Urinary Tract Infections (UTI): Symptoms And Causes

Urinary tract infections are identified as infectious diseases of any stretch of the human urinary system. This excretion system begins in the kidneys and ends in the urethra.

The human urinary system is prepared to carry out a process of purification and expulsion in the body. The kidney filters the blood to convert blood waste into urine. That urine travels down the ureters, which are like tubes, to the bladder. After storage in the bladder, through the urethra, urine goes out.

Although most urinary tract infections are located in the lower part: bladder and urethra, any sector can be affected. In the upper part – kidneys – the symptoms are more aggressive and the complications more dangerous.

Thus, we can classify urinary tract infections according to their location :

• Urethra: if this duct becomes infected it is called urethritis.
• Bladder: when the infection attacks this organ it is known as cystitis.

• Ureters: there is no specific name of the disease for this location.
• Kidneys: Either one kidney or both, is called pyelonephritis.

Women are more likely to have a UTI than men. This is due to the female anatomy, which has a shorter urethra and is closer to the reproductive and urinary systems.

Symptoms of urinary tract infections

To describe what the person with a urinary tract infection feels and suffers, we can name general symptoms and specific symptoms of each location. It is not the same that the pathology settles in the kidneys than in the urethra.

As general symptoms we have:

• Burning when urinating.
• Urine with color changes : it may be due to the presence of blood in the urine.
• Changes in the smell of urine.
• Need to go to the bathroom all the time.
• Pain in the lower abdominal area or in the lumbar region.

If the infection is located in the kidneys, it is pyelonephritis; the added symptoms are:

• Low back pain or pain in the sides of the abdomen.
• Fever : generally with high temperatures, exceeding thirty-eight degrees Celsius.
• Nausea and vomiting

On the other hand, if the infection is located in the bladder, such as cystitis, it is added:

• Pelvic pain.
• Difficult and repetitive urination.
• Urination urgency.

Finally, if the infection is urethritis, the quintessential added symptom is discharge. According to its characteristics, the bacteria that has settled in the urethra can be suspected.

Causes

Normally, the urinary system is sterile. This means that there is no presence of bacteria inhabiting the kidneys or the bladder. It is a closed system whose main defense system is the flow of urine.

When bacteria enter the system and are not flushed out properly, urinary tract infections occur. We mention bacteria because they are the most frequent, although there are also fungal infections.

The bacterium that causes the most urinary tract infections is Escherichia coli ( E. coli ). In second place, but with very low frequency, is Proteus mirabilis . And as an appendix, the others: Enterococcus faecalis , Streptococcus agalactiae , Staphylococcus saprophyticus .

The main source of E. coli is the gastrointestinal system. This bacterium inhabits the human digestive system and lives in that usual flora, but, if it moves and is located in the urinary system, it causes the symptoms of UTIs.

That is why certain situations make contamination of the urinary tract more likely. In women it is their anatomical disposition. The way of hygiene and the ways of practicing sexual intercourse also influence.

There are a number of risk factors for urinary tract infections; we can stand out:

• Having diabetes : the relationship between this pathology and infections is scientifically proven.
• Having a catheter in the bladder due to other diseases.
• Enlargement of the prostate in men.
• Kidney stones.
• Being pregnant

Treatment of urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections are diagnosed with urine tests. It is usual for the doctor to first order a urine sediment to detect the first changes and then a urine culture to confirm the bacteria involved.

As the culture takes more than five days, when the sediment is indicative of infection, treatment is started. Once the culture result is received, it is confirmed whether the prescribed medication was correct or needs to be changed to another.

Treatment is carried out with antibiotics to destroy the bacteria that are infecting the urinary tract. The doctor will decide which is the best antibiotic according to the case, considering the age of the patient, if he is a woman or a man, and where the bacteria are located within the urinary tract.

In simple cystitis, the antibiotic indication is short, about three days. That duration is usually sufficient. On the other hand, if the patient is pregnant, longer treatment is preferred, as in people with diabetes, reaching seven and up to fourteen days.

Prolonged treatment is mandatory for men due to the risk of the infection spreading and settling in the prostate. Prostatitis are dangerous and difficult to resolve. For a man with a urinary tract infection, antibiotics should not be indicated for less than fourteen days, even reaching four weeks.

So remember, if you have symptoms that make you suspect the presence of a urinary infection, it is best to visit a professional to request the corresponding urine tests. And then, of course, comply with taking the antibiotics according to the schedule and the number of days that they indicate.