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Uti common symptoms


Urinary Tract Infection | Antibiotic Use

Español: Infección urinaria

Do you have pain or burning when you urinate? You might have a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Antibiotics treat UTIs. Your healthcare professional can determine if you have a UTI and what antibiotic you need.

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

UTIs are common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra, and infect the urinary tract. The infections can affect several parts of the urinary tract, but the most common type is a bladder infection (cystitis).

Kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is another type of UTI. They’re less common, but more serious than bladder infections.

Risk Factors

Some people are at higher risk of getting a UTI. UTIs are more common in females because their urethras are shorter and closer to the rectum. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter the urinary tract.

Other factors that can increase the risk of UTIs:

  • A previous UTI
  • Sexual activity
  • Changes in the bacteria that live inside the vagina, or vaginal flora. For example, menopause or the use of spermicides can cause these bacterial changes.
  • Pregnancy
  • Age (older adults and young children are more likely to get UTIs)
  • Structural problems in the urinary tract, such as enlarged prostate
  • Poor hygiene, for example, in children who are potty-training

Symptoms

Symptoms of a bladder infection can include:

  • Pain or burning while urinating
  • Frequent urination
  • Feeling the need to urinate despite having an empty bladder
  • Bloody urine
  • Pressure or cramping in the groin or lower abdomen

Symptoms of a kidney infection can include:

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Lower back pain or pain in the side of your back
  • Nausea or vomiting

Younger children may not be able to tell you about UTI symptoms they are having. While fever is the most common sign of UTI in infants and toddlers, most children with fever do not have a UTI. If you have concerns that your child may have a UTI, talk to a healthcare professional.

  • What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
  • Risk Factors
  • Symptoms
  • When to Seek Medical Care
  • Treatment
  • How to Feel Better
  • Prevention

A female urinary tract, including the bladder and urethra. This image shows how bacteria from the skin or rectum can travel up the urethra and cause a bladder infection.

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When to Seek Medical Care

Talk to your healthcare professional if you have symptoms of a UTI or for any symptom that is severe or concerning.

Taking antibiotics, prescribed by a healthcare professional, at home can treat most UTIs. However, some cases may require treatment in a hospital.

Treatment

Your healthcare professional will determine if you have a UTI by:

  • Asking about symptoms
  • Doing a physical exam
  • Ordering urine tests, if needed

Bacteria cause UTIs and antibiotics treat them. However, any time you take antibiotics, they can cause side effects. Side effects can include rash, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and yeast infections. More serious side effects can include antibiotic-resistant infections or C. diff infection, which causes diarrhea that can lead to severe colon damage and death. Call your healthcare professional if you develop any side effects while taking your antibiotic.

Sometimes other illnesses, such as sexually transmitted diseases, have symptoms similar to UTIs. Your healthcare professional can determine if a UTI or different illness is causing your symptoms and determine the best treatment.

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.

Prevention

You can help prevent UTIs by doing the following:

  • Urinate after sexual activity.
  • Stay well hydrated.
  • Take showers instead of baths.
  • Minimize douching, sprays, or powders in the genital area.
  • Teach girls when potty training to wipe front to back.

Top of Page

Urinary Tract Infections: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Overview

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the urinary system. This type of infection can involve your urethra (a condition called urethritis), kidneys (a condition called pyelonephritis) or bladder, (a condition called cystitis).

Your urine typically doesn’t contain bacteria (germs). Urine is a byproduct of our filtration system—the kidneys. When waste products and excess water is removed from your blood by the kidneys, urine is created. Normally, urine moves through your urinary system without any contamination. However, bacteria can get into the urinary system from outside of the body, causing problems like infection and inflammation. This is a urinary tract infection (UTI).

What is the urinary tract?

The urinary tract makes and stores urine, one of the body's liquid waste products. The urinary tract includes the following parts:

  • Kidneys: These small organs are located on back of your body, just above the hips. They are the filters of your body — removing waste and water from your blood. This waste becomes urine.
  • Ureters: The ureters are thin tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to your bladder.
  • Bladder: A sac-like container, the bladder stores your urine before it leaves the body.
  • Urethra: This tube carries the urine from your bladder to the outside of the body.

How common are urinary tract infections (UTIs)?

Urinary tract infections are very common, occurring in 1 out of 5 women sometime in their lifetime. Though UTIs are common in women, they can also happen to men, older adults and children. One to 2% of children develop urinary tract infections. Each year, 8 million to 10 million visits to doctors are for urinary tract infections.

Who gets urinary tract infections (UTIs)?

Anyone can get a urinary tract infection, but they are more common in women. This is because the urethra (tube the carries urine out of the body) in females is shorter and closer to the anus, where E. coli bacteria are common. Older adults also are at higher risk for developing cystitis. This increased risk may be due to incomplete emptying of the bladder. There are several medical conditions that can be related to this, including an enlarged prostate or a bladder prolapse (a condition where the bladder falls or slips out of its usual position).

If you get frequent urinary tract infections, your healthcare provider may do tests to check for other health problems — such as diabetes or an abnormal urinary system—that may be contributing to your infections. People with frequent UTIs are occasionally given low-dose antibiotics for a period of time to prevent the infection from coming back. This cautious approach to treating frequent UTIs is because your body can develop a resistance to the antibiotic and you can get other types of infections, such as C. diff colitis. This practice is used very infrequently.

What’s the difference between a urinary tract infection (UTI) and bladder infection (cystitis)?

A urinary tract infection is a more general type of infection. There are many parts of your urinary tract. A UTI is a term for an infection that takes place throughout the urinary tract. A bladder infection, also called cystitis, is a specific infection. In this infection, bacteria makes its way into the bladder and causes inflammation.

Not all urinary tract infections become bladder infections. Preventing the spread of the infection is one of the most important reasons to treat a UTI quickly when you have symptoms. The infection can spread not only to the bladder, but also into your kidneys, which is a more complicated type of infection than a UTI.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

Urinary tract infections are caused by microorganisms — usually bacteria — that enter the urethra and bladder, causing inflammation and infection. Though a UTI most commonly happens in the urethra and bladder, bacteria can also travel up the ureters and infect your kidneys.

More than 90% of bladder infection (cystitis) cases are caused by E. coli, a bacterium normally found in the intestines.

What are the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

A urinary tract infection causes the lining of the urinary tract to become red and irritated (inflammation), which may produce some of the following symptoms:

  • Pain in the side (flank), abdomen or pelvic area.
  • Pressure in the lower pelvis.
  • Frequent need to urinate (frequency), urgent need to urinate (urgency) and Incontinence (urine leakage).
  • Painful urination (dysuria) and blood in the urine.
  • The need to urinate at night.
  • Abnormal urine color (cloudy urine) and strong or foul-smelling urine.

Other symptoms that may be associated with a urinary tract infection include:

  • Pain during sex.
  • Penis pain.
  • Flank (side of the body) pain or lower back pain.
  • Fatigue.
  • Fever (temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and chills.
  • Vomiting.
  • Mental changes or confusion.

Diagnosis and Tests

How are urinary tract infections (UTIs) diagnosed?

Your doctor will use the following tests to diagnose a urinary tract infection:

  • Urinalysis: This test will examine the urine for red blood cells, white blood cells and bacteria. The number of white and red blood cells found in your urine can actually indicate an infection.
  • Urine culture: A urine culture is used to determine the type of bacteria in your urine. This is an important test because it helps determine the appropriate treatment.

If your infection does not respond to treatment or if you keep getting infections over and over again, your doctor may use the following tests to examine your urinary tract for disease or injury:

  • Ultrasound: In this test, sound waves create an image of the internal organs. This test is done on top of your skin, is painless and doesn’t typically need any preparation.
  • Cystoscopy: This test uses a special instrument fitted with a lens and a light source (cystoscope) to see inside the bladder from the urethra.
  • CT scan: Another imaging test, a CT scan is a type of X-ray that takes cross sections of the body (like slices). This test is much more precise than typical X-rays.

Management and Treatment

How are urinary tract infections (UTI) 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 that’s causing your infection. Some commonly used antibiotics can include:

  • Nitrofurantoin.
  • Sulfonamides (sulfa drugs).
  • Amoxicillin.
  • Cephalosporins.
  • Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim®).
  • Doxycycline.
  • Quinolones (such as ciprofloxacin [Cipro®]).

It’s very important that you follow your healthcare provider’s directions for taking the medicine. Don’t 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.

What are the complications of a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

A urinary tract infection can be easily treated with antibiotics. However, if it isn’t treated or if you stop the medication early, this type of infection can lead to a more serious infection, like a kidney infection.

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 (UTI). 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 (especially water) 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 (intravenously). Once you’re home, you will be prescribed antibiotics for a period of time to fully get rid of the infection.

Does cranberry juice prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

Many people say that cranberry juice can help treat, or even prevent, a UTI. Researchers are currently looking into the topic, but haven’t found a definitive answer yet. Healthcare providers recommend drinking lots of fluids if you have, or have a history of getting, a UTI. Adding a glass of unsweetened cranberry juice to your diet isn’t a proven way to prevent a UTI, but it typically won’t hurt you either.

Prevention

Can I prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

You can usually prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI) with lifestyle changes. These tips can include:

  • Practicing good hygiene: You can often prevent UTIs by practicing good personal hygiene. This is especially important for women. Because the urethra in women is much shorter than it is in men, it’s easier for E. coli bacteria to move from the rectum back into the body. To avoid this, it’s recommended that you always wipe from front to back after a bowel movement. Women should also use good hygiene practices during their menstrual cycle avoid infections. Changing pads and tampons frequently, as well as not using feminine deodorants can also help prevent UTIs.
  • Drinking plenty of fluids: Adding extra fluids, especially water, to your daily routine can help remove extra bacteria from your urinary tract. Drinking six to eight glasses of water per day is recommended.
  • Changing your urination habits: Urination can play a big role in getting rid of bacteria from the body. Your urine is a waste product and each time you empty your bladder, you’re removing that waste from your body. Urinating frequently can reduce your risk of developing an infection, especially if you have a history of frequent UTIs. Drinking plenty of fluids will encourage this, but makes sure to avoid fluids and foods that could irritate your bladder. These can include alcohol, citrus juices, caffeinated drinks and spicy foods. You should also try to urinate immediately before and after sex. This could help flush out any bacteria that may have been introduced during intercourse. You can also wash the genital area with warm water before having sex. Don’t douche. This practice isn’t recommended by healthcare providers.
  • Changing your birth control: Some women have an increased risk of developing a UTI if they use a diaphragm for birth control. Talk to your healthcare provider about other options for birth control.
  • Using a water-based lubricant during sex: If you experience vaginal dryness and use a lubricant during sex, use one that is water-based. You may also need to avoid spermicide if you have frequent UTIs.
  • Changing your clothing: Avoiding tight-fitting clothing can actually help keep you dry, preventing bacteria from growing in the urinary tract. You can also switch to cotton underwear. This will prevent extra moisture from getting trapped around your urethra.

In some post-menopausal women, a healthcare provider may suggest an estrogen-containing vaginal cream. This may reduce the risk of developing a UTI by changing the pH of the vagina. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have recurrent UTIs and have already gone through menopause.

Over-the-counter supplements are also available for UTIs. These are sometimes recommended for people who have frequent UTIs as another way to prevent them. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplements and ask if these could be a good choice for you.

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the prognosis (outlook) for a person with a urinary tract infection?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. It’s important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms aren’t improving, your provider may test to see if it’s an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics (through an IV) or alternative treatments.

Living With

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection. If you have been diagnosed with a UTI and your symptoms are getting worse, call your healthcare provider. You may need a different treatment. Watch out for these symptoms in particular:

  • Fever.
  • Back pain.
  • Vomiting.

If you have any of these symptoms, or your other symptoms continue after treatment, call your healthcare provider. A UTI can spread throughout your urinary tract and into other parts of your body. However, treatment is very effective and can quickly relieve your symptoms.

general and early symptoms and signs of cancer

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Symptoms and signs of cancer

July 31, 2018

Cancer is the name of a range of diseases that can affect any organ. The terms "oncological disease", "neoplasm" and "malignant tumor" are accepted as synonyms. A DNA disorder in a single cell leads to the disease, after which uncontrolled cell division and the formation of a tumor occur.

The malignant tumor has spread to adjacent tissues. It has its own vessels and stroma - a protective sheath.


  • Tumor development occurs in two stages:
  • Preclinical (early cancer). At this time, signs of oncology do not appear, the person does not even suspect about his disease. This period lasts about 75% of the total lifetime of cancer cells.
  • Clinical. During this period, symptoms of oncology begin to appear.

What are the symptoms of cancer? There are quite a few of them, and each of them can be a symptom of a disease that is not associated with oncology. Because of this, the disease is difficult to diagnose at an early stage. However, there are common characteristic symptoms that allow the specialist to suspect the presence of cancer and begin a special examination of the patient. Therefore, if there is a suspicion of the first signs of oncology, it is vital to immediately contact the oncologists of the Consilium Medical clinic.

Qualified consultation and timely treatment can overcome the disease or achieve a stable remission.


The first signs of cancer

Because early diagnosis is essential for successful cancer treatment, it is important not to miss the first signs of cancer.


  • The tumor affects the body systemically, so you should immediately seek medical advice if the following conditions are present - these may be the first symptoms of cancer:
  • Unexplained fatigue.
  • Constant weakness and malaise.
  • Subcutaneous lumps are palpable. In women, the first signs of cancer may be tumors in the chest and in the armpits, in men - in the groin.
  • Enlarged lymph nodes.
  • Pain in any area or organ does not go away for a long time.
  • Often the first signs of cancer are a decrease in appetite, as well as sudden weight loss with an unchanged diet and physical activity.
  • Prolonged cough and lack of oxygen.
  • Hoarseness, hoarse voice.
  • Wounds heal poorly.
  • Frequent prolonged fever up to 38°C, fever.
  • Unstable bowel function.
  • Bleeding.
  • Sweating during night sleep.
  • Moles changed shape, color, began to grow.

Attentive attitude to your own body will help to identify the first symptoms of oncology and start productive treatment.


General symptoms of cancer

Manifestations of oncological diseases are individual for each patient. However, there are common signs of cancer that should not be ignored. What symptoms of cancer should alert?

One of the common symptoms of cancer is swelling. If a tumor is noticed, a visit to the oncologist should not be postponed. It helps a lot to make a correct diagnosis if the patient knows exactly when the tumor appeared, whether it changed its size. If you suspect that this is a malignant tumor, the doctor recommends an examination.

Another common symptom of cancer is bleeding . You need to understand that with any bleeding, you need to rush to a specialist, since it can be life-threatening, even if it is not a sign of an oncological disease. Women especially need to be careful during menopause.

The following symptoms may indicate that a person has cancer: a change in the timbre of the voice, hoarseness, shortness of breath with moderate physical exertion.

If skin cancer occurs, the main symptoms are a change in the appearance of moles: the edges become uneven, a crust may appear, and the color may change. These moles itch and sometimes bleed. Melanoma increases in size, so if the mole is larger than 6 mm, it is a reason to visit a doctor.


  • The following symptoms, which are immune reactions of the body, may also appear:
  • The appearance of blood clots.
  • Skin rash.
  • Lowering blood sugar levels.
  • Pathology of the kidneys.
  • Blood flow disorder.
  • Destruction of erythrocytes.
  • Pathologies of tubular bones (large and small).

Knowing what are the signs of cancer and noticing them in yourself, it is important not to hope that the disease will disappear by itself. Even if the alarm turned out to be false and no oncology was detected, the person will undergo a qualitative examination and be able to get rid of the ailments indicated by the symptoms.


Oncology? What to do if symptoms of the disease are suspected

In the case when the patient suspects oncology, there are signs of the disease, the doctor begins the diagnosis by taking an anamnesis. If possible, the affected organ is probed, as well as other lesions. If the doctor of the clinic "Concilium Medical", to whom the patient is referring, suspects symptoms of oncology, then an in-depth examination will be offered in accordance with the international protocol.


  • It suggests, depending on the location of the malignancy:
  • Biopsy.
  • Tomographic examination.
  • X-ray.
  • Blood tests.

Helping the patient is very important, because doctors need to know the characteristics of the organism. Often a patient's detailed story helps to distinguish between oncology and symptoms of common diseases.

Symptoms and signs of heart disease

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  • Signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease

Content:

  • How to suspect CVD: external signs of cardiovascular disease

  • Heart and blood vessels - an actual problem

  • What to do if you find signs of a disease of the cardiovascular system?

Since diseases of the heart and blood vessels occupy a leading place in the world statistics of medical pathologies, the signs of cardiovascular diseases should be known to every person. CVDs have rejuvenated significantly, driven by an overall increase in stress levels, environmental factors, and sedentary work. The main insidiousness of coronary diseases is often expressed in an asymptomatic course in the early stages.

How to suspect CVD: external signs of cardiovascular disease

Although an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a specialist, CVD can be suspected even before tests and instrumental studies are performed. The main symptoms of cardiovascular diseases are, as you know, pains in the chest, in the region of the heart with a return to various areas: shoulder blade, jaw, nipple, shoulder. Early signs are easily confused with other diseases, however, alarming symptoms will help to pay attention to the problem, be examined in time and prevent the development of complications. With timely diagnosis, drug treatment may not even be needed and it will be possible to get by with prevention and lifestyle correction.

General symptoms of cardiovascular disease:

  • Cough worse lying down. Expectorants have no effect.
  • Increased fatigue, weakness, trembling in the hands.
  • Pale face, blue lips, earlobes, legs.
  • Temperature increase.
  • Change in heart rate and rhythm.
  • Stably high or low blood pressure.
  • Edema in the lower extremities.
  • Headaches, dizziness, pain in the legs when walking, chest pains.
  • Choking.
  • Fainting for no reason.
  • Pain in the spine.
  • Sensation of the heart jumping out of the chest or, on the contrary, the fading of the rhythm.

These main symptoms in diseases of the cardiovascular system may also indicate other pathologies of the body: neuralgia, influenza, osteochondrosis or stomach disease. Therefore, without a medical examination, you should not self-medicate.

Heart and blood vessels - an urgent problem

Noticing the first symptoms of cardiovascular diseases, we look for the causes in a sedentary lifestyle, abuse of salt, refined sugar, fats. But diseases of the heart and blood vessels often occur in emotional people who take everything close to the heart, as well as in patients with endocrine disorders. Symptoms of cardiovascular disease in women may first appear during menopause or while taking hormonal contraception. CVD can develop after any past infection or injury. At risk are workers in industries with high levels of noise and vibration. A special role in the development of CVD is played by smoking, which is no less dangerous for blood vessels and myocardium than alcoholism.

Despite advances in technology, atherosclerotic diseases, especially ischemia and stroke, remain among the leading causes of death. In Russia, among non-communicable causes of death, CVD accounts for 58%, while 40% of people die between the ages of 25 and 65. It is important to recognize the symptoms of cardiovascular diseases in men earlier, since with age the risk of death increases: if at 25-30 years the risk is the same for both sexes, then among 65-year-old patients, women who died are 3 times less.

The symptoms of most CVDs increase gradually, often throughout life, so a competent approach when choosing therapy tactics will help prolong and save life.

What to do if you find signs of a disease of the cardiovascular system?

If you do not want to find symptoms of a cardiovascular disease, stop smoking, reduce the amount of alcohol you drink to a minimum, devote time to physical activity and good rest, and normalize your psychological background. It does not hurt to choose a diet high in magnesium, potassium and calcium (Mediterranean, DASH diet) and low in salt.

In order not to miss the development of CVD, it is necessary: ​​

  • Measure blood pressure annually after reaching 20 years of age.
  • Do lipid profile 1 time every 4 years.
  • Control sugar levels after 40-45 years.
  • See a cardiologist if subjective symptoms and complaints are present.

If there is a genetic predisposition, the frequency of examinations may be increased. In the examination, the doctor will be helped by a diary of the patient's observations of his well-being (at least one week is kept).

Cardiovascular symptoms may come on suddenly. If the pain behind the sternum, in the legs, the headache does not go away even when lying down or sitting, it has a burning character, the attack lasts more than 20 minutes, this is a reason to call emergency help. Often, heart pains are accompanied by panic attacks, perspiration, shortness of breath. You should not delay treatment, since malfunctions in the work of the heart and blood vessels negatively affect all body systems.

General symptoms of diseases of the cardiovascular system are an occasion to undergo an examination and find out the exact cause of pain and poor health. Patients from all over Russia are expected in the Moscow Region at the specialized Chekhov Vascular Center. In the clinic, you can get an updated diagnosis, undergo inpatient or outpatient treatment, learn about preventive measures, get recommendations on diet and exercise therapy. Take care of your health by making an appointment with a highly qualified cardiologist.

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