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Urinary tract infection - Symptoms

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urinary tract infections.

Alternative Names

Cystitis; UTI

Symptoms:

Symptoms of lower urinary tract infections usually begin suddenly and may include one or more of the following signs:

The urge to urinate frequently, which may recur immediately after the bladder is emptied.
A painful burning sensation when urinating. (If this is the only symptom, then the infection is most likely urethritis, an infection limited to the urethra.)
Discomfort or pressure in the lower abdomen. The abdomen can feel bloated.
Pain in the pelvic area or back.
The urine often has a strong smell, looks cloudy, or contains blood. This is a sign of pyuria, or a high white blood cell count in the urine, and is a very reliable indicator of urinary tract infections.
Occasionally, fever develops.

Symptoms of Severe Infection in the Kidney (Pyelonephritis)

Symptoms of kidney infections tend to affect the whole body and be more severe than those of cystitis (inflammation of the bladder and ureters). They may include:

Symptoms of lower UTIs that persist longer than a week. (Sometimes lower UTI symptoms may be the only signs of kidney infection. People at highest risk for such "silent" upper urinary tract infections include patients with diabetes, impaired immune systems, or a history of relapsing or recurring UTIs.)
An increased need to urinate at night.
Chills and persistent fever (typically lasting more than 2 days).
Pain in the flank (pain that runs along the back at about waist level).
Vomiting and nausea.

Symptoms of UTIs in Infants and Toddlers

UTIs in infants and preschool children tend to be more serious than those that occur in young women, in part because they are more likely to involve the kidneys. (Older children are more likely to have lower urinary tract infections and standard symptoms.) Infants and young children should always be checked for UTIs if the following symptoms are present:

A persistent high fever of otherwise unknown cause, particularly if it is accompanied by signs of feeding problems and debility, such as listlessness and fatigue.
Painful, frequent, and foul smelling urine. (Parents are generally unable to identify a UTI just by the smell of their child's urine. Medical tests are needed.)
Cloudy urine. (If the urine is clear, the child most likely has some other ailment, although it is not absolute proof that the child is UTI-free.)
A recurrence of bedwetting or poor urine control during the day in the child who had previously achieved control.
Abdominal and low back pain may be present.
Vomiting and abdominal pain (usually in infants).

Symptoms of UTIs in Older Patients

The classic lower UTI symptoms of pain, frequency, or urgency and upper tract symptoms of flank pain, chills, and tenderness may be absent or altered in older patients with UTIs.

Symptoms of UTIs that may occur in seniors but not in younger adults may include mental changes or confusion, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, or cough and shortness of breath. Concomitant illness may further confuse the picture and make diagnosis difficult.

Resources

http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov -- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Clearinghouse
www.urologyhealth.org -- American Urological Association
www.acog.org -- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

References

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Shaikh N, Morone NE, Lopez J, Chianese J, Sangvai S, D'Amico F, Hoberman A, Wald ER. Does this child have a urinary tract infection? JAMA. 2007 Dec 26;298(24):2895-904.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in adults: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmation recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Jul 1;149(1):43-7. Ann Intern Med. 2008 Jul 1;149(1):W20-4.

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Reviewed last on: 8/4/2009
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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