Mild urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause discomfort and problems like urge incontinence, while severe ones could damage your kidneys. If you have UTI symptoms, John Paul Kelada, MD, AlexandraMary Kelada, DO, and the Roseville Family Healthcare team in Roseville, California, can help. They quickly diagnose your symptoms and provide expert treatment to clear up any infection. Call Roseville Family Healthcare today to arrange an urgent care appointment, or use the online booking tool to request help for a urinary tract infection.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) could develop in any part of your urinary tract, including the bladder, kidneys, urethra (the tube carrying urine outside the body), or ureters (tubes carrying urine from the kidneys to your bladder).
Most UTIs affect the lower urinary tract. Bacteria enter the urethra, then travel up to the bladder. Without treatment, the infection spreads to your kidneys, potentially causing far worse symptoms.
UTI symptoms might include:
Incontinence means being unable to hold onto urine until you reach a toilet. Stress incontinence, where you pass urine when sneezing, coughing, laughing, or exercising, tends to be an ongoing problem. With a UTI, you’re more likely to develop urge incontinence — a sudden, overwhelming need to urinate that you can’t control.
If the infection reaches your kidneys, you may develop a fever, nausea and vomiting, and severe back pain.
Anything that allows bacteria to enter the urinary tract could trigger a UTI. Inadequate hygiene may be a factor in some cases; for example, wiping forward after a bowel movement allows bacteria from the rectum to enter the urethra. Other things that increase your chances of getting a UTI include:
Anyone can get a UTI at any age, but women and older people are most vulnerable.
Diagnosing a UTI requires a urine sample. The lab tests the sample, confirming infection and identifying the bacteria. This enables the Roseville Family Healthcare team to prescribe the most effective antibiotic medication.
Antibiotics kill bacteria, provided you take them as instructed and finish the course. They should provide symptom relief within a few days, but you might need to continue taking the medication for a week or so. If you stop, the infection could return.
You can help by drinking plenty of water to flush the urinary tract. Cranberry juice is also beneficial to urinary tract health.
If you develop urinary tract infection symptoms, call Roseville Family Healthcare for prompt, expert diagnosis and treatment. You can also book an appointment online today.