Key takeaways
- The key sign that your urinary tract infection (UTI) is going away with antibiotics is that your symptoms will reduce. You may notice less pain when urinating or less urgency to use the bathroom.
- At-home testing strips can be a useful tool to monitor your progress and determine if the antibiotics are effectively combating the infection, especially if you are prone to recurrent UTIs.
- It is vital to finish the entire course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor, even if you feel better, to prevent the bacteria from developing resistance and to avoid potential complications like kidney infections or sepsis.
Overview
UTIs affect different areas of your urinary tract, such as the bladder or kidneys. They are the most common type of bacterial infection that requires medical care.
Most UTIs are the result of a bacterial infection. To treat the infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria or prevent it from reproducing, which stops the infection from spreading.
When you start a course of antibiotics for a UTI, it’s important to keep track of your symptoms, as some types of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and other bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, meaning they might not work as they should.
Being aware that your treatment is ineffective means you can talk with a healthcare professional about alternative medication before your symptoms worsen.
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How to know if antibiotics are working
Depending on the severity and location of your infection, treatment can last between 3 days and 6 weeks. There are some signs to look out for to let you know if your treatment is working.
Symptoms easing
The clearest way to know if your course of antibiotics is working is by noticing that your symptoms start to subside. These symptoms include:
- Painful urination: The pain you may experience during urination will start to go away or disappear completely.
- How often you urinate: You will not need to pee as frequently as before you started treatment.
- Appearance of urine: Your urine starts to look and smell typical again.
- Lower abdomen pain: Feelings of pain and pressure at the bottom of your abdomen, around the area of your bladder, start to reduce in severity.
The symptoms that you experience during a UTI vary from person to person. Typically, the infection clears up before the end of the course of antibiotics, within about 2 to 4 days, and you should notice your symptoms disappearing. However, you must continue the dosage until the course finishes.
Stopping treatment early can increase the chance that the bacteria causing the infection will become resistant to the antibiotic, making it much harder to treat in the future.
Home test strips
If you notice symptoms of a UTI, you can check for infection using an at-home dipstick test. These are available over-the-counter (OTC) at your local pharmacy and online.
These are particularly helpful if you are at risk of or experience recurrent UTIs, if you are sexually active, or if you have a family history of frequent UTIs.
If you’ve finished your course of antibiotics but are still experiencing symptoms, taking a home test can help determine if your immune system is still fighting off a UTI or if something else is causing your symptoms.
At-home tests look for different factors that indicate an infection. Some tests measure the presence of nitrites in your urine. Healthy urine contains nitrates. In a person with an infection, these nitrates turn into nitrites. These tests can be over 90% accurate, although they may not detect every kind of bacteria.
Other at-home tests measure leukocyte esterase, which is a substance that your white blood cells produce; this indicates that your immune system is fighting off an infection.
These tests can help determine whether you may have a UTI or whether your course of antibiotics is working well and the infection is disappearing. They are not a suitable replacement for speaking with a doctor or another healthcare professional.
Signs your UTI isn’t going away
If you finish your course of antibiotics, but your symptoms persist or worsen, it’s important that you speak with the prescribing doctor. They can help you determine why your symptoms are not going away and recommend the best next step.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, get medical care as soon as possible:
- night sweats
- fever above 101°F
- pain in your lower back or groin
- flushes or red skin
- confusion or mental changes, which is more common in older people
- nausea and vomiting
- fatigue
UTI symptoms that worsen or change can be a sign of a kidney infection. This happens if the infection persists and spreads beyond the bladder. Also, nearly 25% of sepsis cases can start from a UTI. Sepsis is a serious complication that can be life threatening if not treated.
UTI treatments
If you seek medical advice for a UTI by speaking with a doctor, they will typically prescribe antibiotics. This is because E. coli is the most common cause of UTIs, and UTIs are the most common type of bacterial infection that requires medical care.
However, viral and fungal infections can also cause UTIs.
Medications
Some of the most common antibiotics for UTIs include:
- amoxicillin clavulanate (Augmentin)
- ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan)
- trimethoprim (Proloprim)
- nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)
- sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim)
The type of antibiotic that a doctor prescribes will depend on the location of the infection along the urinary tract. For example, if your UTI spreads further up the urinary tract to the kidneys, you may need intravenous antibiotics. This refers to antibiotics being administered via a vein, which allows them to enter your bloodstream directly.
If antibiotics do not clear your symptoms, you may have a fungal or viral UTI. A doctor will perform a test to determine the cause of the UTI and prescribe antifungals like fluconazole (Diflucan) or antivirals like acyclovir (Zovirax), depending on the results.
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Get free cardNatural remedies
While no home remedies will cure a UTI, there are some things you can do to make your medications work better and relieve symptoms faster.
These include:
- Cranberry juice: Some people claim that the use of cranberries can help prevent recurring UTIs. However, this is scientifically inconclusive, with more research needed to say for certain. It can help keep you hydrated and help flush the bacteria out, although it’s likely no better than water for this.
- Drinking excess water: Increasing your daily water intake can help prevent UTIs from developing. It can also help flush the bacterial infection from your urinary tract quickly. If your urine is light yellow, this is a sign you’re drinking enough water. Darker urine is a sign you need to drink more.
- Do not hold the need to pee: Holding in your urine, especially when you have a UTI, can worsen the infection. Also, if you have a vagina, you must remember to wipe front to back. Peeing after sexual intercourse is also important to help prevent UTIs.
Online care for UTI
It’s important to seek the right treatment for UTIs to help you feel better as soon as possible.
Online care services, including Optum Perks Online Care, may make getting treatment easier. With these services, you can submit an online form answering a few questions about your symptoms, and a US-licensed healthcare professional will respond soon after to prescribe a treatment plan.
Summary
As a UTI goes away and treatment starts to work, you may notice your symptoms starting to ease, like pain during urination and in your abdomen.
Using at-home testing strips can help you track your treatment process and determine whether your UTI is disappearing. If a doctor prescribes antibiotics, it’s essential that you finish the course even if your symptoms clear before completing the course.
Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on many prescription medications. Plus, you can now get them delivered to your home in as little as 3 days. Search for your medication here.