health

Once a doctor confirms that a bacterial UTI is present, antibiotics are
prescribed, which usually clear up the infection. If the UTI involves the
kidneys, the condition can be more serious. Patients with a kidney infection
usually need to be treated in a hospital. Antibiotics and fluids may
be given intravenously* until fever disappears and the patient begins to
feel better. Even if they have no symptoms, all men typically are treated
if they are found to have a UTI, and so are women who are pregnant and
those who have diabetes* or abnormalities of the urinary tract. Treatment
is necessary in these cases because there is a higher risk of pyelonephritis.
Young women who have bacteria in the urine but who do not have symptoms
of a UTI usually do not need treatment.
A person taking antibiotics for urethritis or cystitis usually feels much
better soon after starting the medication. During the first few days of
treatment, a heating pad can help soothe some of the lower belly pain that
may come with UTIs. There are also medicines that ease discomfort during
urination. It is important to remember that these medicines do not
treat the infection; they treat only the symptoms of stinging and burning.
Doctors advise people with UTIs to take all prescribed antibiotics, which
usually are given for about a week. Taking all of the prescribed medication
is necessary even if a patient begins to feel better right away. Stopping the
antibiotics early can mean that the infection will come back, because all
the bacteria may not have been killed. A person with pyelonephritis typically
can expect a longer recovery time, possibly up to several weeks. It is
very important that kidney infections be cured completely because they
can lead to serious problems, such as permanent kidney damage, high
blood pressure*, and even kidney failure later in life.