Urinary Tract Infections - Diagnosis and Treatment

It is not easy to self-diagnose a urinary tract infection. The symptoms of urinary tract infections, which include back pain and pain when urinating, can be symptoms of other diseases as well. For example, an STD (sexually transmitted disease) or a pinched nerve can cause back pain. Only after you have a urinalysis can you be sure if you do have tract infection.

Urinalysis is easy and can even be done at home. The home tests are much like a home pregnancy test where you urinate on a stick. The chemicals on the sticks will tell you if a urinary tract infection is the problem but you should also follow up with a doctor to verify the results. Your doctor may want you to bring in a urine sample from home in a sterile container and the urine should be collected shortly after you start peeing, not right away. This provides the best sample. The urine will be examined for pus, blood or bacteria. After your sample is examined, your doctor can give you a proper diagnosis.

There are a variety of treatments for a urinary tract infection depending on what type you have and how severe it is. Sometimes it is best to let the infection go away on its own. If that doesn't happen in a few days, you can try drinking a lot of water to clear the infection up. Some people suggest cranberry juice but water really is best. Cranberry juice can interfere with some medications.

If you still have symptoms, you may need to take antibiotics to treat the urinary tract infection. Cipro and Amoxicillin are commonly prescribed. Another option is one of the Sulfa drugs like Bactrim. Once you start a treatment, the infection should go away in a few days. If you have a more severe urinary tract infection or you have left it untreated, you may have to wait 7 to 10 days for it to clear up.

If you develop a urinary tract infection near your kidneys, you may have a more serious problem. If this happens, you may need to take a stronger dose of Furadantin, Macrodantin, or Levaquin to treat the pain.

A kidney infection will usually manifest itself as pain at the small of the back near the spine. You may have to take aspirin or another pain medication to treat the pain. This may cause your urine to turn blue or orange so do not be alarmed if that happens.