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Summary
The urinary system is the body's drainage system for removing wastes and extra water. It includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body.
You may have a UTI if you notice:
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Fever, tiredness, or shakiness
- An urge to urinate often
- Pressure in your lower belly
- Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or reddish
- Pain in your back or side below the ribs
People of any age or sex can get UTIs. But about four times as many women get UTIs as men. You're also at higher risk if you have diabetes, need a tube to drain your bladder, or have a spinal cord injury.
If you think you have a UTI it is important to see your doctor. Your doctor can tell if you have a UTI with a urine test. Treatment is with antibiotics.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
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Bacteria Culture Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Epithelial Cells in Urine
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Mucus in Urine
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Nitrites in Urine
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Urinary Tract Imaging
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
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Cranberry
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
Related Issues
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Basics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Chronic Bladder Infection: Is There a Cure? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Cystitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Kidney Infection (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
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Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis)
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Test Your Knowledge
- Test Your Bladder Health Knowledge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pyelonephritis
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary Tract Infections
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Effect of an educational intervention based on self-efficacy theory and health...
- Article: Supplementation with Highly Standardized Cranberry Extract Phytosome Achieved the Modulation of...
- Article: Patient outcomes by baseline pathogen resistance phenotype and genotype in CERTAIN-1,...
- Urinary Tract Infections -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Kidneys and Urinary Tract (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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Urinary Tract and How It Works
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Children
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Bladder Infection (Urinary Tract Infection -- UTI) in Children
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
- Blood in the Urine (Hematuria) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Related Conditions (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Ultrasound: Renal (Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Urine Tests (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
Teenagers
- Urinary Tract Infections (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Asymptomatic bacteriuria (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Catheter-related UTI (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Cystitis - acute (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Leukocyte esterase urine test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Urinary tract infection - adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Urinary tract infection - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Urine - bloody (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Urine culture (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish