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5 UTI Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore, According to Doctors: Up to 60% of women will have a urinary tract infection (UTI) at least once in their lives, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The infection happens when bacteria grow out of control somewhere along the urinary tract (usually the bladder) and it can be a real pain.
It's easy to dismiss UTI symptoms as something else—at first. That constant urge to pee might just be from having a couple of iced coffees and a mimosa at brunch, right? But before long, peeing becomes a fiery nightmare. Could that burning sensation be a UTI?
UTI symptoms can be a bit different depending on where the infection is. Most UTIs involve the lower tract, such as the urethra and bladder, according to the Mayo Clinic. In some cases, the infection can spread into the upper urinary tract or kidneys, says NIDDK. That can cause a more severe situation that requires immediate medical attention
The most common UTI symptoms for lower tract infections:
Persistent and urgent need to pee: Feeling like you've got to go pee all the time (even right after you use the bathroom) is a classic UTI symptom. You can blame bacteria for this and just about all other UTI symptoms. The germs invade the bladder tissue and cause inflammation. The pain fibers set off pressure fibers and tell your brain that you have to go, but you don't really have go—it's just that the tissue is inflamed, irritated, and infected.
Burning sensation when you pee: Burning during urination is a telltale UTI symptom. Once again blame bacteria causing inflammation that interferes with nerve fibers in your urinary tract. The infection and inflammation set off all the fibers, instead of just the pressure fibers, and that creates the sensation of burning in the urethra.
Cloudy, smell pee: Pee that appears cloudy or milky or smells downright foul can be another sign of infection. This UTI symptom can happen for a couple of reasons. One explanation is that the bacteria that's causing the infection releases proteins and enzymes into your urine. Another possibility is that you're seeing the white blood cells your body sent to fight the infection mixing with your urine, hence that milky, almost opaque appearance. Changes in appearance or in odor) isn't always an indication that you have a UTI, but it's worth getting it checked out. Just because you ate asparagus for dinner and your urine smells funny doesn't mean you have an infection.
Pinkish or reddish pee: This is a sign that there's blood in your urine. Blood in the urine comes from certain bacteria that stick to the wall of the bladder and cause discrete micro-trauma. Bloody urine isn't a UTI symptom that everyone gets, but it tends to be more common in younger women. If it happens to you, it's a good idea to see your doctor. Blood in your urine is never normal. Especially if you can see it with your naked eye in the toilet or on tissue, don't panic, but definitely seek care.
Pressure or pain in your pelvis: When bacteria invade your bladder, your body fights to get rid of the bacteria which causes pressure or pain in your pelvis.
As your immune system fights the infection, it releases chemicals that cause inflammation and irritate the nerves. Any inflammation in those nerves makes the whole pelvis hurt sometimes. The pain and pressure should subside once the infection starts clearing up and your immune system returns to normal. In the meantime, a heating pad or hot water bottle can help you feel a bit better.
Upper UTI symptoms: You might start to notice new UTI symptoms if the infection has spread to your kidneys (called pyelonephritis). According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, symptoms of a UTI that has moved to your upper urinary tract include:
Fever, Chills, Pain on your side, back, or groin, Vomiting and Nausea.
A kidney infection is nothing to mess around with. It could cause permanent organ damage or sepsis, which can be deadly, says NIDDK. If you notice symptoms of an upper urinary tract infection, seek care right away.
UTI symptoms in men vs. women
By and large, women bear the brunt of UTIs. Some research estimates that women are a whopping 30 times more likely than the guys to get a UTI, due to having much shorter urethras, reports the OWH. But when men get them, they tend to have almost the same UTI symptoms as women. Per the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include: Frequent and urgent need to urinate, Cloudy pee, Foul-smelling pee, Bloody pee.
Man also get similar UTI symptoms for upper tract infections, like fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain on their sides and back, notes the Mayo Clinic.
The main difference in UTI symptoms between men and women is where the pressure and pain are located. For women, it tends to be in the pelvis or lower abdomen, whereas men may feel it in their rectum, scrotum, or testicles. And some people, regardless of gender, never experience pain or pressure from a UTI.
What's the difference between a bladder infection and UTI?
As the name suggest, a urinary tract infection affects your urinary tract, which is made up of two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra, according to the US National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). A UTI happens when bacteria get into the urethra (aka, the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body) and begin multiplying. Most commonly, it's a strain of bacteria called Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the intestines and anus (more on the importance of that later).
Once the bacteria make its way into your urethra, anywhere in your urinary tracts becomes fair game for an infection. If the bacteria infect your urethra, for example, it's called urethritis; if it makes its way to your ureters or kidneys, it's called pyelonephiritis.
The most common type of a UTI, however, is a bladder infection (aka cystitis), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, "a bladder infection is what most people think of when they hear about a UTI—that's the easiest way to interpret a bladder infection," says Michael Herman, MD, urologist and director of urologic oncology at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
Though both men and women can get UTIs and bladder infections, women are at a higher risk than men, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). In women specifically, an estimated 40%–60% will develop a UTI in their lifetime, most commonly as a bladder infection. There are two reasons for this the NIDDK says: women both have a shorter urethra than men, and the opening of the urethra in women is closer to the rectum, allowing for bacteria to enter it more easily.
Either way, it's worth noting that UTI symptoms can only tell you if you might have an infection. The only way to know for sure is to get it checked out by a doctor.
Until Next Time: Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and be careful out there