What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?
UTIs are common and will affect around one in two women and one in 20 men in their lifetime [1].
The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, the ureters (the tubes that join the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder and the urethra (the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside of the body).
UTI is a blanket term for an infection that can occur anywhere in the urinary tract. There are different types of UTIs and depending where the infection occurs they may be given a different name.
Cystitis (infection of the bladder)
Cystitis is the most common UTI and occurs when bacteria, usually from the digestive tract, travel up the urethra, and cause inflammation of the bladder lining. Whilst cystitis may be painful and inconvenient, the good news is it isn’t contagious (e.g. during sexual intercourse) and it can be simple to treat when addressed early. Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible to stop the infection from spreading further up the urinary tract.
Urethritis (infection of the urethra)
Urethritis generally occurs when a bacterial infection causes inflammation of the urethra and typically causes irritation and pain while urinating.
It is important to seek medical attention if a urinary tract infection is suspected. Early treatment of UTI may help prevent the infection spreading to the upper urinary tract.
What is a Recurrent UTI?
Recurrent UTIs are defined as:
- 2 or more symptomatic, medically diagnosed UTIs in the previous 6 months or,
- 3 in the previous 12 months [2]
References:
[1] Better Health Channel. Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) (2016). Department of Health & Human Services, State Government Of Victoria, Australia [Accessed May 2017]. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/urinary‐tractinfections‐uti
[2] Geerlings SE et al. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2014;28(1):135−147.
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
If you have a UTI, you may experience some of these common signs and symptoms:
- Wanting to urinate more often and urgently
- Burning pain when urinating
- Cloudy urine
- Strong‐smelling urine
- Feeling that the bladder is still full after you have urinated
- Pain above the pubic bone
UTIs can be serious if infection spreads to the upper urinary tract, if you experience any of the following signs and symptoms, please speak to your Healthcare Professional for medical advice.
- Back pain
- High fever
- Vomiting
- Blood in the urine (haematuria)
TREATMENTS FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS
There are different treatments available for UTIs. These work in different ways or at different stages of a UTI. It’s important to understand the place for each.
When you have symptoms of a UTI
While taking treatments for a UTI, remember to drink plenty of water and empty your bladder fully each time you go to the toilet.
Antibiotics
The standard treatment your doctor may prescribe when you see them about a UTI is a course of antibiotics. These treat the cause of a UTI by killing the bacteria that are causing your symptoms.
Urinary alkalinisers
These are used to help relieve the painful symptoms of a UTI only. They work by raising urinary pH (making it more alkaline), thereby making urine more comfortable to pass. They will not treat the underlying cause of a UTI or prevent recurrent UTIs.
If you suffer from frequent UTIs then you may want to read the information about prevention of UTIs.
PREVENTION OF URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS
Following successful treatment of a symptomatic UTI you may want to consider alternatives to help prevent recurrence of UTIs.
To prevent recurrent UTIs
Remember to drink plenty of water and empty your bladder fully each time you go to the toilet.
Antibiotics
A course of antibiotics will likely be prescribed by your doctor to treat the symptoms of a UTI. If you experience recurrent UTIs, your doctor may consider antibiotics to help prevent the next UTI. There are concerns about frequent use of antibiotics [1], so alternatives for preventing recurrent UTIs are becoming important.
Cranberry and natural remedies
There is some research that shows cranberry‐containing products may help to prevent UTIs by lowering the ability of E. coli to stick to the urinary tract lining. However, only a small potential benefit has been demonstrated and the current clinical trial evidence does not support the use of cranberry‐containing products for the prevention of UTIs [2].
Antibacterials
Hiprex™ is an antibacterial that is used to prevent recurrent UTIs. This means it helps create an environment that prevents the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract. Hiprex™ should be started after successful treatment of a symptomatic UTI.
It is important that when you are experiencing symptoms of a UTI, the symptoms are treated before using agents to help prevent UTIs.
References:
[1] NPS Medicinewise. NPS Medicinewise (2016). Antimicrobial use and resistance in Australia: keeping Australia informed and prepared. [Accessed May 16, 2017]. Available from: https://www.nps.org.au/medical‐info/clinical‐topics/news/antimicrobial‐use‐and‐resistancein‐australia‐keeping‐australia‐informed‐and‐prepared
[2] Jepson RG et al. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 10. Art.
