UTI, better known as urinary tract infection, is a condition in someone’s body which affects any region of the urinary tract. The type of urinary tract infection one has is called relative to the area of the urinary tract that is affected. The parts that could be affected by a UTI include your bladder (where it is called bladder infection or cystitis); kidneys (commonly known as kidney infection or pyelonephritis); ureters (that are rarely affected); and urethra (where a person gets urethritis).
The kinds of UTI medication that will be prescribed to you typically belong to the antibiotics family. It’s hard to say which medication you will be prescribed for your UTI, it will depend on your general state of health and the bacterium that is present in your urine.
For simple infections, the following are the usual medications prescribed: Levofloxacin or Levaquin; Ciprofloxacin or Cipro; Ampicillin; Nitrofurantoin, such as Macrodantin and Furadantin; Amoxicillin, like Moxatag and Larotid; and Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, including Septra and Bactrim. Typically, the medications mentioned should clear up symptoms within just a few days of treatment, although you will have to keep taking your UTI medication for up to a week or more, depending on what you were instructed by your doctor to ensure that the infection has been completely addressed.
In instances wherein you have a urinary tract infection that is not complicated, occurring in a time wherein you are otherwise healthy, a shorter medication period may be prescribed to you instead, lasting just up to three days. Managing a urinary tract infection may include pain medications if you experience pain in your bladder. The analgesics used to treat UTI will oftentimes turn your urine orange or red, so don’t let this alarm you.
A longer treatment or a set of short antibiotics may be necessary for frequent urinary tract infections. You may also be recommended to do home urine tests so you can frequently check the progress of your condition.
An antibiotic may be prescribed for you after sexual intercourse if your infection is related to the sexual activities. An estrogen therapy for post-menopausal ladies can be a good option to reduce urinary infection incidence. In instances where the conditions are more severe, a UTI medication may not be effective. In this case, an intravenous antibiotic and hospital stay is recommended.
An important factor in whether your condition improves, is the action you take to resolve it. For starters, make sure that you stick to the treatment program prescribed for you so that the infection in your urinary tract can be properly and thoroughly eliminated.
Infection may bounce back and more stronger then before if you have stopped the medication in the midway. A stronger antibiotic will have to be prescribed if this happens, to kill off the stronger infection in your body. To avoid this, best to do it properly the first time around.
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