UTI: Urinary Tract Infection

WITHOUT A CATHETER

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• UTI = consistently cloudy urine + increased urine odor + consistent burning with urination + increased urgency/frequency of urination

• If it's only burning with urination that is occasional, and there are no other urinary symptoms, it's unlikely to be UTI and antibiotics won't help.

  • Drinking plenty of water, making sure you are having large, daily bowel movements, and sometimes, over the counter AZO can help in this specific situation of isolated burning with urination. This is likely nerve related and will improve with time.

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WITH A CATHETER

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• UTI = consistently cloudy urine + increased urine odor + increased frequency/urgency/bladder spasms (strong uncomfortable and sometimes painful urge to urinate)

• Urinary tests in patients with a catheter:

  • Most lab tests will show evidence of blood in the urine and infection. However, if patients do not symptoms of a UTI as listed above, this is colonization with bacteria and not infection. This is not treated in most cases as it breeds resistant bacteria.