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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your symptoms are typical of a urinary tract infection and you're generally in good health, antibiotics are the first line of treatment. Which drugs are prescribed and for how long depends on your health condition and the type of bacteria found in your urine.
Simple infection
Drugs commonly recommended for simple urinary tract infections include:
- Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox)
- Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrodantin)
- Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
- Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (Bactrim)
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 recommended 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 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 — bright blue or orange.
Recurrent infection
If you have recurrent urinary tract infections, your doctor may recommend a longer course of antibiotic treatment or a self-treatment program with short courses of antibiotics at the outset of your urinary symptoms. Home urine tests, in which you dip a test stick into a urine sample, are now available that are highly sensitive and may be helpful if you experience recurring infections.
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.
