Urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of our urinary system . This can involve the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urine passage.

Usually UTI involve only the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urine passage. However if left untreated it can cause serious complication such as kidney infection, abscess, scarring of the kidney, recurrent urine infection. Therefore it is important to recognize the symptoms of UTI.

Symptoms of UTI include:

1. Urgency to urinate
2. Burning sensation when urinate
3. Frequent urination 
4. cloudy and smelly urine
5. abdominal pain
6. It can sometime be no symptoms but just fever.

Women are at greater risk of developing UTI due to their anatomy.

Your doctor would likely check your temperature, examine your abdomen and might do a urine test to confirm a UTI

We normally treat uti with antibiotic and pain medication. You can also help to clear UTI by drinking plenty of water to flush out the infection, Avoid drinks that may irritate your bladder such as coffee and alcohol.

To prevent further UTI

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Dun hold your bladder
3. Empty your bladder soon after intercourse
4. And for ladies - Wipe from front to back after urination and avoid potentially irritating feminine products such as deodorant around the genital area

For some unfortunate cases where one gets frequent UTI ( 3 or more a year), we might need to consider:

1. Low dose antibiotics for for six months or sometime longer

2. Or single dose of antibiotic after sexual intercourse if your infections are related to sexual activity

3. or consider taking cranberry extract

Please see your family doctor if you have any symptoms of UTI. 

尿路感染是指我们泌尿系统任何部位的感染。这可能涉及肾脏，输尿管，膀胱和尿液通道。

通常尿路感染仅涉及下尿路 – 膀胱和尿道。然而，如果不治疗，这可引起严重的并发症，如肾脏感染，肾脏脓肿，肾脏疤痕和复发性尿液感染。

尿路感染的症状有：

1. 排尿时疼痛
2. 频尿
3. 尿急
4. 尿混浊
5. 腹痛
6. 发烧。

为防止泌尿道感染 您可:

1. 喝大量的水
2. 避免憋尿
3. 性交後立即排尿、
4. 女性在排尿后记得从前到后擦拭
5. 以及女性尽可避免在生殖器区域使用刺激性的产品如除臭剂

对于復發性的泌尿道感染（通常规定为一年超过三次),我们可能需要考虑

1. 六个月或更长时间的低量抗生素
2. 或，如果因性行为而造成的感染，在性行为後立即服用抗生素
3. 或，服用蔓越莓果汁或膠囊

如果您有任何尿路感染症状，请联系您的家庭医生。

(The article is provided only for medical  education purposes. It is by no mean to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. These are medical procedures performed by medical professional and should not be performed in a non-medical setting. Please contact your own physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition.)