Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Diseases and Conditions

Overview Symptoms Causes Risk factors Complications Prevention Diagnosis Treatment Lifestyle and home remedies Alternative medicine Preparing for an appointment

Urinary tract infections don't always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include:

A strong, persistent urge to urinate
A burning sensation when urinating
Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
Urine that appears cloudy
Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine
Strong-smelling urine
Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

UTIs may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions in older adults.

Each type of UTI may result in more-specific signs and symptoms, depending on which part of your urinary tract is infected.


Part of urinary tract affected	Signs and symptoms
Kidneys (acute pyelonephritis)	Back pain or side (flank) pain High fever Shaking and chills Nausea Vomiting
Bladder (cystitis)	Pelvic pressure Lower abdomen discomfort Frequent, painful urination Blood in urine
Urethra (urethritis)	Burning with urination Discharge

Contact your doctor if you have signs and symptoms of a UTI.