Treatment Options for a UTI
A UTI (urinary tract infection) is a very common bacterial infection and many people get a UTI at some point in their life. This type of infection can affect any part of the urinary system including the bladder, urethra, kidneys or ureters. UTIs can be very unpleasant and people who have them usually experience pain and burning when urinating, frequent urination and have bad smelling, cloudy or bloody urine. A UTI is both treatable and curable with the proper treatment and medical attention. There are a few things that you can do in order to effectively treat a UTI.
Visit your doctor for an evaluation. Your doctor evaluates your symptoms, asks you about your current health status and inquires about the medications that your currently taking. He may also ask you about your diet and lifestyle behavior (such as smoking and drinking alcohol). In addition, your doctor may give you a urinalysis in order to determine the severity of your UTI.
Discuss the treatment options with your doctor. Your doctor recommends an appropriate treatment option based on your health condition and degree of your UTI. More than likely, your doctor gives you a prescription for antibiotics (such as Amoxicillin, Bactrim or Ciprofloxacin) for your infection. Severe UTIs (especially a UTI that involves the kidneys) may require hospitalization and treatment with intravenous antibiotics.
Take an appropriate medication for your pain. Since urinary tract infections are normally painful, you may want to take a pain-relieving medication to help eliminate some of the discomfort you may feel. Your doctor can prescribe you an appropriate pain reliever for your UTI, such as phenazopyridine, or he may recommend an over-the-counter medication for you to take.
Drink plenty of fluids daily. Try drinking at least 8 glasses of water everyday. You can also drink cranberry juice (with no sugar) to help treat your urinary tract infection. Water flushes out your system and washes away bacteria from the urinary tract and cranberry juice helps to prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract.
Return to your doctor’s office for a follow-up visit. After you complete all of your medication, it is a good idea to see your doctor to make sure that your UTI is completely gone. If you are still suffering from a UTI, or if your symptoms are worse, then your doctor proceeds with additional testing and treatment options.
