A healthy urinary tract is vital to overall health. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that the urinary tract’s main functions are to filter blood, produce urine, and remove the body’s liquid waste. It also helps balance the body’s salt, water, and chemical levels. Like other areas of the body, the urinary tract can be compromised by infection. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urinary tract infections (UTIs) account for roughly 2.7 million ER visits and 400,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Women are affected more than men. Between 50% and 80% of women will experience at least one UTI in their lifetimes, and about 30% to 40% will experience a recurrence.

UTIs can affect any part of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. When localized to the bladder, it is a bladder infection, or cystitis, the most common type.  

Common symptoms of a bladder infection, which affects the lower urinary tract, include pain or burning during urination, a strong, persistent urge to urinate even immediately after emptying the bladder, frequent urination in small amounts, cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling urine, and pelvic cramping or pressure. If symptoms are accompanied by high fever and chills, pain in the lower back or side, or nausea and vomiting, a more serious UTI may have spread to the kidneys. Diagnosing a UTI involves a urine test and culture to detect bacteria. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics and pain medication to clear the infection.  

Help reduce your risk of a urinary tract infection by: urinating promptly when you feel the urge; taking showers instead of baths; minimizing douches, sprays, or powders in the genital area; urinating before and after sexual activity; and wiping from front to back.