Male Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Gender words are used here to talk about anatomy and health risk. Please use this information in a way that works best for you and your doctor as you talk about your care.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most often caused by bacteria that invade the urinary tract. The bacteria may come from outside the body. Or they may travel from the skin outside the rectum into the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. Pain in or around the urinary tract is a common symptom for most UTIs.

Women more commonly get UTIs than men. That's because their urethra is shorter. Older men get UTIs more commonly than younger because older men may have an enlarged prostate. A UTI in a male is usually a sign that something is wrong with their urinary system. Using a catheter also increases the risk for UTI.

Most UTIs are treated with antibiotics. These kill the bacteria. How long you need to take them depends on the type of infection. Take antibiotics exactly as directed until all of the medicine is gone. If you don't, the infection may not go away and may become harder to treat in the future.

The lifestyle changes below will help get rid of your current infection. They may also help prevent future UTIs:

• Drink plenty of fluids, such as water, juice, or other caffeine-free drinks. This helps flush bacteria out of your system.
• Empty your bladder when you feel the urge to urinate and before going to sleep. Urine that stays in your bladder makes an infection more likely.
• If you are uncircumcised, pull the foreskin back and wash under the foreskin each time you take a bath or shower.

Follow up with your doctor as advised if your symptoms continue or return after finishing all of the antibiotic medicine. Your doctor may do tests to make sure the infection has cleared. If needed, more treatment can be started.

Contact your doctor right away if you have:

• Frequent urination.
• Pain or burning when you pass urine.
• A weak urine stream.
• The feeling that you can't empty your bladder.
• A fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by your doctor.
• Urine that looks dark, cloudy, or reddish in color. This may mean that blood is in the urine.
• Urine that smells bad.
• Pain even when not urinating.
• Tiredness.
• Pain in the belly below the bellybutton, or in the back or side below the ribs.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• A strong urge to urinate, but only a small amount of urine is passed (dribbling).
• Confusion or you feel very tired (in older adults).