Take the Urinary Tract Infection Quiz
Your urinary tract includes the organs that collect and store urine and release it from your body. They are the
kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
1. The average adult passes about three quarts of urine a day.
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The total is about a quart and a half of urine each day. The amount of urine varies, depending on the fluids and foods you consume. The volume formed at night is about half that formed in the daytime.
2. Normal urine is sterile.
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It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
3. Many different types of bacteria can cause an infection of the urinary tract.
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Most infections arise from one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally live in the colon. An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply. Microorganisms called Chlamydia and Mycoplasma may also cause urinary tract infections (UTIs) in both men and women, but these infections tend to remain limited to the urethra and reproductive system. Unlike E. coli, Chlamydia and Mycoplasma may be sexually transmitted; these infections require treatment of both partners.
4. If an infection of the urethra isn't treated, the bacteria can move up to the bladder, causing an infection there.
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And if the bladder infection is not treated promptly, bacteria may sometimes go up the ureters to infect the kidneys.
5. A kidney stone can cause a UTI.
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A kidney stone, or anything that blocks the flow of urine, sets the stage for an infection. An enlarged prostate gland also can slow the flow of urine, thus raising the risk of infection. A common source of infection is catheters, or tubes, placed in the bladder.
6. People with diabetes are at increased risk for UTIs.
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This is because of changes in the immune system. Any disorder that suppresses the immune system raises the risk of a urinary infection.
7. Women get more UTIs than men.
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The rate tends to increase with the age of a woman. Scientists are not sure why women have more urinary infections than men. One factor may be that a woman's urethra is short, allowing bacteria quick access to the bladder. Also, a woman's urethral opening is near sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina. For many women, sexual intercourse seems to trigger an infection, although the reasons for this linkage are unclear.
8. Feeling tired, shaky, and washed out are symptoms of a UTI.
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Other symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning feeling in the area of the bladder or urethra during urination. Often, women feel an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone, and some men experience a fullness in the rectum. The urine itself may look milky or cloudy, even reddish if blood is present. A fever may mean that the infection has reached the kidneys. Other symptoms of a kidney infection include pain in the back or side below the ribs, nausea, or vomiting.
9. Often, a UTI can be cured with one to two days of treatment.
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This is the case if the infection is not complicated by an obstruction or nervous system disorder. Still, many doctors ask their patients to take antibiotics for a week or two to ensure that the infection has been cured. It is important to take the full course of treatment because symptoms may disappear before the infection is fully cleared.
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