How is uti diagnosed

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. A urinary tract infection UTI is an infection from microbes. These are organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope. Most UTIs are caused by bacteria, but some are caused by fungi and in rare cases by viruses. UTIs are among the most common infections in humans.

Most UTIs only involve the urethra and bladder, in the lower tract. However, UTIs can involve the ureters and kidneys, in the upper tract.

Upper tract UTIs affect the kidneys. These can be potentially life threatening if bacteria move from the infected kidney into the blood. This condition, called urosepsis , can cause dangerously low blood pressure , shock, and death. Symptoms of an upper tract urinary infection in men are similar to those in women. However, men with a lower tract UTI may sometimes also experience rectal pain. Women with a lower tract urinary infection may experience pelvic pain.

This is in addition to the other common symptoms. Anything that reduces your bladder emptying or irritates the urinary tract can lead to a UTI.

There are also many factors that can put you at an increased risk of a getting a UTI. Most UTI risk factors for men are the same as those for women. However, having an enlarged prostate can also increase UTI risk. In female bodies, the urethra is very close to both the vagina and the anus.

This increases the likelihood of developing UTIs. Bacteria that may naturally occur around both the vagina and anus can lead to infection in the urethra and the rest of the urinary tract.

Urethras in women are also shorter, and the bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to enter the bladder. Pressure on the female urinary tract during penetrative sex can move bacteria from around the anus into the bladder. Oral sex can also introduce bacteria into the urethra, increasing the risk of infection. Peeing after sex may help reduce the risk of infection. Spermicides may increase UTI risk, because they can disrupt the vaginal microbiome. Non-lubricated latex condoms may increase friction and irritate the skin during sexual intercourse.

This may increase the risk of a UTI. However, there are many reasons to use condoms. To help prevent friction and skin irritation from condoms, be sure to use enough water-based lubricant during sex.

Avoid using condoms that have been coated with spermicide. In some cases, you may need to temporarily discontinue certain medications such as blood thinners.

What Will Happen. When used for evaluation of the urinary tract including for workup of recurrent UTIs and or blood in urine , cystoscopy takes about five to 30 minutes.

The test is typically done during an office visit or in an outpatient center or hospital. To prevent discomfort, your urologist will apply an anesthetic gel around the urethral opening or inject a local anesthetic into the urethra.

Once the anesthetic has taken effect, your urologist will gently insert the tip of the cystoscope into your urethra, then slowly glide it through the urethra and into the bladder. In order to obtain a clear view of the bladder wall, saline is used to fill and stretch the bladder. It should be noted that this part of the procedure may cause some discomfort or the urge to urinate. When your urologist has finished examining your urethra and bladder, they may remove the saline from your bladder or ask you to empty your bladder by urinating.

After Care. After undergoing a cystoscopy, you may experience a mild burning feeling or discomfort in your bladder area or kidney area when urinating. Some patients also see small amounts of blood in their urine or feel the need to urinate more frequently or urgently. If these problems persist for more than 24 hours or a fever greater than You should also seek medical attention if you are unable to urinate despite the feeling of a full bladder, have bright red urine or blood clots in your urine, experience severe discomfort, or have a fever.

Taking a warm bath or using over-the-counter pain relievers may help alleviate post-cystoscopy discomfort. UTIs can trigger signs and symptoms similar to those associated with other issues affecting the urinary tract. The following conditions are commonly considered when you are being evaluated for a possible UTI:. Your healthcare provider will be able to differentiate between these conditions based on your symptoms, physical examination, and diagnostic tests.

If you've already had one UTI and are familiar with the symptoms , most likely yes. However, in all cases, a urine culture should be done before a doctor prescribes an antibiotic. You'll need an antibiotic to cure the infection. Take it exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes and don't stop taking it sooner than they tell you to—even if you start feeling better. Meanwhile, you can ease your symptoms and help your recovery along by:.

Clinically speaking, there is no difference: Cystitis means "inflammation of the bladder," which often can be caused by a bacterial infection of the urinary tract. Some healthcare providers use the term "acute uncomplicated cystitis" to refer to UTIs. Have diabetes or an impaired immune system. Are a man.

Previous Section Next Section. Clinical Trials. MyHealth Login. Financial Assistance. Medical Records. Contact Us. Video Visits. Get a Second Opinion. Healthcare Professionals. Referring Physicians. You may even feel a strong urge or need to urinate but only get a few drops. This is because the bladder is so irritated that it makes you feel like you have to urinate, even when you don't have much urine in your bladder. At times, you may lose control and leak urine.

You may also find that your urine smells bad and is cloudy. Kidney infections often cause fevers and upper back pain - usually on one side or the other. Kidney infections may also often cause nausea and vomiting. These infections need to be treated at once because a kidney infection can spread into the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening health issue. Large numbers of bacteria live in the area around the vagina and rectum, and also on your skin. Bacteria may get into the urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder.

They may even travel up to the kidney. But no matter how far they go, bacteria in the urinary tract can cause problems. Just as some people are more prone to colds, some people are more prone to UTIs. Women are more likely to get a UTI than men because women have shorter urethras than men, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to reach the bladder.

Women who have gone through menopause have a change in the lining of the vagina and lose the protection that estrogen provides, that lowers the chance of getting a UTI. Some women are genetically predisposed to UTIs and have urinary tracts that make it easier for bacteria to cling to them. Sexual intercourse can also affect how often you get UTIs. Women who use diaphragms have also been found to have a higher risk of UTIs when compared to those who use other forms of birth control.

Using condoms with spermicidal foam is also known to be linked to greater risk of getting UTIs in women. You are more likely to get a UTI if your urinary tract has an abnormality or has recently had a device such as a tube to drain fluid from the body placed in it. If you are not able to urinate normally because of some type of blockage, you will also have a higher chance of a UTI. Anatomical abnormalities in the urinary tract may also lead to UTIs.

These abnormalities are often found in children at an early age but can still be found in adults. There may be structural abnormalities, such as outpouchings called diverticula, that harbor bacteria in the bladder or urethra or even blockages, such as an enlarged bladder, that keep the body from draining all the urine from the bladder. Issues such as diabetes high blood sugar also put people at higher risk for UTIs because the body is not able to fight off germs as well.

See More See Less.