Many people think of urinary tract infections as bladder infections. While this is sometimes the case, the bladder is only one part of the urinary tract. The infection could be located in the bladder, urethra, ureters or kidneys. The general rule of thumb is that the higher up the urinary tract the infection is, the more serious it is. So, a kidney infection is much more serious than a urethral one. But that does not mean infections of the lower urinary tract are any less painful.

Once you have had a bladder infection, it is very likely you will have one again in the future. Around 40% of all women will have a UTI at some point in their lives. Of these, 75% will have one again later down the line. Only 12% of men have urinary tract infections.

No one knows exactly why women are so much more prone to these infections, but one common idea is that the urethra and anus are very close together in women, making it much more likely for bacteria to invade the urinary tract and cause an infection. Another possibility is the fact that the urethra in women is quite short, while in men it is much longer. Bacteria have to travel farther in men to reach the bladder, making the likelihood of a bladder infection or upper urinary tract infection much less likely.

If you have had a urinary tract infection before, you will definitely know when you are getting one again. The symptoms are pretty obvious and uncomfortable. Here are some of the most common signs of a lower urinary tract infection:

-Pain while urinating

-Burning feeling while urinating

-Frequent need to urinate

-Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate

-Urgent need to urinate or it feels as though you cannot hold urine

-Even after you urinate you still feel as though you need to empty your bladder

-Blood in the urine

-Cloudy urine

-Bad smelling urine

-Pain in the abdomen

-A slight fever

Luckily, all it takes is a simple test to determine whether or not you have a urinary tract infection. There are many types available as well. You can urinate in a cup and then use a dipstick in the specimen then read the results. You can urinate directly on the test strip. You will need to head off to the doctor to get antibiotics to treat it, however. A UTI left untreated can travel up the urinary tract into the ureters or kidneys. Symptoms of an upper urinary tract infection include:

-High fever

-Chills

-Nausea

-Pain in your side?usually only on one side?just above your hip.

-Vomiting

-Symptoms of lower urinary tract infection (sometimes)

If you are exhibiting signs of an upper urinary tract infection, see your doctor immediately. You may even need to seek urgent care. This can be very serious so the earlier you obtain treatment, the better off you will be.

If you have symptoms of a lower urinary tract infection, you should see your doctor right away as well. However, if you cannot get an appointment for a day or two, drink plenty of water and cranberry juice and eliminate sugary, acidic, and caffeinated drinks or foods from your diet. You can also use over the counter medications to help ease the symptoms while you wait to be treated.