Urinary tract infection
Description
An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urinary tract infections.
Alternative Names
Cystitis; UTI
Treatment
Although antibiotics should be used as a cure for most urinary tract infections, severe symptoms can persist for several days until treatment effectively eliminates the bacteria. A number of options are available for relieving symptoms until the antibiotics take action.
Important Note.
It should be stressed that all of the drugs discussed below treat only symptoms and are not cures. They should never be used to replace antibiotics.
Phenazopyridine
Phenazopyridine (Pyridium, Uristat, Barodium, Eridium, AZO Standard) relieves pain and burning caused by the infection. It should not be taken for more than 2 days and should be discontinued when symptoms are relieved.
Side effects include headache and stomach distress. The drug turns urine a red or orange color, which can stain fabric and be difficult to remove. In rare cases, it can cause serious side effects, including shortness of breath, a bluish skin, a sudden reduction in urine output, shortness of breath, and confusion. In such cases, patients should immediately call the doctor.
Antispasm Drugs
Methenamine (Atrosept, Prosed, Urised) or flavoxate (Urispas) reduce bladder spasms, which may occur with some UTIs. These drugs can have severe side effects, however, that the patient should discuss with the doctor.
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Review Date: 6/16/2006
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Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital
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