UTI Specialist

Apex Medical Professionals

Internists & Aesthetic Specialists located in Fair Lawn, NJ

It’s estimated that 40-60% of women will develop a urinary tract infection (UTI) during their lifetime — 1 in 4 of them will have repeat infections. Walid Elkhalili, MD, and the team at Apex Medical Professionals encourage you to come in for an in-office urine analysis at the first signs of a UTI. Early treatment can prevent the infection from spreading and may lower your risk of recurrent infections. If you have questions about UTIs, call the office in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, or book an appointment online.

201-797-2003

UTI Q & A

What causes a urinary tract infection?

A UTI develops when bacteria get into your urinary tract and cause an infection in the kidneys, bladder, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder) or urethra (a tube that carries urine out of your body). UTIs have a different name, depending on the part of the urinary tract affected:

Cystitis: bladder infection
Urethritis: urethral infection
Pyelonephritis: kidney infection

Women are more susceptible than men to UTIs because the opening of the urethra is in such close proximity to bacteria near the anus. Their risk for developing a UTI also increases after menopause, when loss of estrogen causes atrophy in the urinary tract lining.

What symptoms will I develop when I have a UTI?

A mild UTI may clear up before you develop any obvious signs. When you develop symptoms, you may experience:

Frequent need to urinate
Burning sensation during urination
Passing frequent but small amounts of urine
Strong-smelling urine
Urine that’s cloudy, pink, or dark-colored
Pain in your lower abdomen
Temporary urinary incontinence

If the infection spreads to your kidneys, you’ll have other symptoms, including a fever, nausea, and a pain in your upper back or side.

How is a UTI treated?

When you have symptoms of a UTI, the team at Apex Medical Professionals runs a urine analysis to verify whether an infection is present. They may also perform a urine culture to determine the type of bacteria, which in turn helps them decide which type of antibiotic to use.

A recurrent UTI is defined as having two or more infections in six months or three or more UTIs over the last year. If you’re diagnosed with recurrent UTIs, you may receive treatment to help prevent future infections, such as:

Low-dose antibiotics for an extended period of time
A single dose of antibiotic for use after sexual intercourse
Estrogen replacement therapy or vaginal estrogen for postmenopausal women

The doctors at Apex Medical Professionals may also recommend drinking more water to dilute your urine and ensure you urinate frequently to flush out bacteria.

If you develop symptoms like frequent urination, call Apex Medical Professionals or book an appointment online.

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