Urinary tract infections are an incredibly common bacterial infection that affects both men and women. If you’ve never had a UTI before, then you may think something much more severe is going on.
After all, some of the signs you have a UTI include burning while urinating and fever. If left untreated, your UTI can become even more of a problem and eventually lead to a kidney infection and the intense pain that accompanies it.
To prevent further damage to your urinary system, it’s important that you treat a UTI as soon as you identify it. Check out these common signs and symptoms to learn how to spot one.
When you have a UTI, you will feel like you have to go to the bathroom all of the time, even if you just went. This can become particularly frustrating at night and make it more difficult to sleep.
Once a UTI has established itself in your urinary tract, you may begin to experience some pelvic pain. Some people have pain in their lower back kind of like you would during a menstrual cycle, but others have more sharp pains.
The more pelvic pain you have, the more likely it is that your UTI has progressed to the upper urinary tract and is on its way toward a kidney infection. If you have severe pelvic pain, you need to go to the doctor for antibiotics as soon as possible.
Not only will you have to pee frequently when you have a UTI, but it also will burn while you urinate. The symptom may start off as a little bit of discomfort, but if left untreated, it can become very painful so don’t wait to seek treatment.
If left untreated, your UTI could eventually become a serious problem. When you go to the doctor, they check for white blood cells in your urine that signify that your body is fighting off an infection.
When there is blood in your urine too, that is a sign that the infection is winning and progressing into more of your body parts.
Since a UTI is an infection, it is accompanied by many of the major symptoms of illness like fever, shaking, and chills. Many people who suffer from UTIs never experience these symptoms. You can usually avoid developing a fever with your UTI if you catch the symptoms early on and seek treatment.
When you notice the signs you have a UTI, it’s important that you go to the doctor right away to seek treatment. The longer you wait, the more severe your symptoms will be and the more likely the infection is to spread to other parts of your body.
If you notice any of the symptoms on this list, contact us today at Coastal Urgent Care of Ruston for an appointment.