Top 7 Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection

The symptoms of urinary tract infection vary from person to another according to the severity of the condition and overall health condition of the patient. Once you get infected, you will notice the symptoms immediately, especially during urination. Here are the top 7 symptoms of urinary tract infection.

7. Burning Sensation During Urination

A burning sensation with urination, also called dysuria, is the first and most common symptom of urinary tract infection. All urinary tract infections are accompanied by this sensation from STDs to bacterial infections affecting the bladder. (1)

6. Cloudy or Bloody Urine

Urinary tract infections may lead to the appearance of pus or blood in urine making it cloudy and/or bloody. This is due to excess protein or crystalline compounds appearing in the urine making it cloudy. It does not matter where the infection is. As long as there is an infection, the urine will be bloody or cloudy. (2, 3)

5. Frequent Urination

There are many factors that can increase the frequency of urination including drinking more water, pregnancy, taking certain medications, and more. However, urinary tract infection is also a common cause of an increase in the frequency of urination. It is usually associated with other symptoms such as renal pain and cloudy urine. (4, 5, 6)

4. Foul-Smelling Urine

Having a urinary tract infection means that there are bacteria in the urine, which will affect the smell of the urine and its appearance. Having a foul-smelling and cloudy urine confirm the urinary tract infection clinically without further investigations. (7, 8)

3. Urinary Urgency

Urinary urgency means that sudden urge to go to the bathroom and urinate right now. It happens due to the sudden involuntary contractions of the urinary bladder. Urinary urgency is one of the most common symptoms of urinary tract infections. Along with cloudy and foul-smelling urine, the diagnosis is likely UTI. (9, 10)

2. Abdominal Pain

If you have a urinary tract infection, you may experience pain in the lower part of the abdomen. This pain is usually associated with burning urination, increase the frequency of urination, and urinary urgency. Many health conditions cause abdominal pain but as long as there are renal symptoms, the cause is likely UTI. (11, 12)

1. Mid-Back Pain

Bladder infections usually spread along the urinary tract and may even further. This spread is usually associated with mid-back pain. It differs from the muscular back pain because the former does not get relieved with any change in position of doing certain physical activity. If you have mid-back pain due to UTI, it is usually associated with fever and chills. (13, 14, 15)