6 commonly asked questions about UTIs

A UTI, or urinary tract infection, is an uncomfortable bacterial infection that needs proper medical attention. Here are some answers to questions people often have about UTIs.

• A UTI occurs when bacteria or other germs find their way up the tube that leads into your bladder, called the urethra. The bacteria adheres to the cell walls and starts multiplying.
• Normally, urine helps flush away these occasional invaders. But once in a while, this natural policing system simply can't cope.
• Between 80 percent and 90 percent of UTIs are caused by E. coli, a bacterium usually confined to the colon and rectum.

• Most urinary infections are called "lower UTIs," meaning the germs have taken hold in your urethra or in your bladder.
• If the germs travel further, an "upper UTI" can develop. This affects the narrow tubes leading to the kidneys, or even the kidneys themselves.

• Because a woman’s urethra is relatively short, women are more prone to UTIs than men.
• After menopause, some women are increasingly susceptible to infection because of a lack of certain hormones.
• Men typically develop UTIs because of infection from a urinary catheter put in while in the hospital, or from an obstruction such as a urinary stone.
• When a man gets a UTI, therapy is generally lengthy and aggressive because of the risk of a serious prostate gland infection.

There are many methods used to fight UTIs, including:

• Antibiotics prescribed in person or by phone to combat bacteria.
• Analgesics to relieve the urinary pain and burning.
• Lots of fluids to wash the infection out of your system.
• For more complicated cases, a doctor’s visit and urine culture to determine appropriate care.

• Be wary of home tests. Home tests can be unreliable — and UTI symptoms always require a call to the doctor regardless of what the test shows.
• Ask about long-term antibiotics. If you have recurrent UTIs (three or more a year), continuous low-dose antibiotic therapy may be the answer.
• Consider switching your birth control method. Research shows that women who use diaphragms are more susceptible to UTIs.

For the latest UTI treatment options and research findings on urologic disorders, contact the Canadian Urological Association.

If this is your first UTI, you can take solace in the fact that you're not alone. One in five women suffers from a UTI at least once a year. For most UTIs, treatment may be only a phone call away. Call your doctor for an antibiotic prescription and you could feel better in just a single day.