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Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria in the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the kidneys (organs that filter waste products
from the blood to form urine); ureter (carry urine from the bladder to the kidneys); bladder (stores the urine) and urethra (tube that empties the
bladder when you urinate).
Causes
Approximately eight to 10 million Americans, mostly women, experience a urinary tract infection each year. Women are more prone to these
infections than men because bacteria can reach the bladder more easily in women. That's because a woman's urethra is shorter than a man's,
so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel. Also, since a woman's urethra is near the rectum, bacteria near the rectum can more easily reach
the urethra.
Sexual intercourse can also lead to urinary tract infections in women because bacteria can reach the urethra. Also, pregnant women are more
prone to these infections due to hormonal changes and increased pressure on the ureter.
Patients with urinary catheters are at increased risk of getting a urinary tract infection. That's because the catheters can cause high
levels of bacteria in their urine. Use of catheters should be minimized, and the need to continue with a catheter should be reassessed
periodically by the health care provider.
Symptoms
Some signs of a urinary tract infection include:
- pain or burning sensation while urinating
- needing to urinate more often than usual
- being unable to urinate
- leaking urine
- urine that is dark, cloudy, bloody or smells bad.
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