trachomatis, which can easily enter the urethra and infect it.Urination usually flushes these bacteria out, but in some cases, they can still persist and cause an inflammation of the urethra, which is known as urethritis.4 5 If the actual cause of urethritis cannot be determined it is known as non-specific urethritis.

Bladder infection, cystitis, is caused when bacteria reach the bladder through the urethra.6 They stick to the tread-like structures of the bladder and cause them to get irritated and inflamed. In most of the cases, it is caused by the bacteria E. Coli, but you may get cystitis as a result of the use of certain drugs, sexual intercourse, radiation, and hypersensitivity.

How Is Urinary Tract Infection In Men Treated

Easy@Home Urinary Tract Infection Tests

The treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Men depends on many factors including the:

Location of infection
Species of bacteria causing the infection

Common treatments for UTIs in Men include:

Oral or IV antibiotics to specifically target the bacteria causing the infection, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, and ciprofloxacin
Surgery to repair twisting of the epididymis, if necessary
Surgery to repair damaged portions of the kidneys: Congenital or acquired conditions of the kidney can cause abnormal kidney structure that can lead to increased risk for developing infection

Some infections are known to be self-limiting and get better without any treatment.

Antibiotic Treatment For Acute Uti In Men

If your clinician treats under the assumption of an acute UTI, a 7-day course of antibiotics will typically be recommended. Antibiotic course duration has recently been reduced to 7 days for male UTI treatment and 3 days for female treatment. Researchers found that longer courses of antibiotics did not significantly improve outcomes.

Around 10% of men who are prescribed a 7-day course of antibiotics experience UTI symptom recurrence within 28 days of finishing treatment. 13% experienced recurrence who were prescribed a 14-day course.

And for women, it has been found that approximately 29% who are prescribed a 3-day course of antibiotics will experience relapse or reinfection at 6 weeks after finishing treatment. This is compared with 31% who complete a 7-day course. Relapse was considered as infection thought to be caused by the same uropathogen, and reinfection caused by a different uropathogen.

So the research indicates that when treatment is guided by SUC results, shorter courses of antibiotics may be more appropriate for the treatment of acute UTI. The outcome is much the same, and they reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.

What Are The Treatments Available For Bladder Infections In Men

Bladder infections are extremely common and usually not a cause for concern. However, if you get frequent bladder infections or have other chronic bladder diseases you’ll probably want to avoid them. You can prevent most bladder infections by taking certain steps in your daily hygiene routine. Also, you should know that bladder infections can affect your sex life by causing painful urination and a burning sensation while peeing.

People with acute bladder infections are usually recommended a short course of antibiotics but people with more complicated bladder infections will have to take antibiotics for more than 10 days.

Unsweetened Cranberry juice or cranberry supplements can help prevent frequent bladder infections because Cranberry has compounds known as proanthocyanidins that can prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urethra and bladder.

Bladder Infections and UTIs

Urinary tract infections or UTIs are one of the most common infections amongst men. It can be painful and is typically caused by bacteria and/or germs getting into the urinary tract through the urethra, a tube that runs from the bladder to the outside of the body. Bladder infections are one of the most common types of UTI experienced by men around the world.

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Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections In Male Dogs

Sometimes urinary tract infections in male dogs produce no obvious symptoms until they have become quite severe. This is one reason that it is a good idea to include a urinalysis in the routine lab work for your dog every year or twice yearly depending on your dogs age and overall health.

The most common signs of a urinary tract infection are difficulty urinating or straining to urinate, frequent urges to urinate with a small quantity of urine produced, urine with a strange color or odor, blood in the urine and accidents in the house.

These symptoms can indicate something other than a bacterial cystitis so it is important for your veterinarian to do a full workup to determine other underlying causes.

What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

A UTI is caused by bacteria that get inside your urinary tract. Most bacteria that enter your urinary tract come out when you urinate. If the bacteria stay in your urinary tract, you may get an infection. Your urinary tract includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Urine is made in your kidneys, and it flows from the ureters to the bladder. Urine leaves the bladder through the urethra. A UTI is more common in your lower urinary tract, which includes your bladder and urethra.

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The Other Two Reasons That Are Not So Common For Urinary Infections Men Are As Follows:

Diabetes- Men who are diabetic have poor blood circulation that increases the risk of developing urinary infections. Also, of course, high blood sugar levels contribute majorly to developing UTIs in men. It is because while passing urine, some remnants of urine remain on the penis, the high sugar content allows the bacteria to thrive and result in a urinary tract infection.
Indulging in anal sex, – Especially, the E. coli bacteria found in the anus, when enters the urinary system makes a person prone to developing a urinary infection.

Pearls And Other Issues

Although there is no proof of prevention, women should urinate after sexual intercourse because bacteria in the bladder can increase by ten-fold after intercourse. After urination, women should wipe from front to back, not from the anal area forward, which seems to drag pathogenic organisms nearer to the urethra. Vigorous urine flow is helpful to prevention. Baths should be avoided in favor of showers. A gentle, liquid soap should be used in bathing or a liquid baby soap such as Johnson’s baby shampoo which is very acceptable for the vagina. The soap should be applied using a clean, soft cotton or microfiber washcloth and the vaginal area should be cleaned first to avoid unnecessary contamination of the area with germs.

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Diagnosis For A Uti Is Necessary

A proper diagnosis of the urinary tract infection is necessary to get the right effective treatment. Your urologist will prescribe you some antibiotics depending upon the results of the diagnostics. Also, never choose self-medication go and consult a doctor. Self-medication might provide you only symptomatic temporary relief.

The risk of side-effects or allergies is also quite high in self-medication. So, only use the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor and follow healthy practices that will keep you safe and away from catching a urinary tract infection.