Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Care in Loxahatchee, West Palm Beach & Belle Glade, FL

What it involves

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection somewhere in the urinary tract, most often the bladder. Your provider listens to your symptoms, may ask for a urine sample, and decides what treatment, if any, fits. Because some infections reach the kidneys, symptoms such as fever, chills, or back pain are taken seriously.

Who this is for

• Adults with burning, urgency, or frequent urination who want to be seen the same day
• Patients who have had UTIs before and want to talk about why they keep coming back
• Patients with diabetes, which MedlinePlus lists as raising the risk of UTIs
• Caregivers of older adults, in whom confusion can be the only sign of a UTI

What to expect

• Questions about when symptoms started and whether you have had fever, chills, or back pain
• A urine sample when your provider decides one is needed, and an explanation of the result
• A treatment plan, if one is appropriate, with instructions on finishing it
• Guidance on which symptoms mean you should call back or go to the emergency room

Bladder infection or something that has reached the kidneys

MedlinePlus separates two situations, and the difference decides how quickly you should be seen. A bladder infection usually brings cloudy or bloody urine, pain or burning when urinating, cramping or pressure in the lower abdomen or back, and a strong need to urinate often, even right after emptying the bladder. If the infection spreads to the kidneys, the list changes: Pain in the lower belly or side can have other sources too, which the abdominal pain guide sorts by location and pattern. If you have a fever along with urinary symptoms, the adult fever guide explains when MedlinePlus says pain with urination plus a fever should prompt a call to your provider.

• Chills and shaking, or night sweats
• A fever above 101 degrees
• Pain in the side, back, or groin
• Nausea and vomiting, or severe abdominal pain
• Mental changes or confusion, which in older people are often the only sign of a UTI

Who gets UTIs more often

MedlinePlus says women tend to get them more often because the urethra is shorter, and that menopause raises the risk. It also lists diabetes, advanced age, problems emptying the bladder completely, a urinary catheter, an enlarged prostate or anything that blocks urine flow, kidney stones, pregnancy, and recent surgery on the urinary tract. If any of those apply to you, say so at the start of the visit, because it changes what your provider looks for.

How a UTI is checked

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says a bladder infection is diagnosed from your medical history, a physical exam, and lab tests. A urinalysis checks a urine sample for white blood cells and blood, which the body produces when it is fighting a bacterial infection. A urine culture identifies the bacteria and can help show whether antibiotics are an option, with results usually back in a few days. Blood tests look for a more serious infection and show how well the kidneys are working. For repeated infections, imaging or a look inside the bladder may be used to find the cause. The urine test used to check for infection is described step by step in the urinalysis guide, including how to give a clean catch sample and what each result looks at.

Why finishing treatment matters

Treatment is decided by your provider after the visit, and how long it lasts depends on the medicine and on you. For context, MedlinePlus says most bladder infections are treated with an antibiotic, that you should finish all of it even if you feel better, and that drinking plenty of water helps. Stopping early can let the infection return and make it harder to treat later. If you might be pregnant, say so before any medicine is prescribed.

What to bring and what to say

• When the symptoms started, and whether they are getting better or worse
• Any fever, chills, back or side pain, nausea, or vomiting
• A list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products
• Whether you have had UTIs before, how often, and what was done
• Whether you have diabetes, kidney stones, or trouble emptying your bladder

Where it fits with other care

A urinary symptom is often the reason a patient first walks in, and the same-day sick visit options describe how that works across the offices. Patients who have diabetes or who are being followed for chronic conditions can raise recurring infections at those regular visits, so the pattern is looked at and not only the latest episode. The urine test for an infection is different from the albumin urine test used to check kidney function, which the kidney function tests guide explains separately. Pain in the low back can come from the kidneys or from the spine, and the low back pain evaluation guide explains the other causes NIAMS lists. Needing to go often without burning or fever has other possible causes, which the frequent urination guide lists along with what to bring to a visit.

Sources

• MedlinePlus — Urinary tract infection, adults
• NIDDK — Bladder Infection (UTI) in Adults: Diagnosis