Can a urinary tract infection go away on its own. How long does it take for a UTI to clear without antibiotics. What are the risks of leaving a UTI untreated. How can you tell if you have a UTI without pain.

What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria invade the urinary system, typically entering through the urethra and traveling up to the bladder. UTIs are classified into two main categories:

• Uncomplicated UTIs (also known as cystitis)
• Complicated UTIs (such as pyelonephritis, catheter-associated UTIs, UTIs during pregnancy, and UTIs associated with kidney stones)

The most common cause of UTIs is Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, which normally reside in the intestines but can sometimes migrate to the urinary tract. When this happens, it leads to infection and inflammation in an environment that is typically sterile.

Common Symptoms of UTIs

UTIs can manifest with various symptoms, ranging from mild discomfort to more severe complications. Common symptoms include:

• Painful or burning sensation during urination
• Frequent urge to urinate, even when the bladder is empty
• Pressure or cramping in the lower abdomen
• Cloudy or strong-smelling urine
• Blood in the urine (in some cases)
• Feeling weak or shaky
• Confusion (particularly in elderly patients)

Are you experiencing these symptoms without pain? It’s important to note that not all UTIs cause pain, especially in their early stages or in older adults. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Can a UTI Resolve Without Antibiotics?

While it’s possible for some mild UTIs to clear up on their own, relying on this approach can be risky. Dr. Varinthrej Pitis, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley, cautions against foregoing antibiotic treatment:

“While it’s possible for the body to clear a mild infection on its own in some cases, it can be very risky not to treat a confirmed UTI with antibiotics.”

Why is it dangerous to leave a UTI untreated? Untreated UTIs can lead to several serious complications:

• Spread of infection to the kidneys (pyelonephritis)
• Kidney abscesses
• Bloodstream infections (bacteremia)
• Cardiovascular collapse (shock)
• Potential kidney failure

Given these risks, it’s always best to seek medical attention if you suspect you have a UTI, even if your symptoms are mild or you’re not experiencing pain.

Diagnosing and Treating UTIs

How do healthcare providers diagnose UTIs? The process typically involves:

1. Assessing symptoms
2. Conducting a urinalysis
3. Possibly sending a urine sample for culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing

In some cases, particularly for women with typical UTI symptoms and no fever or underlying health issues, treatment may begin without extensive testing. However, if symptoms persist or recur frequently, further testing may be necessary.

What is the standard treatment for UTIs? Antibiotics remain the primary treatment for UTIs. Your healthcare provider will determine the most appropriate antibiotic based on your symptoms, medical history, and, if applicable, urine culture results.

Are There Effective Home Remedies for UTIs?

Many people wonder about natural treatments for UTIs. While some home remedies, such as drinking cranberry juice or taking vitamin C supplements, are often suggested, Dr. Pitis notes that their effectiveness in treating active infections is not scientifically proven:

“Cranberry juice and Vitamin C do alter the pH in your urine and make it slightly more difficult for E. coli to adhere to the urinary tract wall, which theoretically should prevent UTI. However, once you already have UTI, these home remedies have not been proven to treat or eradicate the infection.”

These remedies may have some preventive benefits, but they should not be relied upon to treat an active UTI.

When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

While all suspected UTIs warrant medical attention, certain symptoms indicate a more serious infection that requires immediate care. Seek medical help right away if you experience:

• Blood in your urine
• Fever
• Lower back pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Poor appetite
• Decreased urine production

These symptoms may indicate that the infection has spread to the kidneys or entered the bloodstream, requiring urgent treatment to prevent severe complications.

Preventing Recurrent UTIs

Some individuals, particularly women, are more prone to developing UTIs. What factors increase the risk of recurrent UTIs? Common risk factors include:

• Genetic predisposition
• Sexual activity
• Anatomical differences
• Hormonal changes
• Certain health conditions (e.g., diabetes)

How can you prevent UTIs, especially if you’re prone to them? Here are some strategies:

• Urinate after sexual intercourse
• Stay well-hydrated
• Wipe from front to back after using the bathroom
• Avoid holding urine for extended periods
• Consider preventive measures like low-dose antibiotics after intercourse (as prescribed by a healthcare provider)

For those with frequent UTIs, working closely with a healthcare provider to develop a personalized prevention plan is crucial.

The Importance of Proper UTI Management

Why is it critical to address UTIs promptly and appropriately? Proper management of UTIs is essential for several reasons:

• Preventing the spread of infection to the upper urinary tract and kidneys
• Reducing the risk of complications, including sepsis
• Alleviating uncomfortable symptoms
• Preventing the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Dr. Pitis emphasizes the importance of seeking medical care for suspected UTIs: “If you think you might have a UTI, you should see a provider, either in person or virtually. Together, you can decide the best course of treatment to eliminate the infection and prevent complications.”

Understanding Antibiotic Resistance and UTIs

The growing concern over antibiotic resistance has led to questions about the necessity of antibiotics for every UTI. How does antibiotic resistance affect UTI treatment?

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. This phenomenon has become a significant global health concern, particularly in the context of UTIs.

To address this issue, healthcare providers are increasingly focused on:

• Prescribing antibiotics only when necessary
• Choosing the most appropriate antibiotic based on local resistance patterns
• Encouraging patients to complete their full course of antibiotics as prescribed
• Exploring alternative treatments for recurrent UTIs

While the judicious use of antibiotics is important, it’s equally crucial not to withhold necessary treatment. The key lies in balancing effective treatment with responsible antibiotic use.

The Role of Urine Cultures in UTI Management

How do urine cultures contribute to effective UTI treatment? Urine cultures play a vital role in:

• Confirming the presence of bacteria
• Identifying the specific type of bacteria causing the infection
• Determining which antibiotics the bacteria are susceptible to

While not always necessary for uncomplicated UTIs, urine cultures become crucial in cases of:

• Recurrent infections
• Complicated UTIs
• Infections that don’t respond to initial treatment
• Suspected antibiotic-resistant infections

By tailoring treatment based on culture results, healthcare providers can ensure more effective treatment and reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Special Considerations for Different Patient Groups

UTIs can affect people of all ages and genders, but certain groups may require special consideration. How do UTIs differ among various patient populations?

UTIs in Elderly Patients

Older adults may experience UTIs differently than younger individuals. Some key points to consider include:

• Symptoms may be less specific, such as confusion or behavioral changes
• Higher risk of complications due to weakened immune systems
• Increased likelihood of antibiotic-resistant infections

UTIs in Pregnancy

Pregnant women are at higher risk for UTIs, and these infections can have serious implications for both mother and baby. Important considerations include:

• More frequent screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria
• Careful selection of antibiotics that are safe during pregnancy
• Close monitoring to prevent complications like preterm labor

UTIs in Men

While less common than in women, UTIs in men can be more complicated. Key points include:

• Often associated with underlying urological conditions
• May require longer courses of antibiotics
• Higher likelihood of requiring further evaluation, such as imaging studies

Understanding these differences is crucial for providing appropriate care and preventing complications across diverse patient populations.

Emerging Research and Future Directions in UTI Management

As our understanding of UTIs evolves, new approaches to prevention and treatment are being explored. What are some promising areas of research in UTI management?

• Vaccines targeting common UTI-causing bacteria
• Probiotics to promote a healthy urinary tract microbiome
• Novel non-antibiotic treatments to prevent bacterial adhesion
• Personalized medicine approaches based on individual risk factors and bacterial profiles

These emerging areas of research hold the potential to revolutionize UTI prevention and treatment, potentially reducing reliance on antibiotics and improving outcomes for patients prone to recurrent infections.

In conclusion, while the possibility of a UTI resolving on its own exists, the risks associated with untreated infections far outweigh any potential benefits of avoiding antibiotics. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment remain crucial in managing UTIs effectively and preventing complications. As research continues to advance our understanding of these common infections, we can look forward to more targeted and personalized approaches to UTI management in the future.

Can a UTI Go Away on Its Own?

July 27, 2020
|
Women’s Health

About half of all women will have a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lifetime, and most will be treated with antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

While these medications have long been the standard treatment for a UTI, concerns about unnecessary antibiotic use and the growing problem of antibiotic resistance have raised questions about whether the drugs are always needed. Without antibiotic treatment, will a UTI go away on its own?

First, it helps to understand what a UTI is. UTI is classified into two broad categories, uncomplicated, also known as cystitis, and complicated, such as pyelonephritis, catheter-associated, UTI during pregnancy and UTI in setting of kidney stone.

When bacteria invade the urethra (the opening to the urinary tract) and track upwards to the bladder, it causes infection and inflammation in a normally sterile environment. In most cases, UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria normally found in the bowels that venture out to an area in our body where it is not used to being.

A mild UTI causes symptoms, including painful urination, constantly feeling the need to urinate and cramping pain in the lower abdomen. In the elderly population, a mild UTI can even cause confusion. Symptoms from a complicated UTI include fever, lower back pain, blood in urine, and even pus in urine.

“Not only are bladder infections painful, but also can be dangerous if left untreated. Bacteria from a bladder infection can easily travel to the kidneys and cause serious problems, including infection of the kidneys, known as pyelonephritis with or without abscess; a blood stream infection or bacteremia; cardiovascular collapse, also known as shock; and potential kidney failure,” says Varinthrej Pitis, MD, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley. “Early use of antibiotics can eliminate the infection and prevent complications. ”

While some UTIs may go away without antibiotic treatment, Dr. Pitis cautions against foregoing antibiotics.

“While it’s possible for the body to clear a mild infection on its own in some cases, it can be very risky not to treat a confirmed UTI with antibiotics,” says Dr. Pitis.

A provider can test for a UTI with a urine sample. Urinalysis conducted at the office immediately identifies elevated levels of certain substances in the urine that can indicate a UTI. If necessary, your provider may also send the sample to a lab to confirm the presence of bacteria before an antibiotic is prescribed.

Collecting a urine sample for testing isn’t always necessary. Current guidelines are that if a woman has symptoms of a UTI and no fever or underlying problems, she has cystitis and a provider can proceed with a treatment of microbial (anti-bacterial) drugs and/or analgesics (pain relievers). However, if you do not respond appropriately to the initial course of antibiotics or you have prior numerous recurrent infections and drug-resistant organism is a concern, your urine will be sent for culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

“Your provider will determine if and when you should start a course of antibiotics,” says Dr. Pitis. Dr. Pitis adds that at-home treatments for UTIs, such as cranberry juice and vitamin C, have not proven effective in eliminating infection. “Cranberry juice and Vitamin C do alter the pH in your urine and make it slightly more difficult for E coli to adhere on the urinary tract wall, which theoretically should prevent UTI. However, once you already have UTI, these home remedies have not been proven to treat or eradicate the infection.”

UTI symptoms can include one or more of the following:

• Pain or burning when urinating
• Feeling like you still need to urinate even after you have just done so (urgency)
• Feeling like you need to urinate unusually often, even if your body does not pass urine (frequency)
• Pressure and cramping in the lower belly
• Urine that has a strong smell
• Urine that looks cloudy or reddish
• Feeling weak or shaky
• Alter mental status, usually in elderly and young kids

Call your doctor right away if you have:

• Blood in your urine
• Fever
• Lower back pain
• Nausea/vomiting
• Poor appetite
• Decreased urine production

Some women are more genetically prone to developing UTIs than others, and sexual intercourse can raise the risk of bacteria entering the urethra. Women who get frequent UTIs after sex may help prevent them by making sure to urinate after intercourse or taking post-coital, low-dose antibiotics as a preventive measure.

“If you think you might have a UTI, you should see a provider, either in person or virtually,” says Dr. Pitis. “Together, you can decide the best course of treatment to eliminate the infection and prevent complications.”

Related tags:

• Health and Wellness
• Family Medicine
• Women’s Health

Ask the Expert: Urinary Tract Infections and Asymptomatic Bacteruria

Catherine E. DuBeau, MD
Professor of Medicine
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine

Q:  What is a urinary tract infection (UTI) and what causes it?

A:  A UTI is an infection in your urinary tract (UT). Your UT includes your kidneys, bladder, and the tubes that connect them. Your urinary tract makes urine and eliminates it from your body.

Most UTIs develop when bacteria – usually from your feces — enter your bladder. This can cause a bladder infection. If the bacteria spread farther up through the urinary tract to your kidneys, they can cause a kidney infection. Kidney infections can sometimes cause serious illnesses that require treatment with intravenous antibiotics.

Q:  As you get older are you more likely to have UTIs? Can anything else increase your risk of getting UTIs?

A:  The odds of getting a UTI increase with age, especially in women. In fact, UTIs are one of the most common infections among older adults.

UTIs are also more common among people who:

• Have diabetes
• Have problems with bladder control and leak urine
• Have kidney stones, an enlarged prostate gland, or other health problem that can block the flow of urine through your urinary tract
• Live in a nursing home

Q: What symptoms do UTIs cause in older adults?

A:  Symptoms of UTIs in older adults can include:

• Pain or burning when you urinate
• Pain on one side of your back, below your ribs (where your kidneys are)
• Feeling as though you have to urinate often, even though little urine comes out when you try
• Urine that is cloudy or smells bad
• Fever, nausea, or vomiting

You should let your healthcare provider know if you have any of these symptoms. They will discuss with you whether your symptoms might be caused by a UTI and decide how to treat it. A UTI is usually treated with antibiotics. Some older persons may become more confused when they get a UTI.  However, confusion by itself does not mean a UTI is present – other symptoms like pain or burning with urination or more frequent urination or leakage should be present as well.

Q:   What is “asymptomatic bacteriuria”?

A:  Asymptomatic bacteriuria is when you have bacteria in your urinary tract but you don’t have the symptoms that usually go along with UTIs.

Older adults are more likely than young people to have asymptomatic bacteriuria. People who have a urinary catheter – a small tube that is inserted into the bladder to drain it— also have an increased risk of having asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Q:  How is asymptomatic bacteriuria treated?

A:  Most people with asymptomatic bacteriuria don’t need treatment because the bacteria don’t usually cause any harm.

The following people with asymptomatic bacteriuria may run an increased risk of developing kidney infections:

• People who have had kidney transplants
• People with diabetes
• People with infected kidney stones

These people only need treatment if they actually have symptoms of a UTI.   If symptoms are present, the healthcare provider can analyze the urine and consider a “culture” to check for bacteria in the urinary tract. If the assessment indicates an infection, they should prescribe an appropriate antibiotic.

Q: Why not regularly check all older people for bacteria in the urinary tract, and then treat the bacteria if it’s found? It seems that this wouldn’t hurt, and could help — by killing the bacteria and preventing kidney infections.

A:  Many studies have found that prescribing antibiotics for people without UTI symptoms offers no benefits in women or men. In fact, in these cases, antibiotics have been linked to other medical problems, including a serious type of diarrhea called C. difficile.  Treating people with antibiotics when there is no evidence that they have a bacterial infection can also lead to “drug resistance.”  Drug resistance is a process in which antibiotics lose their effectiveness to fight bacteria.

The important thing for healthcare providers to do is carefully determine whether or not an older patient is truly symptom-free therefore and has asymptomatic bacteriuria. If the patient has symptoms of a UTI, the healthcare provider should prescribe an antibiotic.

Q:   Are there any circumstances in which a healthcare provider should give antibiotics to a patient who clearly has asymptomatic bacteriuria and not a UTI?

A:   Yes. If a patient is going to have urinary tract surgery, they should be treated with antibiotics beforehand, to prevent infections and complications that might develop during or soon after the surgery.

Last Updated September 2019

and let’s not ask the cleaner this time? / Habr

Few people think of telling programmers how to write code (although some manage to tell even database designers), but to show the designer how to draw – the line is straight up.

This happens because all the “specialists” know that design is a beautiful picture.

Design is only 20% art, 80% exact science. And you’ll be surprised when you find out what is actually each picture consists.

Oh, every other project starts with the fact that they send me an approved layout of the main page of the site.
— How interesting… You probably already have requirements for the site?
— No, no.
– And send me, please, at least a site map.
– She’s not there.
— Ok, what about the audience and goals? What is it and for whom?
“We haven’t thought about it yet.

Why is this happening? Don’t they understand?!
No, they don’t understand. And this comes from the fact that all “specialists” know that design is a beautiful picture.

But we all know that this is not so.

Design is mathematics

Any layout is the result of solving some problem. People who draw on a whim or are guided by a sense of beauty should be taken out of the Moscow Ring Road and shot.

Design. This. Solution. Tasks.

If there is no task, close Photoshop and go look for it!

Design is a process

“Nine days on a tractor through the snowy steppe – beauty has never been easy”
– BG

Design is only 20% art, 80% is an exact science. And you will be surprised when you find out what actually consists of each picture.

(the picture was drawn by sinner. thanks, sinner!)

Resource business goals + potential user and their needs + content requirements + functional requirements + resource structure design + navigation design + graphic design development – these are 7 components of design, which is working.

Let’s take a closer look at them.

Business objectives of the resource

Making the world a better place, building a reputation, carving out a new niche, making all the money in the world with epilepsy-inducing banners—these are all business goals. And it is they who determine the final decision in the first place. So, for example, a business goal determines the order of the blocks on the main page or semantic accents (or the structure of the resource, or the absence / presence of an online store, or …).
Constantly returning to business goals helps to save yourself from the need to develop redundant functionality (“Well, this is so cool!” – “Yeah, but you wanted to enter the market of nano-coloring books for children, what about blackjack and whores?”).

Potential user and needs

The user with their needs is just as important as the business goals. Be honest, every time you say “This is all great, but users won’t like it”, in fact, you are settling personal scores with greens, spots, selectors and have no idea who your users are and what they like.
(Even if, after “…users won’t like it,” you’re capable of spouting about the world’s UI design trends and recent research.)

You are going to make a product (whether it’s a website or a toilet) that people will use. Who are they? What do they live? What problems do they face? What are they thinking? What do they eat for dinner? What class fly to hot countries and do they fly there at all? Why would they want to spend their time and money on your product?
The more you know about your users, the easier it is to predict their behavior, the easier it is to offer what they really need.
And this, believe me, is much easier than making you buy unnecessary things.

And remember: 21-35 years old, successful, Muscovites and blablabla is not an audience, this is the average temperature in a hospital, which even brainless advertisers are ashamed to show.

There is a huge gap between twenty and thirty years old, and you know it very well.

Content requirements

It most likely happened to you as well. You diligently collected requirements, wrote a good, detailed technical task, drew a beautiful design for it, made it all cross-browser, developed it on time (whoops!), fixed all critical bugs, transferred the development to trial operation and . .. everything broke. Beautiful in layouts, disgusting in real life. How so?

That’s it! Design is a beautiful (or not so) shell for the essence. If you develop a design in isolation from the data that will then live in it, it will turn out as always. Editorial, advertising, user-generated – think carefully about what and how it will be on your site and decide (at least in the first approximation) how it will look like. What if the text is short? What if there are no pictures? Think about it carefully – everything happens in life.

Product requirements

What can the user do on the site? By what principles will the content of the main page be updated? Will there be a newsletter subscription? What about RSS? A…? Here you have to remember and write down all your fantasies. Even the most… uh… brave ones.
“And add some more cool action,” as one of my customers liked to say.

Resource structure design

Design is just a way of presenting information. With what to show to the user, you decided on the “Content Requirements” stage, it remains to decide how to present it to him.
Your task is to sort the information and break it into homogeneous groups, with which you can then work further. Break into sections or evaluate their specific weight in terms of potential users or business problems.
It is necessary to somehow decide what will be in the upper right corner and what will be in the lower left.
Not rock-paper-scissors, really…

Navigation design

The only thing worse than no navigation is really bad navigation.
At this stage, you have to determine the principles of navigation for the resource, work out the main and additional navigation, determine the principles of transition between sections.
Paper page prototypes are very helpful.

Graphic design development

Well. Now we understand what, for whom and for what purpose we are going to produce. In addition, we decided on what and how we will show the user.
And now it’s FINALLY! you can take on the production of pictures.

I will tell you more about the process of producing pictures in the note “The process of developing graphic layouts from the point of view of a project manager”.

Fear is lost: even Georgia dictates the terms of Russia’s surrender in Ukraine

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One and the same angry bear in a cage and in freedom causes completely different feelings. The beast on the loose, heading straight for you, is genuine, paralyzing horror. And the one roaring at you from the cage is something like “uti-way, how formidable we are!” What is the position of Russia now?

Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said in an interview with Bloomberg that a peace treaty on Ukraine (read – the surrender of Russia) should include . .. the withdrawal of Russian troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Because, in her opinion, Russia “practically lost the battles” and in general is obliged to know its place: “Russia must know where its borders are. Georgia’s issues should also be taken into account. The war cannot end without Russia retreating from all occupied territories.

Otherwise, the West will make another big mistake, like in 2008 and 2014. Like this – “from all occupied territories.”

Well, we are waiting for Japan to demand the inclusion of the Kuriles in the “peace treaty in Ukraine”, the Hans demand Kaliningrad, and Greece, remembering for whom Erdogan is a “friend”, quietly demand the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Northern Cyprus.

Lithuanian President Nausėda demands not to be afraid of Russia and to send any weapons to Ukraine. Like, the red lines of Russia “we still manage to erase, and this has happened more than once.”

Here, for example, “Germany initially stated categorically that it would send only bulletproof vests, helmets and the like, but not weapons. But this red line was also passed a long time ago.” And in general, the red lines, if they exist, then “exist only in our heads” – let’s give Ukraine fighters and long-range missiles without delay.

This, of course, is unpleasant to admit, but is Nauseda so wrong? The Nazis from the catacombs of Azovstal, who, unlike ordinary airbags, “no one will give up” and “they will definitely be judged,” are now resting in warm Turkey. “Gestures of goodwill” our military is still remembered with a shudder. Well, the story with our red lines should be considered completed on October 24 last year, when our Foreign Ministry said: “The West should not measure the width of the red line.”

After this “width”, as well as exclusively verbal attacks on the decision-making centers, our opponents’ fear went into the mode of “uti-way, how formidable we are!” Tanks (whose deliveries were recently considered an extreme escalation) are on the way, planes will no doubt be delivered, long-range weapons are already announced in the new US aid package, and Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Alexei Makeev says Ukraine wants to get nuclear weapons for “security guarantees” .

All this — “we are not NATO”, we “do not want to fight to the last Ukrainian” — is perceived as a weak position and indecision in the Ukrainian conflict must be thrown out “from all occupied territories.” Fear is lost.

And these conversations will not stop until Russia actually begins to correspond to the image of “Mordor” and “orcs” – furious, merciless, indestructible – that Western propaganda paints. So that at the words “Russians are coming” the only desire of the enemy was to be somewhere beyond the orbit of Pluto.

They will not stop even with the “victory” of Russia. They will stop only with the Victory. So dazzling and crushing victory that America will be the first to run to give Alaska if Russia hints at it.

Set the Russian bear free.

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Authors:

• org/Person”>

  Dmitry Popov

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
NATO
Recep Erdogan
Russia
Ukraine
Germany
Greece
Lithuania
Kaliningrad
Türkiye
Georgia
Japan

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 28964 of February 3, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Fear is lost

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