Urinary Tract Infection Treatment in Men and Women

Urinary tract infection can occur in anyone at any age; however, women are more likely than men to suffer urinary tract infections. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is the infection of the bladder that is usually caused by bacteria. It can happen to anyone - children, teens and adults.

When germs enter the body and stick to the urethra, the bladder becomes irritated and the infection begins. This infection can come from the inside or outside. It can come from the food that you eat. Some food contains additives and irritants that stay in the intestines for digestion before being removed to the body as stools. You may urinate many times in a day but there is little to no urine that comes out. If your urine is cloudy and if it smells bad, that's also a sign of UTI. Other symptoms include discomfort in the belly area and pain around the kidney area.

Because a UTI can occur in multiple places, urinary tract infection symptoms can vary widely, but probably the most common symptom is a burning sensation or discomfort while urinating. This particular symptom is most common when the infection is in the urethra or less often when the infection is in the bladder.

Some additional symptoms include frequent but unproductive trips to the bathroom to urinate, urine with a strong odor or a cloudy appearance. In men a common symptom is rectal pain, and in women more commonly pelvic pain. If your urine is pink or cola colored this is a sign of possible blood in the urine which might suggest an infection in the bladder, or cystitis.

There are several signs that will tell you if you have the condition or not. For instance, if you feel pain when urinating, that's a good sign of the infection.

Urinary tract infection symptoms are also identified by the following medical terms that have been made easy to understand:

1. Pyelonephritis: If the infection occurs in one or both kidneys, it is known as pyelonephritis or kidney infection.
2. Urethritis: If the infection occurs in the tube that facilitates urine out of the bladder, it is known as urethritis.
3. Cystitis: If the infection occurs in the bladder it is known as cystitis or bladder infection.

Ureters are the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Although ureters are a part they are rarely infected.

Urinary Tract Infection Treatment in Men

• The treatment will have to be continued for 7 to 14 days in case of an otherwise healthy male with no other illnesses.
• If a male patient with UTI is also suffering from prostration or a kidney infection antibiotic treatment needs to be continued for several weeks.

Urinary Tract Infection Treatment in Women

• For an otherwise healthy adult female with no other underlying medical condition/ illness, an oral antibiotic dose of 1 to 3 days is recommended for a not-so-severe UTI.
• For a woman who is pregnant or with diabetes or a mild kidney infection, an antibiotic treatment of 7 to 14 days is recommended.
• If the kidney infection is of a higher degree, treatment needs to be continued for several weeks.