Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, affect the urinary tract, kidney, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Bacteria predominantly cause these, but in some rare cases, fungi and viruses can also trigger the infections. Symptoms include burning urination, increased frequency and urgency of urination, bloody, cloudy, or pungent urine in women, pelvic pain, and rectal pain in men. UTIs are treatable, despite the level of discomfort one feels.

Since different organisms cause different urinary tract infections, the treatment will vary. Typically, an accurate diagnosis requires a urine sample. Doctors ask for a clean catch, meaning you must collect the urine in the middle of the stream.

1. Antibiotics
Since bacteria cause most UTIs, the most common type of treatment is antibiotics. Oral antibiotics can treat lower tract UTIs, that is, infections of the bladder or urethra. On the other hand, upper urinary tract infections, those affecting the kidney or ureters, require intravenous antibiotics. These medicines are injected directly into the veins. This is necessary because the upper urinary tract infections are more severe but thankfully rarer. Most treatments last about a week, but unfortunately, sometimes bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.

• Short-term Treatment
  Simple urinary tract infections happen to people who are healthy and have normal urinary tracts, i.e., no particular susceptibility to UTIs. So, treatment is just a short course of antibiotics. This type of UTI is more common in women. Treatment lasts three days, and the common meds that doctors prescribe include Trimethoprim, Fosfomycin, Ceftriaxone, Nitrofurantoin, and Cephalexin. Even if your symptoms diminish, you should always complete the course because, unless completely treated, the UTIs can recur. Doctors might also prescribe analgesics for the pain and discomfort you feel during urination. For postmenopausal women, doctors may prescribe topical hormone replacement with estrogen to treat their urinary tract infections.
• Long-term Treatment
  Complicated UTIs are infections in urinary tracts that are structurally more susceptible to infections or are due to bacteria that are immune to most antibiotics. Such UTIs are prevalent in men and children. These infections naturally need a longer course of medication. Antibiotic therapy can be intravenously administered for faster treatment. In some cases, doctors suggest oral antibiotics for up to two weeks. Some commonly prescribed medications include Unasyn, Fetroja, Recarbrio, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole, and Ceftriaxone.

2. Anti-fungals and Antivirals
Anti-fungals are the treatment for infections caused by fungi. These are rarer, and the medication is given only to symptomatic and high-risk patients. Medications include Fluconazole, and for resistant fungi, Amphotericin B. Antivirals like Cidofovir help treat the rare viral UTI.

3. Home Remedies
While you cannot depend on home remedies alone to cure your UTIs, these remedies can support allopathic medicines. Be mindful and drink a lot of water to flush out the disease-causing organism. Cranberries are a popular remedy since there are compounds in them that block bacteria from latching onto the lining of the bladder, therefore preventing future UTIs.