A urinary tract infection is an inflammation of the bladder, urethra or kidneys caused by bacterial or fungal infections, resulting in symptoms such as sudden urge to urinate, pain or burning when urinating, a feeling of pressure in the bladder or fever.
Urinary tract infections are more common in women, but can also occur in men, being caused mainly by bacteria that are naturally present in the body, which can proliferate due to an imbalance in the microbiota of the genital region.
Read too: Bladder infection: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment
The treatment of urinary infections is carried out by a general practitioner, urologist or gynecologist who may recommend the use of antibiotics or even hospitalization to receive medication through a vein.
Learn more about urinary tract infections in the following video:
Urinary tract infection symptoms
The main symptoms of urinary tract infection are:
- Need to urinate several times a day;
- Sudden urge to urinate;
- Pain and burning when urinating;
- Feeling of pressure or pain in the bladder;
- Bad being;
- Loss of urine on clothes;
- Bad-smelling urine.
However, these symptoms may not be present in cases where the infection mainly affects the kidneys, where it is generally more serious and can cause fever, chills, back pain, nausea and vomiting. Learn more symptoms of urinary infection.
Therefore, if symptoms of urinary infection are present, it is important to consult a general practitioner, urologist or gynecologist as soon as possible so that the most appropriate treatment can be indicated, preventing the development of complications.
Read too: Urinary tract infection during pregnancy: symptoms, risks and treatment
Online symptom test
To assess your risk of having a urinary tract infection, select the symptoms presented in the following test:
The symptom test is just a tool that only serves as guidance and does not replace consultation with a urologist, gynecologist or general practitioner.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis of urinary infection is made by a urologist, gynecologist or general practitioner through evaluation of symptoms, health history and urine and blood tests.
Make an appointment with a urologist in the region closest to you:
Tests that detect urinary infection
The main tests to detect urinary infections are:
- Type I urine testknown as EAS, to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics and the presence of blood, pus, leukocytes or microorganisms in the urine;
- Urine culture with antibiogram to identify the microorganism responsible for the symptoms;
- Ultrasound or computed tomographyto detect obstructive pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis or abscesses.
Furthermore, if a person develops sepsis or septicemia, which is when the infection reaches the blood, the doctor may order blood tests and blood cultures. Find out how blood culture is performed.
Possible causes
Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria that normally live in the intestine, especially Escherichia coliwhich, due to an imbalance in the microbiota of the genital region, rises from the anus and perineum to the region around the urethra, reaching the urinary system, causing inflammation.
Furthermore, urinary tract infections can also be caused by other bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae or The wonderful Proteus or some viruses or fungi, such as Candida albicans.
Who is most at risk
Some factors can increase the risk of developing a urinary tract infection, such as:
- Gender, being more common in women, due to the shorter urethra and the proximity between the urethra and the anus;
- Poor genital hygiene, cleaning the anus from back to front;
- Pregnancy or menopause;
- Sexual intercourse without the use of condoms or the use of spermicides or;
- Benign prostate hyperplasia in men;
- Use of urinary catheter;
- Neurogenic bladder, kidney failure, kidney stones or urinary tract malformations;
- Diarrhea or dehydration.
Furthermore, urinary infections are more common in the elderly or people who have diabetes, HIV/AIDS or who use immunosuppressive medications, for example. Check out more causes of urinary tract infections.
Types of urinary infection
Urinary tract infections can be classified according to where the infection occurs in the urinary tract into:
- Urethritis: infection involving only the urethra;
- Cystitis: when infection mainly involves the bladder;
- Pyelonephritis: when the infection mainly affects the kidneys.
Identification of the type of infection is usually carried out through evaluation of the signs and symptoms by the doctor and is important for deciding the most appropriate treatment.
Read too: 10 main diseases of the urinary system (and how to treat them)
Treatment of urinary infection
Treatment for urinary tract infections must be recommended by a urologist, gynecologist or general practitioner and usually involves the use of medication to eliminate bacteria and/or alleviate symptoms.
The main treatments that may be recommended by your doctor are:
1. Antibiotics
The main remedies for urinary tract infections that may be recommended by your doctor are antibiotics, such as fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin or ciprofloxacin, for example, as they act to eliminate the bacteria that cause the infection. Check out the main antibiotics for urinary infections.
2. Analgesics or anti-inflammatories
The doctor may also prescribe other medications, such as analgesics, anti-inflammatories or antispasmodics, to help relieve pain or a burning sensation when urinating caused by a urinary tract infection. See the main remedies for urinary infection.
2. Personal care
During the treatment of urinary infection, the doctor may recommend some personal care, such as urinating frequently and whenever you feel the urge, not holding urine and maintaining adequate intimate hygiene.
Furthermore, intimate contact should be avoided during urinary infection treatment, to avoid worsening symptoms, as it can cause pain or discomfort.
3. Food care
Food during urinary infection treatment should include foods rich in water or with diuretic properties, such as watermelon, soursop, cucumber and carrots, for example. See what nutrition should be like for urinary infections.
In addition, you should drink plenty of water, teas or juices, to promote the elimination of urine and bacteria from the urinary system.
Read too: 8 proven teas for urinary tract infections (and how to prepare them)
6. Hospital admission
In the case of pyelonephritis or severe urinary infections, treatment involves hospitalization and the use of intravenous serum and antibiotics.
Hospital treatment is important due to the severity or risk of worsening, as occurs in pregnant women, kidney transplant patients or kidney stone patients. Better understand the treatment of urinary infection.
7. Urinary tract infection vaccine
The vaccine for urinary tract infections, called UroVaxom, contains components extracted from bacteria Escherichia coliand may be recommended by the doctor to prevent recurrent urinary infections.
Furthermore, this vaccine can also be part of the treatment of acute urinary tract infections, along with other medicines. Find out how to get the urinary tract infection vaccine.
Natural Treatment Options
Some teas and home remedies, such as horsetail or dandelion tea, are capable of relieving the symptoms of urinary tract infections, as they have antibacterial and diuretic properties.
However, due to the risk of worsening the infection, treating urinary tract infections with teas and home remedies does not replace treatment with antibiotics and should never be used alone. Discover the home remedies that can complement the treatment of urinary infection.
