Urinary Tract Infections in Teens and Adults

This topic is about urinary tract infections in adolescents and adults. For more information about infections in babies and young children, see the topic of urinary tract infections in children in the tract. What is a urinary tract infection? The urinary tract is the system that makes urine and carries it out of your body. Includes the bladder and kidneys and camera tubes that connect them. When germs get into this system, which can cause an infection. Most urinary tract infections are bladder infections. A bladder infection usually is not serious if treated early. If you do not take care of a bladder infection can spread to the kidneys. A kidney infection is serious and can cause permanent damage. What causes urinary tract infections? Usually, germs get into your system through the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of your body. The germs that usually cause these infections live in the large intestine and are found in feces. If germs get into the urethra, can travel to the bladder and kidneys and cause an infection. Women tend to have more bladder infections than men. This is probably because women have a shorter urethra, making it easier for germs to pass into the bladder. Having sex can make it easier for germs to get into the urethra. You may have more chance of getting an infection if they drink enough fluids, you have diabetes or are pregnant. The probability that you will get a bladder infection is higher if you have any problem that blocks the flow of urine from the bladder. Examples include having kidney stones or an enlarged prostate. For reasons not well understood, some women get bladder infections again and again. What are the symptoms? You may have an infection if you have any of these symptoms: Pain or burning when urinating. You feel you have to urinate frequently, but the urine does not leave much in return. Your belly feels tender or heavy. Your urine is cloudy or smells bad. You have pain on one side of the back below the ribs. This is where the kidneys. Fever and chills. You have nausea and vomiting. Call your doctor immediately if you think you have an infection: Fever, nausea and vomiting, or pain on one side of the back below the ribs. You have diabetes, kidney problems or a weakened immune system. You are over 65 years. She is pregnant.