Wondering When to See a Doctor for UTI?

UTIs, also known as lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) are unfortunately a common medical issue.  In fact, more than half of women will have a UTI in their lifetime, and UTIs are prone to recurrence.  Symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the person, so people experiencing milder symptom sets often wonder whether they should wait to see if the infection clears up before going to a doctor.  But while an infection generally isn’t serious and is easily treatable, it could lead to more serious complications, so it’s important to stay informed before deciding whether to wait or seek medical attention.

A bladder infection is caused when bacteria enter the bladder—usually through the urethra, but also rarely through the bloodstream—causing inflammation.  The main bacteria that cause infections are E. coli, but some other types of bacteria, including the causal bacteria of chlamydia, have been known to cause them as well.  Symptoms include burning or pain during urination, the frequent urge to urinate, and lower back or pubic bone pain. 

Deciding how serious symptoms of a UTI are may depend on your gender.  While women are prone to infections due to the female anatomy and the urethra’s proximity to the vagina and anus, UTIs in men are rare. Sometimes, a bladder infection for a man could be indicative of a more serious medical problem, like an obstruction of the urinary tract, so men should take these symptoms seriously and contact a doctor.  But, since they experience them more often, women sometimes attempt to cure bladder infection themselves with natural or over-the-counter remedies.  Being checked out by a doctor is the safest and fastest way to curing a bladder infection, but if the symptoms begin appearing at night or on the weekend—times when most traditional doctors’ offices don’t keep hours—there are some available treatment options for use until you can be seen by a professional in a walk in clinic. 

Drinking a large amount of water is advisable, as it may flush some of the bacteria out of the bladder. Cranberry juice and cranberry extract is known to fight E. coli bacteria, and if taken early on, may prevent the E. coli from adhering to the bladder walls, therefore preventing the infection from taking hold.  Over-the-counter remedies, the most popular probably being AZO tablets, don’t cure UTIs, but they can ease the pain and frequent urge to urinate. (They also turn your urine bright orange, so don’t be alarmed!) You can also buy over-the-counter home test kits, which measure for the presence of white blood cells and E. coli in the urine, two signs of an infection that primary care doctor NYC test for.

However, leaving a bladder infection untreated can lead to serious health problems like kidney infections, which could cause permanent kidney damage or a blood infection.  Symptoms of a kidney infection, in addition to painful and frequent urination, also include fever, nausea, vomiting and bloody urine.  A kidney infection could require hospitalization, so to avoid these potential complications, doctors suggest seeking medical care as soon as possible after you experience symptoms of a UTI, rather than waiting to see if it clears by itself.  UTIs are generally treated with a simple course of oral antibiotics, and usually clear up in about six days.

If you’re experiencing the symptoms of a UTI, the sooner you can begin UTI treatment in NYC, the better, so if you’re in the New York City area, you should consider the Walk-in Clinic of NYC.  At Walk in Clinic in NYC, you can get a same day appointment with a board certified doctor; the clinic also offers evening and weekend appointment hours, so you can get on your way to feeling better as soon as possible, with affordable care even if you don’t have health insurance.  Call Walk-in Clinic NYC for an appointment today at (212) 696-5900.

Being a woman means needing a good internist in New York for your urinary tract infection

Ladies, being a woman can at times be a weary existence. Most men, and even some women, don’t appreciate the complexity of female anatomy and the inconvenient placement of our urethra, sex organs and anus. Yes, this must be crass, for any woman suffering from a urinary tract infection cannot figure out the source of her pain without confronting her privates.

UTIs (urinary tract infections) occur when bacteria somehow forces itself into the urinary tract. This occurs most commonly through the urethra. In both men and women the urethra is connected to the bladder, and when this area (where you pee) gets infected it can in turn infect your bladder. Once this happens you’ll feel a constant, uncomfortable urge to pee despite not needing to. You’ll also feel burning and pain while urinating, particularly bad right at the end. When you notice these symptoms you need to make an appointment with a primary care doctor NYC for help.

Men do not suffer from nearly as many UTI’s as women. It is not uncommon for men to go years without suffering from a UTI, while it is entirely common for women to suffer from as many as four a year. Why is this?

One reason is that the urethra is much shorter in women than men (think about it), meaning bacteria has a shorter distance to travel to infect the urinary tract. But more troubling for a woman is that her urethra is situated incredibly close to her anus, increasing the likelihood of cross contamination and infection. This is why women should always wipe from front to back, never the other way around. The anus can handle that crap, the urethra cannot.

The vagina is also right by the urethra, proving another opportunity for easy infection due to sexual intercourse. During sex, bacteria can be pushed into the urethra, causing infection to spread to the bladder. This leads into another uti treatment in NYC: ladies should always pee right after sex to clean out any bacteria. Even if you don’t have to pee, you should try to force it.  

Frequent UTIs can also be caused by bacterial changes in the vagina. Men have it pretty easy with their sexual organ; it’s outside of their body covered in protective, dry skin. Women, our sex organ is inside of us, with healthy bacteria swimming all over the place. It’s also a wet, hot environment, providing bacteria with a delicious environment for growth. When we suffer an imbalance of healthy bacteria for bad bacteria, we suffer. This can occur by use of spermicides, douches, and some antibiotics. Menopause can also alter your vagina Zen.

So the urinary tract in women is pretty vulnerable, meaning that every girl needs a good internist in NYC to run to when her bladder is under attack. If you’re suffering from a urinary tract infection, visit this Medical Clinic for a quick diagnosis and some medication. You’ll check in with Dr. Slava Fuzayloff, a well-established internist doctor with a good following. And getting in to see him is incredibly easy, with same-day appointments available by visiting their site Walk in Clinic in NYC.

Don’t fret ladies. At least we don’t have a vulnerable prostrate.