About Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are common infections that can affect the bladder, the kidneys and the tubes connected to them.
Anyone can get them, but they’re particularly common in women. Some women experience them regularly .
UTIs can be painful and uncomfortable, but usually pass within a few days and can be easily treated with antibiotics.
This page is about UTIs in adults. There is a separate article about UTIs in children.
This page covers:
How Can I Tell If My Sore Throat Is A Viral Or Bacterial Infection
Only a physician can determine if your sore throat is a viral or bacterial infection. When you come to the clinic with a sore throat, the doctors at Warner Plaza Urgent Care rub a sterile swab over the back of your throat to get a sample so they can test it and determine the cause.
They offer on-site rapid strep throat and mono testing so you will know the results within a few minutes. If the rapid test comes back positive, you have a bacterial infection, but if the test is negative, you have a viral infection.
Changes In Your Urine
If your urine doesnt seem totally normal, it could be a warning that youre living with a UTI. Common urine changes include:
- Cloudiness
- A strong odor
- A pink or red tinge in your urine
That last sign means a small amount of blood has worked its way into your urine. That can seem particularly alarming, but its a relatively common side effect of a UTI.
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How Do You Treat A Uti
When you arrive at Warner Plaza Urgent Care Center, an experienced physician will give you an exam, and may also ask for a urine sample. Once your UTI is confirmed, the doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics. The number of days you need to take the medication will depend on the severity of your condition, as well as the type of antibiotic prescribed . You will usually feel symptom relief within 24 hours, but you must continue taking the full course of antibiotics to completely rid your body of the infection.
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You Dont Pee After Sex
The threat of getting a UTI shouldnt stop you from getting it on. But that doesnt mean resigning yourself to the afterburn.
One simple way to cut your risk: Head to the potty after youve finished your romp. Youll possibly flush out the bacteria that may have made their way into your urinary tract. Urinary Tract Infection. .
Can You Treat A Uti With Iv Therapy
In some cases, particularly if the UTI is severe and/or has traveled further up the urinary tract, you may need IV antibiotic treatment. This enables higher doses of antibiotics to flood your system immediately, through your bloodstream, rather than your digestive system. Warner Plaza Urgent Care offers on-site IV antibiotic infusions, so you can get this powerful, rapid treatment during your visit.
In some cases, you will need to return for additional IV treatments, or you may be able to use oral antibiotics after the initial IV infusion, depending on your condition.
If you suspect you have a urinary tract infection, do not wait and suffer from painful, annoying symptoms. Call, schedule an appointment online, or simply walk into Warner Plaza Urgent Cares office in Woodland Hills, California, and receive a prompt, professional diagnosis and treatment.
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What Is The Treatment For A Sore Throat
The treatment for your sore throat depends on the cause. If its a viral infection, it usually clears up on its own in 5-7 days, although over-the-counter pain relievers can help relieve symptoms. When your sore throat is the result of bacterial infections, your provider writes a prescription that will combat the infection and relieve symptoms. Sometimes, your symptoms will dissipate before the infection is completely out of your system, so its important to take the entire dose of antibiotics to ensure that you completely eliminate strep throat or mono.
If you or your child has a sore throat that lasts longer than a few days, or is severe, the doctors at Warner Plaza Urgent Care can diagnose the cause and provide prompt treatment. Come in, call, or schedule the next available appointment using the online system.
You Dont Drink Enough Water
Guzzling H2O will make you go pretty often. And thats a good thing. When you do this, the bacteria gets flushed out before they have a chance to grab hold, Minkin says.
Consider that your cue to make a giant water bottle your BFF. Hooton TM, et al. . Effect of increased daily water intake in premenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections: A randomized clinical trial. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4204
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Strengths And Limitations Of The Study
The DNSGP-2 provides a good representation of morbidity and prescribing habits in Dutch general practice, except for an under-representation of GPs with single-handed practices. Data were assumed to be accurate as extraction took place from electronic medical records of the practices, and inter-observer reliability of coding episodes into the ICPC codes was high. The number of prescriptions was used as the outcome measure. It was not possible to use defined daily doses, as information on the dosage of antibiotics was not often registered by GPs. However, the measure used here has the advantage that it clearly depicts a GP’s decision to prescribe or not.
A Burning Sensation When You Urinate
That burning feeling serves as a telltale red flag. One of the most common symptoms of a UTI, an unwelcome burning as you urinate often indicates that you have an infection in some part of your urinary system.
While the actual infection most commonly occurs in your urethra and your bladder, it can also affect your kidneys, ureters, and more. Ultimately, the infection rears its ugly head when you expel urine, causing a burning or stinging sensation.
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Frequent Urination And Sore Throat
- Medical Author: Dan Brennan, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
These symptoms are present in a wide variety of medial conditions, including urinary tract and other infections. To diagnose strep throat, a bacterial related sore throat, then your doctor may need to do a throat swab. If you are concerned about your symptoms, please contact your doctor.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
Comparison With Existing Literature And Interpretation Of Results
About three-quarters of antibiotics are first-choice antibiotics. The use of second-choice antibiotics in terms of volume is not yet a major issue in the Netherlands,, but the increase from 4% in 1987 to 25% second-choice antibiotics in this study is a reason for concern. More restriction is necessary mainly for the use of amoxicillin/clavulanate and macrolides.
Bacterial resistance cannot be a motive for the use of amoxicillin/clavulanate in community-acquired pneumonia , as S. pneumoniae is the most frequent cause of CAP and resistance of S. pneumoniae to penicillin and other antibiotics in general practice is low. Because resistance in Haemophilus influenzae can be relevant in primary care settings and this pathogen is more prominent in some chronically ill patients, the use of amoxicillin/clavulanate might be considered for patients with co-morbidities such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . Three-quarters of amoxicillin/clavulanate prescriptions for pneumonia in our study were prescribed for patients without diabetes or COPD. In addition, the prevalence of allergy to penicillin, which is estimated to be between 0.7% and 8%, could not explain the use of second-choice antibiotics, such as macrolides, for common infections.
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How Can I Take Care Of Myself
- Follow your healthcare provider’s treatment. Take all of the antibiotic that your healthcare provider prescribes, even when you feel better. Do not take medicine left over from previous prescriptions.
- Drink more fluids, especially water, to help flush bacteria from your system.
- If you have a fever:
- Take aspirin or acetaminophen to control the fever. Check with your healthcare provider before you give any medicine that contains aspirin or salicylates to a child or teen. This includes medicines like baby aspirin, some cold medicines, and Pepto Bismol. Children and teens who take aspirin are at risk for a serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
- Keep a daily record of your temperature.
Urinary Tract Infection Specialist
Urinary tract infections in both women and men can be painful and interfere with your daily activities. Quick treatment of a UTI is important, not only to resolve your symptoms as quickly as possible, but also to avoid more serious conditions if the infection spreads. At Warner Plaza Urgent Care in Woodland Hills, California, patients can walk in or schedule an appointment online or by phone, and receive a prompt diagnosis and treatment. Theres no need to suffer by waiting for treatment. Relief is available today.
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How To Feel Better
If your healthcare professional prescribes you antibiotics:
- Take antibiotics exactly as your healthcare professional tells you.
- Do not share your antibiotics with others.
- Do not save antibiotics for later. Talk to your healthcare professional about safely discarding leftover antibiotics.
Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Your healthcare professional might also recommend medicine to help lessen the pain or discomfort. Talk with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your antibiotics.
Sudden And Chronic Sore Throat Causes
Tonsillitis, viral pharyngitis, mononucleosis, and streptococcal infection are among the most common causes of sore throats. Viral illnesses that cause a sore throat are common colds, flu , mononucleosis , measles, chickenpox, and also croup, a common childhood illness characterized by a harsh, barking cough.
Bacterial infections that can cause a sore throat include: Strep throat, which is caused by a bacterium known as Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A streptococcus and Whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. Determining if it is viral or bacterial is important as strep infection can cause other more serious illnesses.
Testing can determine strep infection, often referred to as a rapid strep screen. A swab of the throat is done and tested. A blood test can indicate mononucleosis or an elevated white blood cell count due to infection. Viral infections can be treated symptomatically strep and other bacterial infections require treatment with antibiotics.
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Symptoms Of Sore Throat
A sore throat can make it painful to swallow. A sore throat can also feel dry and scratchy. Sore throat can be a symptom of strep throat, the common cold, allergies, or other upper respiratory tract illness.
The following symptoms suggest a virus is the cause of the illness instead of the bacteria called group A strep:
- Cough
- Joint swelling and pain
- Rash
This list is not all-inclusive. Please see your doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning.
Follow up with a doctor if symptoms do not improve within a few days, get worse, or if you or your child have recurrent sore throats.
Feeling Like You Need To Empty Your Bladder More
When you have a UTI, your body wants to be rid of the infection as quickly as possible. One way it attempts to clear out the infection is by emptying your bladder. That attempt to expel the infection leads to many people with UTIs feeling a persistent and more-frequent-than-normal urge to use the restroom.
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How Is It Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may have lab tests of your urine and discharge from the urethra and prostate gland.
For serious or repeated infections, you may need:
- An intravenous pyelogram . An IVP is a special type of X-ray of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
- An ultrasound scan to look at the urinary tract.
- A cystoscopy. This is an exam of the inside of the urethra and bladder with a small lighted instrument. It is usually done by a specialist called a urologist.
You Wipe From Back To Front
Wiping from back to front can transport E. coli, the bacteria thats behind most UTIs, from the rectal region to the urethra. Moral of the story: Always wipe from front to back. Al-Badr A, et al. . Recurrent urinary tract infections management in women: A review.
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How Does It Occur
Normally the urinary tract does not have any bacteria or other organisms in it. Bacteria that cause UTI often spread from the rectum to the urethra and then to the bladder or kidneys. Sometimes bacteria spread from another part of the body through the bloodstream to the urinary tract. Urinary tract infection is less common in men than in women because the male urethra is long, making it difficult for bacteria to spread to the bladder.
Urinary tract infection may be caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Sometimes a stone in the urinary tract blocks the flow of urine and causes an infection. In older men, an enlarged prostate can cause a urinary tract infection by keeping urine from draining out of the bladder completely. Infection might also be caused by the use of a catheter used to drain the bladder or by urethral stricture, which is a narrowing of the urethra by scar tissue from previous infections or surgical procedures.
You may be more likely to have a UTI if you have diabetes or another medical problem that affects the immune system.
Antibiotic Prescriptions For Respiratory Ear And Urinary Tract Disorders
Eighty-six percent of the prescriptions were classified with an ICPC code. In 14% of the prescriptions, a diagnosis was missing, more frequently for quinolones compared with other subgroups. Fifty percent of the 73 246 prescriptions were prescribed for respiratory disorders, 7% for ear disorders and 28% for urinary tract disorders. In the group of respiratory tract diseases, most antibiotics were prescribed for acute bronchitis and sinusitis , followed by acute upper RTI and acute tonsillitis . Almost all antibiotic prescriptions for urinary tract disorders were prescribed for cystitis , and 77% of the prescriptions for ear disorders were prescribed for acute otitis media.
Volume of antibiotic prescriptions according to respiratory, ear, urinary tract and remaining disorders
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Other Types Of Strep Infections
GAS can also cause an infection called scarlet fever. The infection is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15 and generally begins with a fever and sore throat, according to the CDC. Scarlet fever is typically a mild illness that may resolve on its own but treatment with antibiotics can help symptoms disappear sooner.
Group B Streptococcus is another type of strep bacteria which can cause blood infections, pneumonia and meningitis in newborns, according to the NIH. Some women carry this type of bacteria in their intestines and vagina, but it is not passed through sexual contact. However, mothers can pass the bacteria to a newborn during birth, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Most babies who come in contact will not become sick, but the few babies who do become sick can have severe problems, including infections in the blood , the lungs or the brain . As such, doctors screen all expecting mothers for the bacteria those who test positive for the bacteria should receive antibiotics during labor.
According to the CDC, a pregnant woman who tests positive for GBS bacteria and received antibiotics during pregnancy has a 1 in 4,000 change that her baby will develop GBS disease, versus a 1 in 200 chance if she didn’t receive antibiotics.
In adults, Group B strep can cause urinary tract infections, blood infections, skin infections, pneumonia and, rarely, meningitis, according to the CDC.
Additional resources:
What This Study Adds
Large variation exists in the extent of change before and after the delivery of tailored interventions to support implementing guidelines
Rigorous methods are needed to evaluate interventions to change practice
With passively delivered, complex interventions targeted at identified barriers there was only a 3% decrease in antibiotic prescribing for sore throat and a 5% decrease in test use for urinary tract infection in women
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Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Typically, a kidney infection develops after a UTI has already affected your urethra the tube through which urine exits your body and your bladder. This area is known as your lower urinary tract.
If you recognize the earlier signs of a UTI, you can seek treatment and usually avoid a kidney infection. But its possible that your symptoms wont be severe enough to get your attention until the infection has spread to your kidneys.
Whether or not youre also experiencing kidney-specific symptoms, its important to look out for signs of a UTI affecting your lower urinary tract:
Painful Urination Known as dysuria, pain during urination is usually caused by inflammation in the lining of your urethra.
In addition to UTIs, dysuria can be caused by a number of other conditions, including vaginal yeast infections, kidney stones, and sexually transmitted infections .
Frequent Urination A UTI can cause frequent and intense urges to urinate, even when youve recently emptied your bladder.
Thats because an inflamed bladder from your infection may be more sensitive to pressure from your urine, giving you the sensation that your bladder is full even when its not.