Burning sensation when you urinate Pain or aching in your abdomen Cloudy, unusually colored (dark yellow or greenish), or smelly urine Feeling tired or sick

Pain in the sides or low back Fever or chills Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea Pain when urinating

The doctor may do a rectal exam, if they believe your prostate could be infected. The doctor may do a pelvic exam if there is a discharge coming from your vagina that has an odor. This will help them to rule out a cervical infection. [6] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Family Physicians Organization devoted to improving the health of patients, families, and communities Go to source If you’ve had several UTIs or a complicated infection, the doctor might order images of your urinary tract to rule out kidney stones or blockages.

Ask your doctor about any side effects of the antibiotics and whether you should avoid drinking alcohol during treatment. If you have a history of vaginitis, ask your doctor about yeast infection prevention with a combination of antibiotics and antifungal medication.

Avoid taking ibuprofen or aspirin if you have a kidney infection, because these can cause complications. Do not take pyridium or phenazopyridine until after you have seen your doctor. These oral pain medications are available over-the-counter as treatment for a UTI, but they can color your urine orange and this will invalidate the results of your test.

While cranberry juice has long been thought to treat or prevent UTIs, research has shown that it’s an ineffective treatment and there’s little evidence that it prevents UTIs. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Avoid alcohol, sugary drinks, and caffeine, which can irritate your bladder.

If you don’t have a tub, you can fill a small sitz bath. Sit in the sitz bath so bottom is submerged in the vinegar or baking soda water. Keep in mind that you’ll only need to add a few tablespoons of vinegar or baking soda for a small sitz bath.

Learn forward slightly when you’ve finished urinating to ensure that your bladder is completely empty.

You should also avoid using scented feminine hygiene problems because these can irritate your urinary tract.

If your hands get dirtied with fecal matter, wash them before wiping again (it is fecal bacteria, E. coli that is the culprit in 80 to 95 percent of UTIs).

It’s important to change your underwear every day to prevent germs from traveling to your urinary tract.