A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria in any part of the urinary system cause symptoms. A diagnosis is made mainly on your symptoms. Urine dipstick tests are only used for women under 65 who don’t have a catheter.

Are you drinking enough?

Drink enough fluids. Regular drinks, like water or squash will boost hydration and help your body stay healthy. The NHS England Eatwell Guide recommends that people should aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day. Your bladder can be irritated by too much alcohol, fizzy drink or caffeine.

Stop bacteria spreading from your bowel into your bladder

• Keep your genital area clean and dry. Avoid scented soaps. Change incontinence pads often, and clean your genital area if soiled.
• Pee after having sex.
• Wash the external vaginal area with water before and after sex
• Wipe your genitals from front to back after using the toilet.

Repeated UTIs

• If you are female and past the menopause, vaginal hormone treatments may help.
• If you are male, ask for support from your healthcare professional.
• You could try taking cranberry dietary supplements, D-mannose (for younger women) or probiotics. Some women find these effective. The evidence to support their use is inconclusive.

Signs and symptoms in ALL adults

• Burning pain when peeing
• Peeing at night more often than usual
• Cloudy urine
• Peeing more often than usual
• Feeling the need to pee immediately
• Blood in your urine
• Pain in your lower tummy

If you have a catheter, also consider these symptoms

• Shivering or shaking
• High or low temperature
• Kidney pain in your back just under the ribs
• New or increased confusion, change in behaviour or being unsteady on your feet

These symptoms may be more noticeable in older, frail adults

Wetting yourself more often than usual

New or increased confusion, change in behaviour, or being unsteady on your feet

High or low temperature

Shivering or shaking

• Pain or discomfort after sex
• A sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Vaginal changes during or after the menopause

• Pain
• Poor sleep
• Constipation
• Side effects of medicine
• Poor diet
• Other infection
• Not drinking enough
• Change in routine or home environment

What you can do

Drink enough fluids. Aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water or squash a day

Take paracetamol regularly, up to 4 times a day to relieve pain

You could try taking cranberry capsules or cystitis sachets. Some women find these effective. The evidence to support their use is inconclusive.

What your pharmacist, nurse or doctor may do

Give self-care advice and advise you to take pain relief (paracetamol or ibuprofen)

Ask you for a urine sample to test

You may be given an antibiotic to take immediately or take if your symptoms don’t improve or you start to feel worse.

You may be referred to another healthcare provider

• You may be prescribed antibiotics to take at night or after sex
• Vaginal hormone treatments may help some women after the menopause

Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them may put you and your family at risk.

You should see a health professional if you have UTI symptoms and:

• your symptoms are getting a lot worse, or not starting to improve within 2 days of starting antibiotics; or
• you are pregnant, male or you have recently had an operation

The following symptoms could be signs of a serious urinary infection and should be assessed urgently

Shivering, chills and muscle pain

Not going for a pee all day

Trouble breathing

Blood in your urine

Feeling very confused, drowsy, or having slurred speech

Temperature above 38ºC or below 36ºC

Kidney pain in your back just under the ribs

Very cold skin

Vomiting

If you have the symptoms above, contact your GP urgently or use the following services for your region.