About this topic
A urinary tract infection is a UTI. It is caused by germs getting into the urinary tract. The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The urethra is a tube at the bottom of the bladder. Urine flows out of this tube. The germs enter the urethra and then spread in the bladder. The ureters are small tubes that join the bladder and the kidneys. A bladder infection is when the lower urinary tract is infected. A kidney infection is in the upper urinary tract. A UTI is more common in women. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Take your drugs as ordered by your doctor.
- Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water or water-based drinks each day. Do not include drinks with caffeine, like coffee or tea.
- Do not hold back your urine. Go to the bathroom every 2 to 3 hours.
What follow-up care is needed?
Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Fight an infection
- Help with pain
Be sure to talk to your doctor about all of your drugs if you are pregnant. ‚
Will physical activity be limited?
Physical activities will not be limited. You may have to pass urine more often. ‚
What changes to diet are needed?
- Do not drink beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol) or caffeine. These can bother the bladder.
- Talk to your doctor about drinking cranberry juice.
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Pass urine often.
- Wear cotton underwear.
- Women should not wear overly tight underwear or pants.
- Do not use feminine hygiene sprays or drying soaps.
- Gently cleanse your genital area each day. Wipe from front to back to keep germs from going in your body.
- Uncircumcised men should retract their foreskin and gently clean around the head of their penis daily.
- Gently cleanse your genital area before and after having sex.
- Empty your bladder after having sex.
- Empty your bladder before going to sleep.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of a very bad reaction. These include trouble breathing; wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine, back pain, nausea, throwing up, or bloody urine.
- Signs are worse or do not improve within 24 hours of starting treatment
- Signs come back after treatment ends
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you how to prevent this problem from coming back.
- I can tell you what I will do if my signs do not get better after 24 hours of treatment or come back after I have finished treatment.
Where can I learn more?
National Institute of Child Health & Human Development ‚
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/urinary/conditioninfo/Pages/uti.aspx ‚
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse ‚
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/uti_ez/ ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚