Urinary tract infection symptoms are manifest throughout the kidneys, ureters, bladder, prostate, and urethra. Simply put when micro organisms start to multiply in the urinary tract the two main symptoms of blood in urine and painful urination appear. There are different manifestations of urinary tract infections based on the organ that is affected by the micro organisms.

Urinary tract infection symptoms are telling signs as to where the infections reside. Bladder infection generally run a low grade fever and kidney infections have a tendency to create high grade fevers. The inflammation that is caused by the infection will produce blood in urine.

Our urologists will take a urine specimen to grow a culture to determine the type of micro organisms that may be amassing in your system. Other tests will determine if there is unseen blood in the urine (microhematuria). White blood cells are indicators of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Sensitivity tests help determine which antibiotic will work in removing the micro organisms.

Cystitis is an infection in the bladder that is commonly caused by bacteria from the digestive tract called Escherichia coli (E coli). The Escherichia coli which are normally residing in the rectum are easily transported to the urinary tract due to the proximity of the urethra. When the infection manifests in the urethra it is called urethritis.

Women will contract urinary tract infections more frequently then men since the urethra is both closer to the rectum and shorter in length. Men however can contract both urethritis and prostatitis. Cystitis is the classic bladder infection but the micro organisms can travel up either of the two ureters to a kidney. A UTI in the kidney is called Pyelonephritis. Infections of the kidney can cause kidney damage. People that do not attend to their Pyelonephritis, children, and the elderly are the ones most at risk for kidney damage, since the infection is over looked, not communicated, or thought to be something else.

Urinary tract infection symptoms will include going to the bathroom more often and then not producing much urine. This frequent urination may also include burning urination. The painful urination also brings on hesitancy to urinate. The irritated bladder may produce urgency to urinate and cloudy urine. Another UTI symptom is strong smelling urine.