Treating UTIs

Urinary tract infections are relatively simple to diagnose and treat. In addition to discussing your symptoms and medical history, your doctor will most likely analyze a urine sample to determine if you have a UTI. Once your healthcare provider identifies what type of UTI you have, you will most likely be given a course of antibiotics such as Cipro XR. Your doctor may prescribe a urinary anesthetic along with medication to help relieve pain associated with UTIs.

Your doctor may also offer some simple suggestions to temporarily ease your discomfort, such as:

Drink plenty of water (at least eight to nine 8-ounce glasses a day) because it may help to flush the bacteria out of your urinary tract.
Use a heating pad to relieve some of the pain.
Avoid drinking coffee and alcohol and eating spicy foods.

In addition to treating your UTI, your healthcare provider may also treat any conditions that may have helped to cause it:

Help lower blood-sugar levels in people with diabetes
Remove or dissolve urinary stones
Remove or change a urinary catheter

If you think you have the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, you should contact your doctor or healthcare provider. To help your doctor understand your symptoms, fill out this Pre-Exam Checklist.

Important note: It is important to take all of the medication as directed by your doctor or healthcare provider, even if you begin to feel better and your symptoms go away. If the bacteria are not completely eliminated, the infection may come back. A few doses of your medication may relieve some symptoms; however, it may take several days for the infection and its symptoms to disappear completely.