Urinary tract infection (UTI): symptoms and treatment

In short

• Typical signs are burning when you pee, frequent urges and pain or pressure low in the belly.
• Back or side pain with a fever, chills, nausea or vomiting points to a kidney infection, which is more serious.
• Antibiotics are the usual treatment, and a clinician has to choose them. Saved or shared leftovers add to drug resistance.
• Plenty of fluids helps you feel better, but it does not replace treatment.
• Men, children, pregnant people, older adults and people with diabetes should be seen promptly rather than waiting it out.

What a UTI is and who gets one

The urinary tract includes the bladder, the urethra and the kidneys. Most infections are in the bladder, which is called cystitis. A kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is less common but more serious. Bacteria from the skin or rectum are the usual cause.

UTIs are common and happen more often in females, because the urethra is shorter and sits closer to the rectum, so bacteria have a shorter way in. Older men can get them too, especially repeat infections.

Symptoms of a UTI

• Pain or burning when you urinate.
• Needing to go often, or feeling an urgent need even when the bladder is empty.
• Pressure or cramping in the lower belly or groin.
• Cloudy, dark, bloody or strong-smelling urine.
• Tiredness, or a high or low temperature with shivering.

Babies and young children may show only a fever, and most children with a fever do not have a UTI. Older or frail adults may be confused, agitated or have worse incontinence instead of the usual urinary symptoms.

Causes and risk factors

• Recent sexual activity. A UTI is not a sexually transmitted infection, but sex can push bacteria toward the urethra.
• Changes in vaginal bacteria, for example after menopause or from using spermicide.
• Pregnancy.
• Age at the two ends of life: very young children and older adults.
• Structural problems such as an enlarged prostate, kidney stones or a catheter.
• A previous UTI.

What helps at home

1. Call your clinician.Symptoms of a UTI are a reason to be seen, so make the call on day one instead of waiting.
2. Drink fluids.Water is the best choice. Drinking more can ease symptoms and speed recovery.
3. Ease the discomfort.An over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen, used as the label directs, can take the edge off pain and fever. Cutting back on coffee, alcohol and fruit juice may calm an irritated bladder.
4. Take antibiotics as prescribed.Finish the course even if you feel better, and do not share pills or save leftovers.
5. Watch the clock.If you are not better within 48 hours, or you get worse sooner, tell your clinician.

Cranberry products and cystitis sachets have no evidence of easing an active infection. Researchers have also not found that diet treats a bladder infection.

When to see a doctor, and red flags

See a primary care provider for any UTI symptoms. Be seen promptly if you are a man, pregnant, 65 or older, or have diabetes, a weakened immune system or a catheter. Children with symptoms need a clinician, and a baby under 3 months with a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher needs care right away.

Get same-day care for back or side pain under the ribs, fever, shivering, nausea or vomiting, because these suggest a kidney infection that can lead to sepsis if untreated. Call 911 if you or your child become confused, drowsy or have difficulty speaking.

Also go back to your clinician if symptoms keep returning: two infections in six months or three in a year counts as recurrent.

How a clinician confirms it

A clinician starts with your symptoms and medical history, may examine you, and may order a urine test. A urine culture is more likely when infections repeat or when treatment does not work. Other tests can look for another cause, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate.

Finding bacteria in the urine when you have no symptoms, called asymptomatic bacteriuria, usually does not need treatment. Pregnancy and certain urologic procedures are the exceptions.

Treatment options in general terms

• Antibiotics are the usual treatment. The choice and the length of the course are your clinician's decision.
• For mild symptoms, a clinician may suggest self-care and waiting 48 hours before starting an antibiotic.
• Severe infections sometimes need hospital care.
• For repeat infections, options include a different or long-term low-dose antibiotic, vaginal estrogen after menopause, or a specialist referral.
• Some people with repeat infections use cranberry or D-mannose to help prevent recurrence. Ask first if you are pregnant.

Antibiotics can cause side effects, including allergic reactions and C. diff infection. The World Health Organization names misuse and overuse of antibiotics as one of the main drivers of drug resistance, which is why they should be taken only when needed.

Preventing the next one

• Drink plenty of fluids through the day and empty your bladder fully.
• Do not hold urine in for long.
• Urinate soon after sex.
• Wipe from front to back, and teach girls to do the same.
• Shower instead of taking baths.
• Skip douches, sprays, powders and scented soap in the genital area.
• Wear cotton underwear and avoid tight clothing.
• If spermicide seems to trigger infections, ask about another contraceptive method.

Questions and answers

Sources

1. NIDDK — Bladder Infection (UTI) in Adults
2. CDC — About Urinary Tract Infection
3. NHS — Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
4. WHO — Antimicrobial resistance

Sources checked on 29 October 2026.