Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

About 25 to 40 percent of women have at least one urinary tract infection (UTI) in their lifetime, with recurrent infections occurring in about one-third of those cases. The doctors at Capital Women's Care provide comprehensive urinary tract care, including testing on-site and the treatment you need to eliminate painful symptoms and prevent future UTIs. Don't continue to suffer from symptoms hoping an infection will go away. Call one of their offices in Rockville or Silver Spring, Maryland to schedule an appointment.
​Rockville: 301-424-3444
Silver Spring: 301-593-5595

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) FAQs

What causes a UTI?
UTIs develop when bacteria from outside your body get into the urinary tract. Most UTIs affect the bladder and urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. A severe infection may also affect your kidneys.
UTIs are known by different names, depending on their location:
  • Cystitis: in the bladder
  • Urethritis: in the urethra
  • Pyelonephritis: in the kidneys
What are the symptoms of UTIs?
A mild UTI can clear up on its own, causing few symptoms along the way. When your UTI does cause symptoms though, you’ll experience:
  • Strong need to urinate
  • Need to urinate frequently
  • Burning during urination
  • Cloudy and/or strong-smelling urine
  • Pelvic pain or pressure
  • Slight incontinence
  • Red or pinkish urine

If your UTI spreads to your kidneys, you may also develop:
  • Fever
  • Pain in upper back or side
  • Nausea
Are you at risk for a UTI?
While men rarely develop UTIs before the age of 50, women are highly susceptible at any age because their anatomy makes it easier for bacteria to travel the short distance from the urethral opening to the bladder. Women are also more likely to develop UTIs after having several children and following menopause.
Estrogen protects the health of tissues in the urinary tract. When estrogen levels drop at menopause, you’re more likely to develop urinary tract problems, including UTIs.
How are UTIs treated?
When your doctor at Capital Women's Care suspects you have a UTI, they run a urinalysis or urine culture to verify that you have an infection. If you have frequent UTIs, you may benefit from diagnostic imaging such as ultrasound, MRI, or CAT scans to determine whether you have abnormalities in the urinary tract that could cause infections.
Most acute cases of UTI are treated with prescription antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria. Additional measures often help treat frequent or recurrent UTIs.
If you have two or more UTIs in six months or three in a year, it’s considered to be recurrent cystitis. You may be able to prevent recurrent cystitis by drinking more water because it helps flush bacteria out of your bladder. If you get a UTI after sexual activity, your doctor may prescribe a single-dose antibiotic to take after having sexual intercourse.
UTI testing is done in the office, so don’t continue to suffer from symptoms – call to book an appointment today.
​​​​​​​​Rockville: 301-424-3444 | Silver Spring: 301-593-5595