What is a UTI?

A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), is a common type of infection affecting your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). A UTI can be painful and uncomfortable, causing symptoms including:

• pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria)
• needing to pee more often than usual (frequency)
• needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia)
• needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual (urgency)
• pee that looks cloudy
• blood in your pee (haematuria)
• lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
• a high temperature, or feeling hot or cold, and shivery
• a very low temperature below 36C
• feeling tired or weak

Reference: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/

Some UTIs will need to be treated with antibiotics, and others will resolve on their own. It’s important to consult a healthcare professional, perhaps a GP or a pharmacist, if you or someone you care for is experiencing any of these symptoms.

What causes a UTI?

UTIs develop when the urinary tract becomes infected, due to bacteria entering the urinary tract. It is not always possible to tell exactly how this happens, but it can happen when wiping incorrectly after a bowel movement (typically back to front), or from having sex.

Women are more likely to develop UTIs, often due to having a shorter urethra that allows bacteria to reach the bladder faster.

There are several factors that can make you more likely to develop a UTI. These include, but are not limited to:

Low fluid intake

Dehydration can increase the chance of developing a UTI.

Not fully emptying the bladder when urinating

Incomplete bladder emptying (urinary retention) causes urine to remain in the bladder. This acts as a breeding ground for bacteria.

A suppressed immune system

Having a weakened immune system can increase the chances of developing a UTI as your body is less prepared to fight against germs.

Conditions that block your bladder

Such as kidney stones.

If you suspect that you, or someone you care for, may have a UTI, it is very important that you consult a healthcare professional so that you can tackle the infection before it worsens.