Treating your urinary tract infection (UTI)
For women under 65 years with suspected lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) or lower recurrent UTIs (cystitis or urethritis)
Key signs and symptoms
- Dysuria: Burning pain when peeing
- New nocturia: Needing to pee in the night
- Cloudy uring: Pee looks cloudy
Other signs and symptoms to consider:
- Frequency: Peeing more often than usual
- Urgency: Feeling the need to pee immediately
- Haematuria: Blood in your uring
- Suprapubic pain: Pain in your lower tummy
Other things to consider:
Recent sex
- Inflammation due to sex can feel similar to the symptoms of a UTI
- Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have symptoms similar to those of a UTI
Self-care to help yourself get better more quickly:
- Drink enough fluids to stop you feeling thirsty. Aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses a day
- Avoid too much alcohol, fizzy drink or caffeine that can irritate your bladder
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen as advised for pain relief, if you have had no previous side effects
- You could try taking cranberry capsules or cystitis sachets. Some women find these effective. The evidence to support their use is
inconclusive. - Consider the risk factors in the ‘Options to help prevent UTI’ column to reduce future UTIs
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