What is the best thing to do for a urinary tract infection?
The best thing to do for a urinary tract infection is to see a healthcare provider. You need antibiotics to treat a UTI. Your provider will select an antibiotic that works best against the bacteria responsible for your infection.
Once you get a prescription for antibiotics, it’s very important that you follow the directions for taking them. Be sure to take the full course of antibiotics, even if your symptoms go away and you start feeling better. If you don’t finish all your medicine, the infection can return and be more challenging to treat.
If you get UTIs a lot, a provider may recommend that you take antibiotics:
- Every day.
- Every other day.
- After sex.
- At the first sign of symptoms.
Talk to a provider about your best treatment option if you have a history of frequent UTIs.
What specific antibiotics are used to treat a urinary tract infection?
Healthcare providers commonly prescribe the following antibiotics to treat UTIs:
If you get UTIs often, a healthcare provider may give you low-dose antibiotics for a short time to prevent the infection from coming back. The provider may recommend this cautious approach to treat frequent UTIs because your body can develop resistance to the antibiotic, and you can get other types of infections, including C. diff colitis. This practice isn’t very common.
Can I become immune to the antibiotics used to treat a UTI?
Sort of. Every time you use antibiotics to treat a UTI, the infection adapts and can become harder to fight (antibiotic resistance). But the infection becomes immune to the antibiotics, not you. Antibiotics may not always be the best solution. As a result, a healthcare provider may suggest alternative treatments if you get frequent urinary tract infections. These may include:
- Waiting. Your provider may suggest a “watch and wait” approach to your symptoms. During this time, it’s a good idea to drink plenty of fluids (especially water) to help flush out your system.
- Intravenous (IV) treatment. In some complicated cases, a UTI may be resistant to antibiotics, or the infection may move to your kidneys. You may need treatment at a hospital, where providers will give you medicine through a needle they insert into a vein, usually in your arm (intravenously). Once you return home, you may need to take oral antibiotics for a period to rid yourself of the infection completely.
Does cranberry juice prevent a urinary tract infection?
Cranberry juice that you can buy at the grocery store doesn’t prevent a UTI. However, cranberry extract supplements (vitamin pills) may decrease your chances of getting a UTI.
If you get UTIs often, methenamine hippurate is another nonantibiotic alternative that helps prevent infections.
Can a UTI go away on its own?
Minor urinary tract infections can sometimes get better on their own. However, most UTIs need antibiotics to go away. You absolutely need antibiotics if you have a UTI as well as:
- A fever.
- Chills.
- Nausea and vomiting.
How soon after treatment will I feel better?
Most people feel better within a few days after starting antibiotics to treat a UTI.
FAQs
Symptoms of UTIs
- 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.
“A bladder infection can get better on its own, but most of the time it doesn't. If your symptoms are minor, it's reasonable to try extra fluids and cranberry products to see if it resolves over the course of a day.
What is the main cause of a UTI? ›
A UTI develops when microbes enter the urinary tract and cause infection. Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs, although fungi rarely can also infect the urinary tract. E. coli bacteria, which live in the bowel, cause most UTIs.
What should I do if I have UTI? ›
Follow these tips:
- Drink plenty of water. Water helps to dilute your urine and flush out bacteria.
- Avoid drinks that may irritate your bladder. Avoid coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks containing citrus juices or caffeine until the infection has cleared. ...
- Use a heating pad.
Symptoms of an upper UTI can include: pain and discomfort in your side, lower back or around your genitals. a high temperature (it may reach 39.5C or 103.1F) shivering or chills.
What can feel like a UTI but isn't? ›
Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a chronic bladder health issue. It is a feeling of pain and pressure in the bladder area. Along with this pain are lower urinary tract symptoms which have lasted for more than 6 weeks, without having an infection or other clear causes.
Can I flush out a UTI without antibiotics? ›
Drinking lots of fluids helps your body make urine. This can flush bacteria out of the urinary tract. Fluids also keep you hydrated, which is helpful for fighting off an infection. Avoid fluids that might irritate your bladder, like alcohol and caffeine.
What is the fastest way to cure a urine infection at home? ›
- Apply Heat. Heat can be an effective home remedy for UTI pain in adults and children. ...
- Consume Cranberry Supplements. Some people swear by cranberry to prevent UTIs, but research has been limited and mixed. ...
- Drink Water. ...
- Try Vitamin C. ...
- Take an OTC Pain Medication. ...
- Try D-Mannose. ...
- Urinate Frequently.
If the infection spreads to your kidneys, symptoms may include:
- Chills and shaking or night sweats.
- Fatigue and a general ill feeling.
- Fever above 101°F (38.3°C)
- Pain in the side, back, or groin.
- Flushed, warm, or reddened skin.
- Mental changes or confusion (in older people, these symptoms often are the only signs of a UTI)
It's pretty easy to get a urinary tract infection. Bacteria that live in the vagin*, genital, and anal areas may enter the urethra, travel to the bladder, and cause an infection. This can happen during sexual activity when bacteria from your partner's genitals, anus, fingers, or sex toys gets pushed into your urethra.
If the UTI has spread to your kidneys, you may also get: Pain or pressure in your back or lower belly. Nausea and vomiting. Fever and chills.
Can sperm cause UTI in females? ›
It's not uncommon for women to develop a UTI after sexual intercourse. The thrusting involved in sex can push bacteria into the urethra, increasing your chances of getting an infection. sem*n or sperm is not a cause of UTI. However, sem*n can alter the pH of vagin*, making it less acidic and more prone to infections.
What antibiotics can I get over the counter for UTI? ›
Antibiotics are the only medication that can cure a UTI. Antibiotics are not available over the counter.
Can dehydration cause UTI? ›
“Dehydration is a leading risk factor for UTIs.” It's a common misconception that painful urination automatically signals a UTI, she added. Many other conditions can mimic the symptoms of these infections. Definitively diagnosing a UTI requires a urine culture; a urinalysis, or dipstick test, is not enough.
What is the best antibiotic for a UTI? ›
Best Antibiotic for UTI
- Ceftriaxone.
- Cephalexin.
- Doxycycline.
- Fosfomycin (Monurol)
- Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid, Macrodantin, Furadantin)
- Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Bactrim DS)
Symptoms
- A strong urge to urinate that doesn't go away.
- A burning feeling when urinating.
- Urinating often, and passing small amounts of urine.
- Urine that looks cloudy.
- Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — signs of blood in the urine.
- Strong-smelling urine.
Uncomfortable sensation while urinating
Another common sign of a urinary infection is burning or pain when peeing. Similar to urinary urge, pain while urinating arises when the lining of the bladder and the urethra—the tube from the bladder that carries the urine out of the body—is inflamed.
