When is antibiotic treatment recommended for urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection can affect the bladder or travel up towards the kidneys. Burning urine, needing to pass urine often, urgency and lower abdominal discomfort may point to bladder involvement, but similar symptoms can have other causes. A clinician considers your symptoms, pregnancy status, sex, age, previous infections, kidney health and medicines. A urine test or culture may help, especially when symptoms are unusual, recurrent, severe or not improving. The antibiotic and duration should match the likely site and cause.

Arrange medical advice when urinary symptoms begin, particularly if you are pregnant, have a urinary catheter, kidney problems or repeated infections. Drink normally unless a clinician has told you to restrict fluids, and take prescribed medicine exactly as directed. Do not use someone else's antibiotic or save doses for a future episode. Tell the prescriber about allergies, current medicines and previous urine culture results. Seek review if symptoms do not start improving as expected.

Seek urgent medical help for fever or chills with urinary symptoms, pain in the back or side, vomiting, confusion, faintness or severe weakness. These features can indicate kidney involvement or a more serious infection. Prompt assessment is also needed for worsening symptoms during treatment, inability to keep medicine down or signs of a severe allergic reaction such as facial swelling or breathing difficulty.

Ask whether a urine test is needed, which part of the urinary tract may be affected, how soon improvement should begin and what to do if it does not. Clarify the dose, missed-dose advice, interactions and warning signs that need urgent review.