Urinary tract infection

Symptoms  of UTIs

Infections of the bladder (cystitis) or urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body) are known as lower UTIs. These can cause:

a need to pee more often than usual
pain or discomfort when peeing
sudden urges to pee
feeling as though you're unable to empty your bladder fully
pain low down in your tummy
urine that's cloudy, foul-smelling or contains blood
feeling generally unwell, achy and tired

Infections of the kidneys or ureters (tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder) are known as upper UTIs. These can cause the above symptoms and also:

a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
pain in your sides or back
shivering and chills
feeling and being sick
confusion
agitation or restlessness

Lower UTIs are common and aren't usually a cause for major concern. Upper UTIs can be serious if left untreated, as they could damage the kidneys or spread to the bloodstream.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for urinary tract infection

Introduction

Find out about urinary tract infections (UTIs), including what the symptoms are, when to get medical advice and how they're treated.

Symptoms  of UTIs

Infections of the bladder  (cystitis) or urethra (tube that carries urine out of the body) are known as lower UTIs. These can cause: a need to pee more often than usual pain or

When  to get medical advice

It's a good idea to see your GP if you think you might have a UTI, particularly if: you have symptoms of an upper UTI (see above) the symptoms are severe or getting worse the symptoms haven't

Treatment  for UTIs

UTIs are normally treated with a short course of antibiotics. Most women are given a three-day course of antibiotic capsules or tablets. Men, pregnant women and people with more serious sym

Causes  of UTIs

UTIs occur when the urinary tract becomes infected, usually by bacteria. In most cases, bacteria from the gut enter the urinary tract through the urethra. This may occur when wipi

Preventing  UTIs

If you get UTIs frequently, there are some things you can try that may stop it coming back. However, it's not clear how effective most of these measures are. These measures include: avoiding p

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