A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra. 

Urinary Tract Infection is more common in women than in men. The reason for this is the female anatomy.

The female anatomy of a woman has a shorter urethra than a man does, which shortens the distance that bacteria must travel to reach the bladder.

Most UTIs are caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli (E.coli) which is naturally present in your body. Men are unlikely to catch a UTI after sex with a woman because the bacteria which is the cause of the infection is already present in the man's urinary tract. 

What are the usual symptoms of UTI?
1. Painful urination and burning sensation
2. Needing to urinate frequently
3. Pain in your central lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone
4. Blood in your urine
5. Urine that has a strong odor
6. Cloudy urine
7. Pelvic pain in women
8. Rectal pain in men


Are there types of UTI?
- Yes. Upper UTI and Lower UTI.

What is Upper UTI?

Upper tract UTI affects the kidneys. It can be potentially threatening if the bacteria from the infected kidney move into the blood which is a condition called Urosepsis. Urosepsis can cause dangerously low blood pressure, shock, and even death.

Symptoms of an upper tract UTI:
1. Pain and tenderness in the upper back and sides
2. Chills
3. Fever
4. Nausea
5. Vomiting

It is important for you to check if you have the symptoms because upper UTI is often more alarming than lower UTI. Thus, if you think you have the complications mentioned, visit your doctor right away. Upper UTI if left untreated can escalate into blood poisoning or Septicemia. During this condition, the kidney fails to filter out the bacteria or toxins passing through them.

What is Lower UTI?

There are three forms of Lower UTI:

1. Cystitis- an inflammation of the bladder which is more common among women and is usually regarded as non-complicated infection. 

Symptoms include:
- Painful and frequent urination
- Smelly or cloudy urine 
- Pain in the lower abdomen.

2. Urethritis- an inflammation of the urethra that typically causes a stronger urge to urinate or frequent urination. The urethra is the tube that transports urine from the bladder outside the body. 

Symptoms include:
- Discharge from the urethral opening
- Blood in urine or in the semen for males

3. Prostatitis- an inflammation of the prostate gland that produces similar symptoms to Cystitis and Urethritis. It causes pain during ejaculation, which may contribute to erectile dysfunction and loss of sex drive later on.

Treatment and Remedies for UTI

1. Drink plenty of water to flush out the bacteria.
2. Avoid drinks such as coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, and citrus beverages. They can irritate your bladder and aggravate your frequent or urgent need to urinate.
3. Take cranberry pills for the prevention of UTI. There are studies that suggested that the active compounds in cranberry that are not destroyed by the digestive system can instead work to fight against bacteria, including. E.coli.
4. Regularly eliminate waste from your digestive tract.
5. Antibiotics:

For lower UTIs - usually treated with oral antibiotics
For upper UTIs- requires intravenous antibiotics (antibiotics put directly into your veins)

Note: Disclose all your illnesses to your doctor since there are certain types of antibiotics that might trigger other illnesses that you have. 

Author's Note: Personally, when I feel that my UTI is coming, I usually take 2 tablets of cranberry pills and if it's still not working, add 1 tablet.  The cranberry pills that I currently use is the 21st Century Cranberry Plus Probiotics which thankfully prevent me from the hassle of going to the doctor and from taking antibiotics.

It is important for you to know the directions of the pills that you are taking to avoid overdosage.