Male Symptoms of UTI
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of any part of the urinary tract: the bladder, kidneys, ureters or the urethra. Most infections begin in the urethra, the tube that takes urine from the bladder outside of the body, and spread up the urinary tract to the bladder and possibly to the kidneys. Urinary tract infections are more common in women than they are in men, though with age the frequency of UTIs evens out. Diagnosis of UTIs in men can be difficult because the chief symptom, painful urination, is also a symptom of urethritis, a more common illness in men.
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Types of UTIs
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A urinary tract infection is given a different name based on where it is located. An infection of the bladder is called Cystits. An infection of the kidneys is called Pyelonephritis. Each of these conditions has different symptoms.
Symptoms of Bladder Infection
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A bladder infection has the following common symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health: cloudy or discolored urine, frequent need to urinate, painful urination, strong or foul urine odor and pelvic pressure. Less common symptoms include: chills, fatigue, fever, nausea and vomiting. Bladder infection can also cause mental confusion and, in rare cases, pain in the penis.
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Symptoms of Kidney Infection
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Kidney infections occur less frequently than bladder infections, according to the National Institutes of Health. A history of bladder infections or kidney stones can lead to kidney infections. Many of the symptoms of kidney infection are the same as bladder infection, including foul smelling urine, painful urination, cloudy urine, fever and nausea. Symptoms unique to kidney infections include blood in the urine, flushed or warm skin and back pain.
Possible Complications
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Left untreated, an infection of the bladder may spread to the kidneys. A kidney infection may lead to kidney damage or kidney failure. Either a bladder or a kidney infection may lead to sepsis, an infection of the blood, especially in the young and the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. In men, a urinary tract infection can spread to parts of the reproductive system, like the prostate. This sort of transmission is of greater concern for men that it is for women because of how closely interconnected the urinary and reproductive tracts are in men.
Treatment
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Many urinary tract infections will go away on their own, but the National Institutes of Health still recommends seeking medical care. The treatment for most bladder or kidney infections is a simple round of antibiotics. Additional medicine may be prescribed to help lessen the painful symptoms of the infection. Symptoms of bladder infection usually clear up within 24 to 48 hours. Kidney infections take slightly longer to clear up, usually about a week.
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