Infections of the Urinary Tract are extremely common, accounting for more than 8 million doctor's visits a year. Approximately 8 - 10 million people in the USA develop a UTI each year. Men, women and children develop UTI's.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's) usually occurs when bacteria enter the opening of the urethra and multiply in the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the two kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder itself, and the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the urethral opening).

Twenty percent of women in the United States develop a UTI and twenty percent of those have a recurrence. Urinary tract infections in children are most common in those under the age of 2. (More on causes and risk factors)

Infections in women

Women are more prone to UTI's, probably because they have shorter urethras which therefore pass bacteria into the urinary tract more easily.

Statistics show that one in every five women will develop a UTI during her lifetime. Some women are prone to recurring infections.

Women who have had more than three UTI's are likely to continue to develop recurrences within 18 months of a UTI. In severe cases this can be even more frequent.

Infections in men

Men are not as prone to UTI's as women, but infections are still common. The prostate gland in men produces secretions that retard the growth of bacteria and a healthy prostate is one of the best defenses against UTI's in men (see Prostate Info).

While men develop UTI's less frequently than women, their infections tend to be more severe. UTI's in men are often caused by an obstruction (e.g. a urinary stone) or an enlarged prostate.

Symptoms of Lower UTI (Cystitis, Urethritis) in Adults:

* Back pain
* Blood in the urine (hematuria)
* Cloudy urine
* Inability to urinate despite the urge
* Fever
* Frequent need to urinate
* Painful urination (dysuria)
* Malaise (general discomfort)