Can You Go to Urgent Care for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)? 

A UTI is known fully as a urinary tract infection, which is where an infection can occur in the area of your urinary system which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections that involve the lower urinary tract are in the bladder and the urethra.
 
Women are at a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections than men and the infection is normally limited to your bladder which can be very painful and annoying. However, the serious consequences that can occur from a urinary tract infection can spread to your kidneys and cause damage.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) usually occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. Although the urinary tract system is designed to keep out such bacteria, these defenses sometimes fail, and when that happens, bacteria may take hold and grow into a full-blown infection which is known as a urinary tract infection.
 
Some of the most common urinary tract infections occur in women and can affect their bladder and urethra.
 
Infection in the bladder is typically caused by E. coli, which is a type of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, sometimes the bacteria are also responsible.
 
Sexual intercourse can also lead to cystitis, but you do not have to be sexually active to still develop a urinary tract infection. All women are at a higher risk of cystitis due to their anatomy, especially due to the short distance of the urethra to the anus and the urethral opening to the bladder.
 
Infections to the urethra can occur when the GI bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra. This is mainly due to the female urethra being so close to the vagina, sexually transmitted infections like herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and mycoplasma can also cause urethritis.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) do not always cause signs and symptoms for patients to feel or see to bring up to their doctors, however, when they do, they may include:
 
• A strong, persistent urge to urinate
• Burning sensation when urinating
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
• Urine that appears cloudy
• Urine that appears red, bright pink, or even soda cola-colored which is a sign that blood is in the urine
• Strong-smelling urine
• Pelvic pain in women – this especially occurs in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone
 
Urinary tract infections are often overlooked and mistaken as other conditions in older adults. Make sure to talk to your urgent care doctor and get checked regularly to make sure you stay healthy.
 
Each individual UTI can result in more-specific signs and symptoms, however, this depends on which part of your urinary tract has become infected.
 
Kidneys
• Back or side pain
• High fever
• Shaking and chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
 
Bladder
• Pelvic pressure
• Lower abdomen discomfort
• Frequent and sometimes painful urination
• Blood in urine
 
Urethra
• Burning when urinating
• Discharge

Doctors can easily treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics once they have been found, however, if you do not show signs it can be hard to diagnose unless you are regularly getting urine testing done each year and annual checkups to review your body’s health.
 
You can also take additional steps to reduce your risk of getting a urinary tract infection:
 
• Drinking plenty of fluids, like water
• Drinking cranberry juice
• Wipe from front to back
• Empty your bladder completely after intercourse
• Avoid potentially irritating feminine products, especially ones with perfume in them
• Change your birth control method

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