Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Women: Symptoms, Testing and When It's Serious
Burning when you pass urine? Learn the signs of a UTI, how a urine test confirms it, why to finish antibiotics as prescribed, and when to seek care. UTI test in Nakuru.
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- Primegala Clinical Team
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- 4 min read
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Short answer: A urinary tract infection (UTI) usually causes burning when passing urine, needing to go often and urgently, and lower belly discomfort. A urine test confirms it, and treatment is antibiotics prescribed by a clinician, taken as a full course. Seek care the same day if you have fever, back pain, vomiting or are pregnant, because the infection may have reached the kidneys.
It starts as a slight sting in the morning. By lunchtime you're excusing yourself from the market stall every half hour, and by evening it burns every time. Many women know this feeling well, and many have been told by a neighbour to just buy some tablets at the chemist. A quick urine test is a better first step, because the right treatment depends on knowing what's really going on.
Why are UTIs so common in women?
Women have a shorter urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body), and its opening is close to the back passage, so bacteria from the gut can reach the bladder more easily. UTIs are more likely during pregnancy, after menopause, with diabetes, after sex and when you don't drink enough water.
What are the symptoms?
| Bladder infection (cystitis) | Possible kidney infection (seek care today) |
|---|---|
| Burning or stinging when passing urine | Fever, chills or shivering |
| Needing to pass urine often or urgently | Pain in the back or side, below the ribs |
| Passing only small amounts | Nausea or vomiting |
| Cloudy, strong-smelling or bloody urine | Feeling very unwell |
| Discomfort low in the belly | Bladder symptoms may also be present |
Not every burning feeling is a UTI. Sexually transmitted infections and vaginal infections can cause similar symptoms. Unusual discharge, itching, sores or pain during sex are reasons to tell your clinician, so the right tests are done.
How is a UTI diagnosed?
Your clinician will ask about your symptoms and may examine you. A urine test checks for signs of infection, such as white blood cells, blood and bacteria. Sometimes a sample is sent for culture to find out which antibiotic will work; ask us which tests are available.
To give a good sample:
- Wash your hands and clean the area with water, front to back.
- Start passing urine into the toilet, then collect the middle part of the stream in the clean container from the lab.
- Close the lid and hand it in promptly.
Treatment: finish what you're prescribed
- Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, for the full number of days, even if you feel better after one or two days.
- Don't share antibiotics or use leftovers from a previous illness.
- Avoid buying antibiotics without a test. Using the wrong medicine, or too little, helps bacteria become resistant, so medicines stop working when you really need them.
- Drink plenty of water while you recover.
- Come back if you are not improving after two to three days of treatment, or if symptoms return soon after.
How can you prevent UTIs?
- Drink enough water through the day, more on hot days or after work on the shamba.
- Don't hold urine for long. Go when you need to.
- Wipe from front to back after using the toilet.
- Pass urine soon after sex.
- Avoid douching and perfumed soaps or sprays in the genital area.
- Wear clean cotton underwear and change out of damp clothes.
- If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar under control.
When is a UTI serious?
Seek care the same day, at any hour, if you have:
- Fever, chills, back or side pain, or vomiting (signs the kidneys may be infected)
- Urinary symptoms while pregnant
- Blood in your urine
- Diabetes, a weak immune system or kidney problems
- Symptoms that keep coming back, such as two or more UTIs in six months
If someone is confused, very drowsy or has difficulty breathing, call 999 or 112.
How Primegala can help
Our on-site laboratory runs urine tests 24 hours a day at Maili Sita, so most results are ready during the same visit, and our pharmacy explains how to take your medicine. See a clinician through our general outpatient service, or book a lab visit. If you're pregnant, mention any urinary symptoms at your antenatal care visits.
At Primegala
Laboratory Services
Common blood, urine and stool tests on site, with fast results.
- Open 24 hours, every day, including public holidays
- Maili Sita, opposite Kiamaina Primary School
- SHA accepted for eligible services
Frequently asked questions
Can a UTI go away without antibiotics?
Some mild bladder infections clear on their own, but many do not, and an untreated infection can spread to the kidneys. Get a urine test and take treatment only as prescribed by a clinician.
Why should I finish the antibiotics if I feel better?
Stopping early can leave some bacteria alive, so the infection may return and the bacteria may become resistant to that antibiotic. Take the full course exactly as prescribed.
Is a UTI in pregnancy dangerous?
It can be. Urinary infections in pregnancy are more likely to spread to the kidneys and can affect the pregnancy, so any urinary symptoms in pregnancy should be checked promptly.