Do You Really Have to Go to the Doctor for a UTI?

We tend to take the sweet satisfaction of relieving ourselves for granted—until we get a urinary tract infection (UTI) that burns like the seventh circle of hell. Sitting on the toilet wincing with each pathetic, thin stream, you know you've got to deal with this. But do you really need to see a doctor? Well. yeah.

There's just no way around this one. According to the Mayo Clinic, UTIs happen when harmful bacteria collects in the urethra, bladder, ureters (the duct that connects the kidneys and bladder), or kidneys. That bacteria gets to your urinary tract in a multitude of ways. You could be wiping from back to front when you go to the bathroom, not wearing breathable undergarments, not going to the bathroom after sex, practicing poor sex toy hygiene, or not staying hydrated enough to flush those pipes properly.

If left untreated, the harmful bacteria that's causing the UTI (like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus species), can eventually work its way up your urinary tract to your kidneys, according to Nitya Abraham, M.D., attending physician in the department of urology at Montefiore Medical Center.

Seeing a doctor for a urine culture is the best way to figure out which bacteria is causing your UTI, and subsequently which antibiotic will work best for treatment.

UTIs can be caused be a variety of bacteria, and not every antibiotic can effectively treat every one. To avoid unnecessary or multiple rounds of antibiotics, you want to make sure you find the source before you start treatment, Dr. Abraham tells SELF.

Oh, and you also want to make sure these symptoms are actually a UTI, Sheila Loanzon, M.D., ob/gyn and author of Yes, I Have Herpes: A Gynecologist’s Perspective In and Out of the Stirrups, tells SELF. UTI symptoms can mimic that of other infections like a vaginal infection caused by yeast or bacteria, an STI, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), kidney stones, and interstitial cystitis. Again, you want to know what you're working with so you can treat it appropriately.

If you don't have insurance, you still have options. Michelle Katz, LPN, health insurance advocate and author of Healthcare for Less, 101 Health Insurance Tips, and Healthcare Made Easy, tells SELF that if you don't have insurance, you can look online for health clinics with a sliding pay scale. This can include urgent care centers, HRSA health centers, county clinics, and Planned Parenthood facilities that charge a sliding scale based on your current income.

Even if you get UTIs all the time and you're pretty sure that's what's going on, it's still a good idea to see a doctor.

It can be so tempting to just call your gyno and say "Hey, UTI here, can you call me in some pills, please?" But don't do that.

“For women with frequent UTIs, the advantage of getting a urine test [each time] is confirming there is indeed an infection and therefore only taking antibiotics when necessary,” Dr. Abraham says. “The culture will also show which antibiotic is appropriate to take.” Plus, you want to tell your doctor that these infections are recurring so that you can pinpoint any underlying causes that could be making you more prone to UTIs.

If you need to buy some time before you can get to a doctor, there are a few things at the drugstore that can help.

If you're not sure if it's a UTI, over-the-counter dipsticks may be able to confirm it for you. These tests look for two factors that point to a UTI: leukocyte esterase (an enzyme released by leukocytes) and nitrite (which signifies a bacteria's presence in the urine), according to Dr. Loanzon. Keep in mind that these tests aren't a guarantee, but they might be helpful if you're on the fence about going to the doctor.

“We use them informally in the office for rapid evaluation and they can be accurate for predicting a UTI up to 70 to 80 percent," Dr. Loanzon says. "Negative results for both tests don't rule out a UTI completely. Over-the-counter UTI strips can be inaccurate as they could have outlived their shelf dating and are not tested daily to ensure accuracy like the ones in the office." So, use the information with a grain of salt, but if you have symptoms and the dipstick is positive, make sure to get to a doctor ASAP.

And if the pain and burning is unbearable, there are OTC pain relievers that specifically target UTI-related pain, like Cystex (with the active ingredient sodium salicylate) and Azo (with the active ingredient phenazopyridine hydrochloride). These are not UTI cures, which is important to remember because you might feel much better after taking them. And, heads up, these might turn your pee bright orange because they include dye so you know they've made their way through your urinary tract. Think of it as a fun, UTI-related party trick.

Finally, make sure you're drinking water. Though Dr. Abraham says studies have not clearly proven that staying hydrated can prevent a UTI or get rid of an existing one, drinking lots of water will help you urinate more frequently and potentially help "flush out" some harmful bacteria in your urinary tract.

Repeat after us: Cranberry juice cannot cure a UTI. That said, some research suggests that it's possible that cranberry helps to prevent the attachment of bacteria to bladder cells, which means it could help prevent UTIs if you're prone to them, says Dr. Abraham. But we're talking pure cranberry here—like that super tart stuff—which most people aren't drinking to begin with. If you want to try cranberry supplements to prevent a UTI, look for a product with a high concentration of proanthocyanidins (PAC), she says. One study published in the journal BioMed Central Infectious Diseases suggests 72 mg of PAC is the optimal dose for UTI prevention.

But, seriously, if you have a UTI, seeing a nurse or doctor should be higher on your to-do list than chugging cranberry juice. “Delayed treatment results in the symptoms lasting longer, and women may develop a kidney infection if not treated," Dr. Abraham says. Nobody has time for that.

Related:

• Can Antibiotics Make Your Birth Control Fail?
• Zosia Mamet's Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Felt Like the Worst UTI Ever
• This Is How Often You Should Pee Every Day

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