1. Antibacterial Drug Treatment
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are treated with antibacterial drugs. Your doctor will choose the type of drug and length of treatment based on your history and on a urine test to identify the bacteria that are causing your infection. The sensitivity test is especially useful in helping the doctor select the most effective drug. The drugs most often used for treating UTIs include trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Septra, Cotrim, Bactrim), trimethoprim (Trimpex), ampicillin (Polycillin, Principen, Omnipen, Totacillin), amoxicillin (Amoxil, Wymox, Trimox) and nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Furadantin). Four drugs classified as quinolones have recently been approved by the FDA for treatment of UTIs. These drugs include norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), trovafloxin (Trovan) and ciprofloxacin (Cipro).
Your urinary tract infections may be cured with 1 or 2 days of treatment if the infection isn't complicated by any type of obstruction or other disorder. A longer course of medication may be recommended if you are exhibiting any signs of kidney or prostate infection or if you have diabetes. A follow-up urinalysis may be needed to confirm that your urinary tract is free of infection.
2. Methods of Preventing Recurring Infection
If you have experienced three or more urinary tract infections, you are at a high risk of continuing to have them, as 80 percent of women with recurring infections contract another such infection within 18 months of their last UTI. If you have frequent urinary tract infections (three or more per year), you may wish to consult with your doctor about preventative measures. Antibiotics can be used to prevent UTIs, particularly if a single dose of an antibiotic is taken after sexual intercourse or as soon as you feel the onset of any UTI-like symptoms. Research has also shown that if you take a low dose of an antibiotic, such as nitrofurantoin or TMP/SMZ, daily for 6 months or longer, this medication may be effective in preventing your UTIs from recurring, especially if you take the drug at bedtime, so it remains in your bladder longer.
Other methods of preventing UTIs include drinking plenty of water and cranberry or blueberry juice and urinating frequently, as holding urine in the bladder may lead to infection. You should also take care to wipe from front to back after urinating, avoid tub baths (particularly bubble baths) and skip feminine-hygiene sprays and scented douches. Always cleanse your genital area before and after having sex.
3. Infection Caused by Blockages
If your urinary tract infections result from urinary obstructions, they may need to be treated with surgery to remove the blockage. If left untreated, your infection may result in kidney damage, so it is necessary to have it treated right away. UTIs in men are frequently a result of obstructions like urinary stones or enlarged prostates. In some cases, they result from medical procedures involving catheters. Men usually require lengthier antibiotic therapy than do women and may need surgery in order to prevent their prostate glands from becoming infected.
