Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). UTIs may be treated with antibiotics, but they're not always needed.

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI)

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) may include:

• pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria)
• needing to pee more often than usual
• needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia)
• needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
• pee that looks cloudy
• blood in your pee
• lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
• a high temperature, or feeling hot or cold, and shivery
• a very low temperature below 36C
• feeling tired or weak

Your pee may also be dark or smell. If this is your only symptom, it might be because you've not been drinking enough water.

Symptoms in children

Children with UTIs may also:

• have a high temperature – your child is feeling hotter than usual if you touch their neck, back or tummy
• appear generally unwell – babies and young children may be irritable and not feed, eat or drink properly
• wet the bed or wet themselves
• be sick

Symptoms in older, frail people or people with a urinary catheter

In older, frail people who have problems with memory, learning and concentration (such as dementia), and people with a urinary catheter, symptoms of a UTI may also include:

• changes in behaviour, such as acting agitated or confused (delirium)
• leaking pee (wetting themselves or incontinence) that is worse than usual
• new shivering or shaking (rigors)

 See a pharmacist if: 

• you think you have a urinary tract infection (UTI) and you are a woman or girl aged between 16 and 64 and are not pregnant or breastfeeding

A pharmacist can give the same medicines as a GP to treat a UTI. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help.

 Call 112 or go to A&E now if: 

• you or your child are confused, drowsy, or have difficulty speaking

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 112 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

Treatment for a urinary tract infection (UTI)

If a pharmacist or GP thinks you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI), they may do a urine test, although this is not always needed.

A GP may also:

• offer self-care advice and recommend taking a painkiller
• give you a prescription for a short course of antibiotics
• ask you to wait for 48 hours before getting antibiotics in case your symptoms go away on their own

It's important to take all the medicine you are prescribed, even if you start to feel better.

Treatment for UTIs that keep coming back (recurrent UTIs)

If your UTI comes back after treatment, or you have 2 UTIs in 6 months (or 3 within 12 months), you'll need to see a GP. They may:

• prescribe a different antibiotic or prescribe a low-dose antibiotic to take for up to 6 months
• prescribe a vaginal cream, gel, tablet, pessary or ring containing oestrogen, if you are in perimenopause or have gone through the menopause
• prescribe tablets that treat the infection and stop it from coming back
• refer you to a specialist for further tests and treatments

Long-term (chronic) UTIs

Sometimes UTI symptoms do not go away. Short-term antibiotics may not work and urine tests may not show an infection.

This might mean you have a long-term (chronic) UTI. This can be caused by bacteria entering the lining of your bladder.

Chronic UTIs can be difficult to diagnose because urine tests do not always pick up the infection and the symptoms can be similar to other conditions.

Chronic UTIs might be treated with antibiotics you take for a long time.

Chronic UTIs can have a big impact on your quality of life. If you have been treated for a UTI but you still have symptoms, speak to your GP and ask to be referred to a specialist.

Things you can do yourself

To help ease symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI):

• take paracetamol up to 4 times a day to reduce pain and a high temperature
• you can give children liquid paracetamol
• rest and drink enough fluids so you pass pale urine regularly during the day

Some people who are not pregnant take cystitis sachets or cranberry drinks and products to prevent UTIs from happening, which may help. But there's no evidence they help ease symptoms or treat a UTI if the infection has already started.

Causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract.

The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body (urethra).

Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.

Things that increase the risk of bacteria getting into the bladder include:

• having sex
• pregnancy
• conditions that block the urinary tract, such as kidney stones
• conditions that make it difficult to fully empty the bladder, such as an enlarged prostate in men and constipation in children
• urinary catheters (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine)
• having a weakened immune system – for example, if you have poorly controlled diabetes or you are having chemotherapy
• not drinking enough fluids

How to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

There are some things you can try to help prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI) happening or prevent it returning.

 Do 

• wipe from front to back when you go to the toilet
• keep the genital area clean and dry
• drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, so that you regularly pee during the day and do not feel thirsty
• wash the skin around the vagina with water before and after sex
• pee as soon as possible after sex
• promptly change nappies or incontinence pads if they are soiled
• wear cotton underwear

 Don’t 

• do not use scented soap around the genital area
• do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go
• do not rush when going for a pee – try to fully empty your bladder
• do not wear tight underwear
• do not drink lots of alcoholic drinks, as they may irritate your bladder
• do not have lots of sugary food or drinks, as they may encourage bacteria to grow
• do not use condoms or a diaphragm or cap with spermicidal lube on them – try non-spermicidal lube or a different type of contraception

Other ways to prevent some UTIs coming back

If you keep getting a bladder infection (cystitis), there's some evidence it may be helpful to take:

• D-mannose – a sugar you can buy as a powder or tablets to take every day
• cranberry products – available as juice, tablets or capsules to take every day

Speak to your doctor before taking any of these during pregnancy.

Be aware that D-mannose and cranberry products can contain a lot of sugar.

If you're taking warfarin, you should avoid cranberry products.