Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is an infection involving the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. These are the structures that urine passes through before being eliminated from the body.
The urine is normally sterile. An infection occurs when bacteria gets into the urine and begins to grow. The infection usually starts at the opening of the urethra where the urine leaves the body and moves upward into the urinary tract. UTI falls under two categories:
Lower urinary tract infection (cystitis): The lining of the urethra and bladder becomes inflamed and irritated. The symptoms are dysuria - pain or burning during urination, more frequent urination (or waking up at night to urinate), urgency - the sensation of not being able to hold urine, hesitancy - the sensation of not being able to urinate easily or completely (or feeling that you have to urinate but only a few drops of urine come out), cloudy, bad smelling, or bloody urine, lower abdominal pain, mild fever less than 101°F), chills, and malaise.
Upper urinary tract infection (pyelonephritis): Symptoms develop rapidly and may or may not include the symptoms for a lower urinary tract infection. Symptoms include fairly high fever (higher than 101°F), shaking chills, nausea, vomiting, flank pain - pain in your back or side, usually on only one side at about waist level.
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