Urinary Tract Infection

In general, the term “UTI” includes bladder and kidney infections; however, your doctor may specify between infections located only in the bladder (cystitis), the prostate (prostatitis), and more severe infections in the kidneys (pyelonephritis). Bacteria are the cause of most infections. Bacteria enter the bladder by traveling up the urethra (where urine passes) from the outside world. In most cases, your primary care doctor can treat the infection with antibiotics without additional investigation.

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, commonly affect both women and men. Urinary tract infections are more common in females. This is because the length of the female urethra is much shorter, and this offers an easier route for bacteria to get into the bladder.