UTI treatment
Welcome to Qoctor’s online doctor service which provides assessment & antibiotic UTI treatment, for women who have a mild UTI (urinary tract infection). Answer some simple questions and book a video consultation. If treatment is advised, a prescription for antibiotics can be emailed direct to your local pharmacy. A video consultation costs $26.99. Online UTI treatment is unsuitable for :
- people who are generally unwell, e.g with fever, chills, vomiting, bad back pain etc
- male patients
- elderly patients
- people who have underlying conditions of the kidney/ bladder or frequent/recurrent UTIs
About UTI treatment
Urinary Tract Infections are common, affecting 1 in 3 women during their lifetimes. Symptoms of a UTI include passing urine more frequently, experiencing a burning sensation when passing urine, lower abdominal discomfort, and passing urine that looks cloudy or has a strong smell.
More severe UTIs may involve fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and back pain. Elderly individuals may show signs of confusion or drowsiness. If a person has symptoms of a severe UTI, they should see a doctor in person- online treatment is not appropriate.
There are several common antibiotics for a UTI- during your consultation, the doctor will choose the most suitable one for you.
FAQs
- UTI stands for Urinary Tract Infection (also referred to as a bladder infection or cystitis).
- UTIs are common, particularly in women.
- Most UTIs are caused by bacteria that live harmlessly in your gut but cause inflammation if they get into your urinary tract. It often stings as urine passes the inflamed area.
- It is important to treat UTI quickly, as the infection can sometimes spread from the bladder to the kidneys (causing a kidney infection, also known as “pyelnonephritis”), which can make you extremely unwell.
Up to 50% of women will experience 1 or more UTIs in their life. However, UTIs are much less common in men. Any woman who gets recurring or repeated UTIs within a few months of each other (eg, 3 or more in a 12 month period), should be assessed by a doctor as this may mean there is an underlying cause. All men presenting with UTI symptoms need to be assessed as soon as possible, and will usually need further tests such as urine tests, blood tests and an ultrasound scan of the abdomen/urinary tract.
Symptoms of a UTI usually include
- Burning or stinging when you pass urine (dysuria)
- Passing urine more frequently (frequency) or urgently (urgency) than normal
- Cloudy or smelly urine
- The feeling that the bladder is still full after urinating
However, elderly people may not have typical symptoms- and may just present with fatigue, fever, confusion or general unwellness.
- Pain in your tummy (abdomen) or low back (loins/flanks)
- A fever (high temperature) or chills (rigors)
- Passing larger amounts of urine than normal (polyuria) & excessive thirst (polydipsia)
- Blood in the urine (haematuria)
- Headache/vomiting/flu-like symptoms
- Offensive vaginal discharge
Anyone experiencing the above symptoms should see a doctor in person, as soon as possible.
A UTI is usually treated with oral antibiotics. There are several antibiotics commonly used- the one chosen by the doctor will depend on local factors (such as bacterial resistance to certain antibiotics in your area), your medical history, and whether you have any allergies to medications. If there is no improvement of your symptoms within 2 days of starting an antibiotic, you should speak to your doctor as soon as possible- as it may be necessary to change to a different antibiotic, and/or to have further tests.
Sometimes the symptoms of a UTI can be similar to other conditions, for example:
- A sexually transmitted infection, eg. Chlamydia
- Diabetes (passing larger amounts of urine than normal & excessive thirst)
- Kidney stones (spasms of pain in the back or groin)
- Kidney infection (fever/chills, flu-like-symptoms, tummy pain, back pain)
- Thrush (itchy vulva, sometimes a discharge or odour)Recurrent UTI (3 or more UTIs in 1 year).
Also, anyone experiencing 3 or more UTIs in a 12 month period, will need to have further tests.
If you’re worried it could be any of these things, it is best to see a doctor in person.
Health Library- UTI
How to get rid of a UTI
How to get rid of a UTI What is a UTI? UTI stands for Urinary Tract Infection (also referred to as a bladder infection or cystitis). UTIs are common, particularly in women. Up to 50% of women will experience 1 or more UTI in their life. UTIs are much less common in men. Most UTIs are caused by bacteria that live harmlessly in your gut but cause inflammation if they get into your urinary tract. It often stings as urine passes the inflamed area. It is important to treat UTI quickly, as the infection can sometimes spread from the bladder to the kidneys (causing a kidney infection, also known as "pyelnonephritis"), which can make you extremely unwell. Get UTI treatment online What are the symptoms of a UTI? Burning or stinging when you pass urine (dysuria) Passing urine [...]
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
What are the symptoms of a UTI? What is a UTI? A burning sensation when you pee? Peeing more often than usual? Blood in the urine or smelly urine? Tummy or back pain and fever? These are some of the symptoms of a UTI or Urinary Tract Infection. A UTI occurs when germs (usually bacteria) infect the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. The symptoms you get depend on which part of the urinary tract is affected- if the kidneys are involved it can make a person feel very unwell. Men can get UTIs too, though much less often than women. UTIs in babies and children can have different symptoms- see our separate article on UTI in kids. Symptoms of a UTI vary from person to person, but here are the most common issues: [...]