Once you’ve learned a little bit about urinary infections, you realize that they can be pretty bad news. Although a mild urinary infection may be only a little uncomfortable, a serious one (when spread to the bladder and kidneys) can even land you in the hospital! Clearly, it’s important to be able to recognize the early symptoms of a urinary infection so that you can seek treatment as quickly as possible. 

     But what symptoms should we look for? The first thing to remember is that different people develop different symptoms for urinary infections, so don’t expect to develop every symptom on the list (you don’t want to anyway- believe me). The most common indications of a urinary infection are:

·         A frequent need to urinate

·         An urgent need to urinate, but with little or no urine produced

·         Slight leaking of urine

·         Burning sensation during urination

·         an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone

·         Pain or burning sensation even when not urinating

·         Cloudy, dark, or milky-looking urine

·         Blood in the urine

·         Urine with a strong or bad odor

·         General feelings of being sick, such as feeling tired or shaky

·         Pain during sexual intercourse

·         Pain in the penis (for males) 

The symptoms of urinary infection in children are somewhat similar: 

• An unexplained and persistent fever

• Irritability

• Eating disorder

• Incontinence

• Loose bowels

     Regarding a urinary infection in children; It is very important to note that unlike adults, children are many times more likely to develop only fever with no other symptoms to their urinary infection! If your child is suffering from an unexplained and persistent fever, you should consider the possibility that he has developed a urinary infection (especially if you notice an obvious change in his urinary pattern). New episodes of bed wetting (enuresis) are a further sign that would suggest the presence of a urinary infection in the body of your child.

    The signs for urinary infections in elderly patients are similarly difficult to trace. In an elderly patient, the only signs of a urinary infection might be confusion or other mental changes. However, urinary infections in elderly patients significantly increase the risk of life-threatening complications such as kidney infection or an infection that spreads to the blood. In older men, a urinary infection can also lead to infection of the prostate gland, which is difficult to treat. For these reasons, it is especially important that urinary infections in the elderly receive prompt treatment.

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