Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (HB)

Urinary tract infections can occur in both women and men, though are most common in women. This is due to having a shorter urethra that is also more internally situated—the bladder can more easily be infected by skin and intestinal bacteria.

It is frequently associated with poor hygiene or direct trauma to the urethra from sexual activity or compression from riding a bike or sitting in a saddle.

Signs and Symptoms

UTIs often present with a pain low in the pelvis and frequent but small amounts of urination. Urine can be bloody or cloudy and the act of urinating can be painful.

Red Flags

Any time a patient has back pain with a fever the problem should be considered emergent and the patient should be evacuated. Same if the UTI is associated with a sexually transmitted disease.

Males with a UTI should be considered high risk as should any patient with bloody urine.

Treatment

The best way to handle this early is through aggressive hydration—the urine can help clear low level infections by flushing the bacteria out of the bladder. The patient may need antibiotics depending on the severity.