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If you are among the many women who have had an infection of the urinary
tract, you know what a painful nuisance it can be. The usual mild urge to urinate becomes
a pressing matter as the nerves that tell you it's time to go to the bathroom send their
signal with alarming frequency. This sudden urge can wake you up from a sound sleep
several times a night. Yet after you dash to the bathroom, only a few drops come out,
perhaps accompanied by a burning or stinging sensation and a strong urine smell. You may
also feel a dull pain in your lower abdomen. The urine itself may look cloudy or contain
blood, even if you are not having your period. Such symptoms can be frightening. And left untreated, the infection can
spread to the kidneys, causing permanent, even life-threatening damage. Fortunately, this
is rare, especially if you get prompt treatment.
When you see your doctor, the first thing you'll be asked
for is a urine sample, which will be cultured for bacteria. The doctor may also give you a
prescription, based on your description of the symptoms, without waiting for lab results,
since a fast dose of antibiotics eliminates the vast majority of urinary tract infections
(UTIs). Doctors are also now starting to give their patients, particularly those plagued
by repeated UTIs, prescriptions to keep at home, teaching them to treat themselves at the
first sign of infection.
If you have been distressed to find the painful symptoms of
a urinary tract infection returning, you are far from alone. Up to 90 percent of women
will have a recurring episode at least once in their life. The chance of having repeat
infection within 6 months of the first, or 3 infections within 1 year, is 15 percent. Most
of the time, subsequent infections are caused by different bacteria than the first. If the
original bacteria, never eliminated in the first place, are the cause, the infection will
usually come back within a week or two after you have finished taking your medication.
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The urinary tract is divided into two sections. The upper
tract includes the two kidneys and their accompanying ureters, tubes that connect each
kidney to the bladder. The lower tract is made up of the bladder and the urethra through
which the bladder is emptied. Infections of the lower tract are by far the more common.
Lower UTI
If you feel a burning sensation while urinating, but no
other symptoms, you probably have urethritis, an infection of the urethra. Possible causes
include sexually transmitted diseases, especially gonorrhea; trauma from childbirth,
surgery, or catheterization; irritation from a diaphragm; or an allergic reaction to soap,
vaginal cream, spermicide, bubble bath, or some other chemical substance.
Cystitis occurs when bacteria work their way up from the
urethra to infect the bladder. This is the most common UTI and it is most often found in
women who have repeated infections. Urethritis and cystitis frequently occur together.
Upper UTI
If a lower UTI is left untreated, the bacteria can spread
beyond the bladder, through one of the ureters, and into a kidney. This infection, known
as pyelonephritis, requires immediate medical care. Symptoms are stronger than a
lower UTI: back pain (since the kidneys are located there), fever, chills, nausea, and
vomiting as well as the typical complaints associated with cystitis. If allowed to
persist, this condition can become chronic and eventually lead to kidney damage or even
kidney failure. Multiple kidney infections can cause high blood pressure.
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