Urgent Care Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

If you ever had a urinary tract infection, you know how uncomfortable it can be. It is the second most common bacterial infection. The painful urge to urinate and burning sensations can push to find an urgent treatment for this discomfort. While contacting your doctor might be your first experience to wait for a long time. There are other convenient options, You can visit urgent care UTI treatment clinics for a UTI. Urgent care centers save your time with same-day diagnosis and treatment.

As UTI is treatable and common, let's discuss UTI, its diagnosis and treatment.

A urinary tract infection is caused by sudden injury or when bacteria, viruses, or other germs get inside your urinary tract, kidney, bladder, or urethra. About 8.1 million people get infected by UTI every year and visit healthcare in the world. Around 60% of women and 12% of men get infected by UTI once in their life.

How Does the Urinary Tract Work?

First of all, we will try to understand the anatomy of the urinary tract and its functions. The role of the urinary tract is to make and store the urine. Urine is a waste material extracted from blood in the kidneys, then travels to the bladder through left and right ureters. The bladder stores the urine until it empties through the urethra. Urethra connects to the bladder and the second opening is the end of the penis in males and above the vaginal opening in females.

The kidneys are a pair of fist-sized organs in the back that filter the liquid waste from the blood and remove it from the body through the urinary tract. Kidneys help maintain the balance of body chemicals in blood. Bacteria can enter through certain ways and cause infections in the urinary tract.

What are The Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection?

When you get infected by UTI, the lining of the bladder and urethra get red and irritated. The irritation can cause pain in the lower area of the abdomen, pelvic area, or back pain. Burning sensations during urination and frequent urination are common symptoms of UTI. You may have a strong urge or need to urinate but only have a few drops when urinating. This is because of bladder irritation and hypers-sensitivity that make you feel you have to urinate, even when you dont even have much urine in your bladder. Sometimes, you may lose control and leak urine. You may also find that your urine has a bad smell and is cloudy due to pus or blood cells.

Kidney infection often causes fever, vomiting, or pain in one or both sides of the upper back. Kidney infection also causes nausea, it needs to be treated early because infection can spread into the bloodstream, which is a life-threatening issue. Visit your local urgent care UTI treatment center for medication. Online UTI treatment in California is also available which is an accessible and cost-effective way of treatment.

What Are The Causes of UTI?

A large number of bacteria live in the area around the vagina, rectum, and other parts of skin. They can enter the urinary tract through the urethral opening of penis and can travel to the bladder and even kidneys. These bacteria are responsible for infection in the urinary tract. They cause ulcers in tissues of the inner side of the tract.

Women are more prone to UTI than men because women have shorter urethra than men so bacteria can easily travel to the bladder. Some factors that can add to your chances of getting a UTI are:

Body Factor

During menopause, women lose the protection which is provided by the estrogen hormone in the lining of the vagina. This protection is used as a shield against UTI. Sometimes, children or women are genetically prone to UTI. Sexual intercourse also affects how often you get UTIs.

Birth Control

Women who use diaphragm are at high risk of getting infection. Studies show that those who use a diaphragm are more prone to UTI than those who use other forms of birth control. Using spermicidal foam with a condom also has a high risk of UTI.

Abnormal Anatomy

Abnormalities in the urinary tract may also lead to UTI. You are more likely to face UTI if a device such as a catheter tube is placed in it. If you have tract blockage and difficulty in urination, then you have a higher chance of UTI. The outpouches called diverticula also harbor bacteria that can later on cause UTI.

Immune System

Your weak immune system can also let bacteria cause UTI. Patients with diabetes (high blood sugar) are at high risk of UTI because their immune systems can not fight against germs.

Diagnosis And Urgent Care UTI Treatment

If you are worried about UTI, talk to your healthcare provider. The infection can be analyzed by a urine sample in laboratory tests. The sample is analyzed under the microscope for blood cells, pus cells, or white blood cells, which are the signs of infection. Urine culture can also be performed for the detection of bacteria, yeast, and viruses, which are the causative agents of infection. If you have a fever or other symptoms you may call a healthcare provider for further tests, such as an ultrasound, and CT scan. You can get a telehealth appointment for UTI in California for treatment.

When you are diagnosed with UTI, a simple short course of antibiotics is sufficient for treatment. A short, 3-day course is enough to treat the pain and urge to urinate, but you have to complete the full course prescribed by the doctor. Vaginal hormone replacement with estrogen in postmenopausal women is helpful in treatment. If UTI gets complicated then antibiotics are taken intravenously in hospitals for a few days. Kidney infection is also treated by this method. UtIs can be returned after treatment, so you may keep drinking plenty of water, and avoid sex. Patients can keep consulting through telehealth UTI treatment in California. UTI medication online and medicine refills are also provided at urgent care clinics in California.

After proper treatment, UTI symptoms can also come back, so keep practicing precautions for a few days or months.