Types of Urine Infections

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is any infection that begins in the urinary system, which includes the bladder, kidneys and urethra. In general, women carry the highest risk of UTIs, and the National Institutes of Health estimate that 13.3 percent of all women age 20 or older get a urinary infection yearly, compared to just 2.3 percent of men. This equals a total of 14.8 million people every year.

Cystitis

• Cystitis, the inflammation of the bladder most commonly caused by bacteria, is the most common type of urinary tract infection in women. This type of UTI is not only painful, but also dangerous, because the infection can spread from the bladder to the kidneys. Mayo Clinic states that the symptoms of cystitis include a frequent, strong need to urinate, burning when urinating, blood in the urine, abdominal pain and cloudy or strong-smelling urine. A low-grade fever often accompanies these symptoms.

Pyeloneophritis

• Pyeloneophritis, or a kidney infection, is the more serious type of urinary infection. These typically occur when bacterial infections of the bladder go untreated and spread to the kidney. Use of a catheter can also lead to a kidney infection. Symptoms include back, side or groin pain, the urgent need to urinate, pain or burning when urinating, fever, pus or blood in the urine and nausea or vomiting. If left untreated, kidney infections can spread to the bloodstream or permanently damage the kidney.

Urethritis

• Urethritis, an infection of the urethra, occurs from the presence of bacteria or a virus in the urethra. Men with urethritis experience blood in the semen or urine, pain while urinating, unnatural discharge, the frequent need to urinate, as well as itching, tenderness and swelling in the groin area. Women often experience abdominal pain, burning when urinating, a fever with chills and pain in the pelvis. Of the three main types of urinary tract infections, urethritis is the only one that is more common in men than women, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Diagnosis

• Because the symptoms of the three types of urinary infections are so similar, a doctor will perform a thorough physical exam to determine which type a patient has. This exam includes blood work, urine testing and pinpointing the area where the pain occurs. Sometimes, particularly if kidney problems are suspected, imaging testing is required. Some doctors will perform a cystoscopy, inspection of the bladder with a tool called a cystoscope, to help diagnose the cause of the pain.

Treatment

• Urinary infections are treated differently depending on the type of infection present. If the infection is bacterial, which most are, antibiotics are the first course of treatment. If the infection is severe or life threatening, particularly in the case of kidney infections, the doctor may require IV antibiotics. Viral infections must simply run their courses, but treatment for pain is given. During treatment, patients should avoid having sexual intercourse, as this can increase discomfort and some UTIs, particularly urethritis, are contagious during sex.