Normal urine contains no bacteria (germs). Bacteria may, at times, get into the urinary tract and the urine from the skin around the rectum and genitals by traveling up the urethra into the bladder. When this happens, the bacteria can infect and inflame the bladder and cause swelling and pain in the lower abdomen and side. This bladder infection is called cystitis.



If the bacteria travel up through the ureters to the kidneys, a kidney infection can develop. The infection is usually accompanied by pain and fever. Kidney infections are much more serious than bladder infections.

What causes UTI?

In healthy men, urine is sterile (contains no micro-organisms). The most important factor in maintaining the sterility of the urinary tract is emptying the bladder completely and frequently. The cause of most UTIs is bacteria that initially settle (colonise) around the urethra (urine tube), and then ascend into the rest of the urinary tract. Several factors can make this process more likely to occur.

Do Urinary Tract Infections Cause Serious Health Problems?

With proper care, urinary tract infections rarely cause serious health problems. Most infections are limited to the bladder and urethra. Once in awhile a urinary tract infection will lead to a kidney infection.

What are the signs and symptoms of UTI's?

If you have a urinary tract infection, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

·    Pain or burning (discomfort) when urinating

·    The need to urinate more often than usual

·    A feeling of urgency when you urinate

·    Blood or mucus in the urine

·    Cramps or pain in the lower abdomen

·    Pain during sexual intercourse

·    Chills, fever, sweats, leaking of urine (incontinence)

Diagnosis

Children with urinary tract infections do not always present with symptoms such as frequency, dysuria or flank pain. Infants may present with fever and irritability or other subtle symptoms, such as lethargy. Older children may also have nonspecific symptoms, such as abdominal pain or unexplained fever. A urinalysis should be obtained in a child with unexplained fever or symptoms that suggest a urinary tract infection.

In young children with urinary tract infections, urinalysis may be negative in 20 percent of cases. Barnaff and colleagues3 recommend a urine culture for all male patients under six months of age and all female patients under two years of age who have a temperature of 39°C (102.2°F) or higher. Because a documented infection may warrant a thorough radiographic evaluation, empiric treatment on the basis of symptoms or urinalysis alone should be avoided.

Tips to prevent urinary tract infections

Drink plenty of water to flush out bacteria. Drinking cranberry juice also helps prevent urinary tract infections.  Don't hold your urine. Void when you feel like you need to.  Wipe from front to back after bowel movements.  Void after having sex to help wash away bacteria.  Use enough lubrication during sex. Try using a small amount of lubricant (such as K-Y Jelly) before sex if you're a little dry.  If you get urinary tract infections often, you may want to avoid using the diaphragm as a method of birth control. Ask your doctor about other birth control choices.  Take your medicine the way your doctor advises.