Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Your UTI Symptoms

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, painful, annoying, and can become serious. It can be tempting to ignore the pain when you urinate, especially if you’re busy. However, doing so can pose a risk to your health. 

At Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics, we offer acute care services, including care for problems like UTIs. People seeking care for the annoying symptoms of a UTI are usually relieved to find that our providers offer targeted treatments that usually help quickly and also address the underlying issue that caused the infection. 

Millions of people in the United States have UTIs every year. An infection can affect any part of your urinary tract, including your urethra, ureters, bladder, or kidneys. 

What you need to know about UTIs

How does a person get a UTI? Germs invade your urinary tract through your urethra. They grow and multiply rapidly. Most often, E. coli is the bacteria responsible for this, but viruses and fungi can also cause UTIs. 

Once the germs have gained a foothold in your body, they begin to migrate up your urinary tract and sometimes get all the way to your bladder or kidneys. 

People of all ages and genders are susceptible to UTIs. However, women tend to get them more often than men or children. Women have a shorter urethra than men, which means the bacteria don’t have to travel as far to cause problems. Another reason is that in a woman’s body, the urethra is closer to the anus, which is a source of E. coli bacteria. 

Other risk factors can make it more likely you’ll develop UTIs, including: 

• Hormonal changes, such as during menopause
• Older age
• Having diabetes
• Needing to use a catheter
• Problems with your immune system
• A history of UTIs
• Poor hygiene
• Abnormalities in the structure of your urinary tract

For women, the risk rises more during pregnancy, if they are sexually active, or if they use spermicides or douches. 

How to know if you have a UTI

Because UTIs can affect different parts of your urinary tract, the symptoms can vary. Some of the more common symptoms we see include: 

• Pain or burning during urination
• Needing to urinate more frequently than usual
• Not being able to completely empty your bladder
• Urine that appears pink or brown
• Bad-smelling urine

If you have a fever, nausea, or pain in your belly or back, you may have an advanced infection. 

Complications of UTIs

If you don’t get treatment right away, a UTI can cause complications. The bacteria have more time to proliferate and spread. The longer you wait, the more challenging a UTI can be to treat. 

Bladder and kidney infections can be complicated to treat. If the bacteria reaches your kidneys, you risk developing an infection, resulting in permanent kidney damage and loss of function. Treating the infection before it reaches your kidneys is the safest course. 

The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you get relief. By seeking care at the earliest sign of a UTI, you protect your overall health and deal with the symptoms for less time. 

Seek care quickly

You may think that if you just drink more water and rest, your UTI will get better. However, putting off treatment for an infection can cause significant problems for your health. 

Does it hurt when you urinate? Schedule an appointment at Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics today.