A urinary infection, which is also known as a urinary tract infection, occurs when bacteria infect any part of the urinary tract, made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Generally speaking, infections that occur higher in the urinary tract, especially in the kidneys, are more severe than those that occur lower in the tract. Urinary infection symptoms vary based on which part of the tract is affected and on the age, gender, and overall fitness of the individual affected. Symptoms commonly associated with infections of the upper or lower urinary tract include painful urination, frequent urination, or bloody urine.
Infections of the lower urinary tract tend to be much less severe than infections of the upper urinary tract, though the urinary infection symptoms associated with lower urinary tract infections can still be painful and frightening. Painful, frequent urination accompanied by feeling unable to hold urine in is indicative of a urinary infection. Other signs of a lower urinary infection can include bloody or foul-smelling urine, an inability to urinate completely, and mild fever. The normal treatment for simple, lower urinary tract infections primarily involves oral antibiotics. In more complicated cases, intravenous antibiotics may be administered.
Upper urinary tract infections tend to be much more severe than their lower counterparts, as the kidneys are very important to the proper processing of wastes in the body. The urinary infections symptoms of an upper urinary tract infection can be the same as those of the lower urinary tract infection, but are usually accompanied by more severe symptoms. Additional upper urinary infection symptoms include relatively high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the back or side. Such pain usually occurs around waist level. Another common symptom is extreme fatigue, which can occur even if the individual is otherwise healthy and well-rested.
Urinary tract infections are most common in sexually active women, diabetics, and individuals suffering from sickle cell disease. Infants and children sometimes get such infections, which can present with different urinary infection symptoms than those experienced by their older counterparts. Along with the symptoms experienced in normal cases, infants can also experience diarrhea and general fatigue. Elderly individuals afflicted with a urinary tract infection often become very lethargic, can experience fever or hypothermia, and may experience an altered mental state. In some cases, urinary infection symptoms are interpreted as sexually transmitted disease symptoms; in other cases, there are no noticeable symptoms at all.
