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UTI & Back Pain

A Urinary Tract Infection, or UTI, indicates that one of the four parts of the body's urinary system has been infected. It is considered one of the most common infections in the human body, characterized by a bacterial infection that multiplies at the opening of the urinary system and travels up into the bladder. Back pain as it pertains to UTIs can be a sign of a more serious infection.

  1. The Urinary System

    • The male and female urinary systems are basically the same length and are made up of the same four organs -- kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. In many cases, urine acts as the urinary tract's defense mechanism, as urine carries bacteria out of the system during urination. The male prostate gland and the female vagina each have their own natural defenses.

    Back Pain And Lower UTI

    • Back pain is one of many symptoms of a lower urinary tract infection. Other symptoms include frequent urination, a burning sensation, pain or bloating in the abdomen smelly urine and even fever. In this case, the back pain and the other symptoms, come on suddenly. The infection is usually quickly counteracted by antibiotics.

    Pyelonephritis

    • This is a severe infection in the kidney, and back pain in this situation is considered a serious symptom of this disease. In this case, the pain usually manifests itself in the flank of the body, which is at waist level and on either side. The pain can run across the back meeting the flank on either side. In this case, the patient needs to seek medical attention immediately, as a malfunctioning kidney can lead to serious problems.

    Infants and Toddlers

    • Back pain is a symptom of a UTI in an infant or toddler, along with a high fever, frequent and smelly urination, cloudy urine, bedwetting and vomiting. In the case of younger people UTIs are considered more serious because they are more likely to involve the kidneys. If any of these symptoms are present, doctors recommend the patient be checked out immediately.

    Prognosis

    • In the case of lower UTIs, treatment can eliminate the symptoms, including back pain, in as little as 24 to 48 hours, depending upon the severity of the infection and how early it was caught. If the infection has spread to the kidney, then the dissipation of back pain and other symptoms can take up to a week. In some cases, UTIs can become chronic, leading to the reoccurrence of back pain in those patients. These chronic UTIs can require treatment for six months to two years, during which symptoms like back pain can come and go.

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