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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffAntibiotics are typically used to treat urinary tract infections. Which drugs are prescribed and for how long depend on your health condition and the type of bacterium found in your urine.
Simple infection
Drugs commonly recommended for simple urinary tract infections include:
- Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra, others)
- Amoxicillin (Larotid, Moxatag, others)
- Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrodantin, others)
- Ampicillin
- Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
Usually, symptoms clear up within a few days of treatment. But you may need to continue antibiotics for a week or more. Take the entire course of antibiotics prescribed by your doctor to ensure that the infection is completely eradicated.
For an uncomplicated urinary tract infection that occurs when you're otherwise healthy, your doctor may recommend a shorter course of treatment, such as taking an antibiotic for one to three days. But whether this short course of treatment is adequate to treat your infection depends on your particular symptoms and medical history.
Your doctor may also prescribe a pain medication (analgesic) that numbs your bladder and urethra to relieve burning while urinating. One common side effect of urinary tract analgesics is discolored urine — orange or red.
Frequent infections
If you experience frequent urinary tract infections, your doctor may recommend a longer course of antibiotic treatment or a program with short courses of antibiotics at the outset of your urinary symptoms.
Your doctor may also recommend taking home urine tests, in which you dip a test stick into a urine sample.
For infections related to sexual activity, your doctor may recommend taking a single dose of antibiotic after sexual intercourse.
If you're postmenopausal, your doctor may recommend vaginal estrogen therapy to minimize your chance of recurrent urinary tract infections.
Severe infection
For severe urinary tract infections, hospitalization and treatment with intravenous antibiotics may be necessary.
- Schaeffer AJ, et al. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202281144-2/0/1445/0.html. Accessed May 21, 2010.
- Urinary tract infections in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult/index.htm. Accessed May 21, 2010.
- Lentz GM. Urogynecology: Physiology of micturition, diagnosis of voiding dysfunction, and incontinence: Surgical and nonsurgical treatment. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-2/0/1524/0.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Urinary tract infections in children. UrologyHealth.org. http://www.urologyhealth.org/pediatric/index.cfm?cat=07&topic=146. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- McPherson RA, et al. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, et al. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 21st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202781245-4/0/1393/0.html. Accessed May 25, 2010.
- Hooton TM. Recurrent urinary tract infection in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Guay DRP. Cranberry and urinary tract infections. Drugs. 2009;69:775.
- Cranberry. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed May 26, 2010.
- Jepson RG, et al. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2008;CD001321.
- Coumadin (prescribing information). Princeton, N.J.: Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2010. http://www.coumadin.com/for_hcp.aspx. Accessed May 26, 2010.
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