Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Meaning, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Posted by Healthians on June 12th, 2021

An overview of Urinary Tract Infection

A urine culture test is conducted by your doctor to identify germs or other bacteria in your pee that can lead to urinary tract infection or UTI. The urinary tract in the human body includes vital organs such as your kidneys, bladder, and the tubes (ureters and urethra) which carry your pee. The urinary tract infection occurs in the urethra, the tube from where you pee comes out, or in the bladder. 

These bacteria or germs can grow rapidly and develop into an infection that can affect any part of your body. People with UTI have a burning sensation when they pee or you may feel the urge to pee but nothing comes out when you go to the washroom. Apart from burning sensation, people with more serious UTI can also have fever and belly pain.

UTI can happen with anyone regardless of age and gender however it is more common in females rather than men. This test can detect the microorganism causing urinary tract infection in the human body especially in the female body because a woman's urethra is smaller and closer to the anus.

 Hence, it becomes a way easy for bacteria or other microorganisms in the intestines to enter the urinary tract. Bacteria first enters the urethra, then bladder, ureters, and kidneys where it can also grow into an infection. 

Symptoms of UTI

People with UTI may show some symptoms including difficulty in urine, frequent urge to urinate, fever, pain while urinating, discomfort in the lower back or abdominal area, cloudy or pinkish urine, vomiting, chills, and shaking. In such circumstances, you must connect with your healthcare provider or doctor immediately. If you are pregnant, your doctor might do a urine culture test several times during your pregnancy tenure to avoid premature labor or poor labor outcomes. 

Diagnosis of UTI

Your healthcare provider might ask you to collect your urine in a cup for a sample. There are also other ways to collect the urine including the clean-catch method, urinary collection bag in case of children and infants, catheter, and suprapubic aspiration. Before the test, you must share with your doctor or healthcare provider if you have taken any medicine, supplement, vitamin, or medications because these can impact the result of the lab. 

Before the urine culture test, your doctor waits for seven days so that if the bacteria are present in the UTI can grow and develop. Fully grown bacteria can be easily detected in the test and your doctor can start its treatment. If your sample shows signs of bacteria, it means you have UTI while if it shows few signs of bacteria, your result can be negative too. Through the Urine Culture Test, your doctor can also find out the type of bacteria causing infection or he or she might also do additional tests. 

Treatment of UTI

Treatment will start as soon as you get a positive report of UTI.  Your treatment may include antibiotics but the antibiotics might vary as per the type of bacteria, your medical history, or whether or not your UTI has been repeated. If you have repeated UTI, you might also be asked for additional tests for their susceptibility. Other home remedies can also help you to eliminate bacteria from your UTI through drinking lots of water, vitamin C supplements, unsweetened cranberry juice, and herb goldenseal wearing loose-fitting, cotton underwear, and frequent wash.

The UTI can be serious if you feel the given symptoms. You should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. We hope you find this article useful for yourself.