Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : November 2, 2017 4:42 PM IST
Antibiotics are what the most commonly prescribed treatment option for urinary tract infections (UTIs). But is the treatment option different for lower urinary tract infections? Does suffering from upper urinary tract infections require medical attention? How to know if you are having upper urinary tract infections? To help you clear your doubts on UTI and its treatment approach, we have our expert Dr Amerta Ghosh, Attending consultant, Fortis CDOC Hospital, New Delhi shedding light on it. Also read about 5 complications of urinary tract infection you should know.
How is UTI treated?
Lower UTI usually doesn't cause any health complications. And hence, the common method to treat it is with oral antibiotics following a proper instruction from a doctor. In addition to antibiotics, your expert might advise you to take plenty of oral fluids. However, let your doctor know if you have any renal or cardiac problems as it can worsen the condition. You can also take painkillers to ease the severe abdominal pain but do ask your doctor before taking one. It is highly advised to avoid painkillers in general as it excess use can put the kidney in danger. The symptoms of lower urinary tract infection include pain while passing urine (dysuria), burning sensation in urine, an urgency to pass urine, cloudy urine, foul-smelling urine and blood in the urine (hematuria). In some cases, it can also lead to lower abdomen pain and backache. Here are 10 things you should keep in mind when you are on antibiotics.
As far as upper UTI is concerned, it can be treated with antibiotics and painkillers. However, in some cases, it may require hospitalization with intravenous antibiotics for a longer duration of time. The symptoms of upper urinary tract infection, which is severe, include high-grade fever with chills and shivering, vomiting, lower abdominal pain or flank pain (Pain in your upper back or abdomen and sides). These symptoms often mean the infection has spread upstream to kidneys. Prompt treatment can both relieve symptoms and help prevent infection from spreading. In rare cases, untreated UTIs can cause serious problems, such as kidney damage or even kidney failure. Here are 7 simple natural remedies to treat urinary tract infection.
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