Key takeaways
- Recurrent UTIs are when you keep getting UTIs, or your UTIs keep coming back. While uncomfortable, they are typically not linked to serious underlying conditions.
- Several factors can increase the risk of recurrent UTIs, including a person’s sex, sexual activity, family history, older age, and certain underlying health conditions.
- To prevent recurrent UTIs, doctors often recommend lifestyle changes such as improved hygiene habits and increased hydration, and they may also suggest trying cranberry products.
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Overview
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) happen due to an overgrowth of bacteria in your urinary tract — the part of your body that manages urination, including your urethra, bladder, and kidneys. They usually aren’t immediately dangerous, but they can cause uncomfortable symptoms, including:
- burning when you pee
- cloudy urine
- blood in your urine
- increased need to pee
For most people, antibiotics and self-care remedies can successfully treat UTIs. But some people may see their UTIs returning time and time again. This is known as a recurrent UTI. There are many reasons why some people might be more susceptible to recurrent UTIs.
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article uses the terms “women,” “men,” or both when discussing people assigned female or male at birth to reflect language that appears in source materials.
While gender is solely about how you identify yourself, independent of your physical body, you may need to consider how your personal circumstances will affect diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.
What are recurrent UTIs?
UTIs are caused by an overgrowth of bacteria — usually E. coli — in your urinary tract. This can happen if your wiping technique allows bacteria from feces to enter your urethra. Around 20% of uncomplicated UTIs in women will go away on their own, and most go away with prescription antibiotics.
According to a 2025 article, healthcare professionals define recurrent UTIs as two or more UTIs in a 6-month period or at least three within a year. Over 50% of women will experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, and 26% will have a recurrence within 6 months.
Treating recurrent UTIs
One important consideration when managing recurrent UTIs is knowing whether a new infection has caused it or whether insufficient treatment has failed to clear up the original infection.
Healthcare professionals treat recurrent UTIs in much the same way as singular infections. However, they may be more likely to discuss preventive and lifestyle measures with you to help reduce the risk of UTIs coming back again and again.
If left untreated, UTIs may lead to kidney infections and damage, and they may even lead to sepsis in very severe instances. Recurrent UTIs aren’t inherently more dangerous than single infections, but having repeated UTIs may increase the chance of experiencing complications, especially if they are due to insufficient treatment.
Can recurrent UTIs be a sign of cancer?
It’s important to note that recurrent UTIs are rarely associated with a serious underlying medical condition like cancer or bladder diseases, although this is possible in some rare instances. If you have concerns or other symptoms of underlying conditions, reach out to a healthcare professional.
Risk factors for recurrent UTIs
Recurrent UTIs don’t necessarily happen because of something you’ve done or something in your lifestyle. If you’ve had a UTI before, the risk of experiencing another one automatically increases. And some people are at a higher risk of recurrent UTIs due to factors outside of their control. Some common risk factors include:
- Your sex: People with vaginas are more likely to experience UTIs because their urethras are shorter than people with penises. This makes it easier for bacteria to cause an infection.
- Sexual activity: Sexual intercourse and introducing a new sexual partner are common risk factors for UTI. The use of spermicides during sex is also linked with recurrent UTIs.
- Family history: Having a family history of recurrent UTIs may mean it’s more likely that you’ll experience them too.
- Older age: Being older or having experienced menopause increases your risk of recurrent UTI. This could be because the hormone changes associated with menopause can affect the growth of healthy bacteria in your body and allowing harmful bacteria to develop.
- Underlying conditions: Some underlying conditions can increase your risk of recurrent UTIs, including structural abnormalities in your urinary tract, bladder diverticula, diabetes, and an overactive bladder.
Treatment for recurrent UTIs
Doctors generally treat recurrent UTIs in the same way as singular infections — with antibiotic medications. However, they might be more cautious about prescribing antibiotics if the recurrence is due to previous ineffective treatment. They will also aim to avoid overprescribing antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance.
Common antibiotics for treating UTIs include:
- nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)
- sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim)
- amoxicillin clavulanate (Augmentin)
- ciprofloxacin (Ciloxan)
- trimethoprim (Proloprim)
The length of time you’ll need to take antibiotics depends on individual factors and the type of antibiotic your doctor prescribes. Treatment can last for as little as 3 days or may last for 1 to 2 weeks, but you should start to notice improvements within 48 hours.
If you have regular recurrent UTIs, doctors might also recommend long term, low dose antibiotic therapy. This involves prescribing low-strength antibiotics over a longer period than regular treatment. This may last for up to 2 years, with regular monitoring at 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment.
This can effectively prevent UTIs for a long time, but many people also notice their infections returning once they stop this treatment.
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Get free cardHow to stop getting UTIs so often
If you are susceptible to recurrent UTIs, your doctor will likely offer advice on lifestyle measures and prevention strategies to help stop UTIs from returning repeatedly.
Maintaining good hygiene habits is essential in helping prevent recurrent UTIs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you pee after any sexual activity and wipe front to back. This will help prevent bacteria from entering your urinary tract.
Staying hydrated not only helps treat active UTIs but may also help prevent them from coming back. A 2019 article discusses the results of a study that aimed to reduce the number of UTIs experienced by people living in care homes in the United Kingdom. The results suggested that starting a hydration regimen reduced the number of UTIs requiring antibiotics by 58%.
Despite mixed evidence that cranberry products can treat UTIs, some evidence suggests they may help prevent them. If you experience recurrent UTIs, healthcare professionals might advise you to try to drink cranberry juice regularly.
Finally, a supplement called D-mannose may help prevent recurrent UTIs. Some 2022 research suggests that when D-mannose is flushed from the body through urine, it can attach to E. coli bacteria that may be present. As a result, the bacteria can no longer attach to cells and cause infection.
Online care for UTIs
If you experience frequent UTIs, you’ll know how important it is to find the right treatment. The symptoms are often uncomfortable, and insufficient treatment is a common cause of recurring UTIs, which may lead to complications.
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
UTIs are widespread, and they can cause uncomfortable symptoms. What’s more, if you’ve had one UTI, you are at a higher risk of experiencing more in the future.
Some people are more susceptible to recurrent UTIs. It isn’t necessarily a sign of any underlying conditions. You may be at a higher risk as you get older or if you have new sexual partners. A family history may also mean you’re more likely to experience recurrent UTIs.
Doctors treat recurrent UTIs with antibiotics, but if you keep getting them, doctors will likely also discuss lifestyle and prevention strategies with you, including increased hygiene and hydration.
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.