When you have a UTI, it can feel like it lasts forever. So, how long does a UTI last? Keep reading to find out.
Between the pain and discomfort, a UTI can feel like there’s no end in sight. But how long does a UTI last? Are there ways that you can speed up the recovery time?
In this article, you’ll learn:
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What is a urinary tract infection?
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What are the symptoms of a UTI?
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How long does a UTI last?
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How are UTIs treated?
Hopefully, by the end, you’ll feel more hopeful about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
What Is a UTI?
Before answering how long a UTI lasts, let’s first describe what exactly a UTI is. A urinary tract infection (UTI) affects the kidneys, the bladder, and the tubes connected to them.
UTIs are very common. While anyone can get one – including children – women get them more often than men. Symptoms usually occur persistently, even throughout the night.
Let’s look at some of the most common UTI symptoms to help understand how long a UTI lasts.
What Are UTI Symptoms?
Everyone experiences different UTI symptoms. However, a few symptoms are more common than others, and they are worth knowing about so that you can quickly spot them when they occur. Remember, the earlier you can identify UTI symptoms, the sooner you’ll be able to identify that you have a UTI and the sooner you’ll recover.
To help you out, here are some of the most common UTI symptoms to look out for:
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Frequent urination: This is a common UTI symptom, as UTIs disrupt your bladder. If you have a strong urge to urinate every few minutes, you might have a UTI.
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Pressure in the groin region: A bladder UTI may cause pelvic pressure. This pressure may range from mild discomfort to pain.
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Incontinence: In more severe cases, incontinence can be a clear symptom of a UTI. Incontinence occurs when your bladder is disrupted to the extent that you no longer have control over it.
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Painful urination: A UTI can cause a burning or painful sensation when urinating.
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Urination urgency but no urine: A UTI can trigger the urge to urinate even when your bladder is empty.
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Bloody urine: In extreme cases, a UTI may cause blood to enter your urine. If you experience this symptom, you should contact your doctor and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Now that you know which symptoms are most prevalent in those experiencing UTIs, let’s answer the question on everyone’s mind: How long does a UTI last?
How Long Does a UTI Last?
How long does a UTI last? It depends. Of course, if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, this is the last answer you want to hear.
Several factors affect how long a UTI lasts. The first factor is the location. The most common spot for a UTI is in your bladder. Luckily, while this is the most common form of UTI, it’s also one of the quickest to recover from. Bladder UTIs tend to last anywhere from one to seven days.
The other location for a UTI is your kidneys, which typically takes the form of a kidney infection. A kidney infection usually lasts up to 14 days.
Another factor that affects how long a UTI lasts is how complicated the infection is. An uncomplicated UTI is more common than a complicated UTI, as they are isolated in the lower urinary tract.
More complicated UTIs are affected by several factors, including:
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Pregnancy
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Your menstrual cycle
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Kidney stones
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The use of a catheter
While the amount of time a UTI lasts may vary, proper treatment can speed up the amount of time it takes to heal. Let’s check out UTI treatment options.
How Is a UTI treated?
Now that you know how long a UTI lasts, the question is, how does treatment affect the timeline?
UTIs are typically treated with a short-term prescription of antibiotics. Your doctor will likely give you a few days of antibiotics, and your UTI should clear by the end of that treatment. Using a urine sample, they’ll determine the best antibiotic for you.
You should feel improvements with an antibiotic in as little as 36 hours, although it could take longer for the bacterial infection to clear up entirely. More complicated UTIs may require longer antibiotics before you start feeling better and the infection is gone.
However, sometimes antibiotics aren’t necessary to heal a UTI. In fact, some uncomplicated UTIs may even disappear on their own in as little as a few days.
That said, letting your healthcare professional make that call is essential. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above and suspect you have a UTI, seek medical attention from your primary care provider immediately to find out if you need a urine culture, how severe the bacterial infection is, and learn the best course of action.
Wrap-Up: Waiting for Relief
How long does a UTI last? Typically three to five days for uncomplicated UTIs and up to 14 days for complicated UTIs.
When you experience a UTI, it quickly becomes a waiting game. Even once you start treatment to relieve an uncomplicated UTI, it can feel like forever before you feel any relief – even if it only lasts one day.
To prevent a UTI from occurring, it’s essential to have a healthy bladder. Check out the SCI Supply products that ensure that your bladder stays healthy.