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Can the urinary tract heal itself?

While some UTIs may go away without antibiotic treatment, Dr. Pitis cautions against foregoing antibiotics. “While it's possible for the body to clear a mild infection on its own in some cases, it can be very risky not to treat a confirmed UTI with antibiotics,” says Dr. Pitis.

scripps.org - Can a Urinary Tract Infection Go Away on Its Own? - Scripps Health

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About half of all women will have a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lifetime, and most will be treated with antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

While these medications have long been the standard treatment for a UTI, concerns about unnecessary antibiotic use and the growing problem of antibiotic resistance have raised questions about whether the drugs are always needed. Without antibiotic treatment, will a UTI go away on its own?

First, it helps to understand what a UTI is. UTI is classified into two broad categories, uncomplicated, also known as cystitis, and complicated, such as pyelonephritis, catheter-associated, UTI during pregnancy and UTI in setting of kidney stone. When bacteria invade the urethra (the opening to the urinary tract) and track upwards to the bladder, it causes infection and inflammation in a normally sterile environment. In most cases, UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria normally found in the bowels that venture out to an area in our body where it is not used to being. A mild UTI causes symptoms, including painful urination, constantly feeling the need to urinate and cramping pain in the lower abdomen. In the elderly population, a mild UTI can even cause confusion. Symptoms from a complicated UTI include fever, lower back pain, blood in urine, and even pus in urine. “Not only are bladder infections painful, but also can be dangerous if left untreated. Bacteria from a bladder infection can easily travel to the kidneys and cause serious problems, including infection of the kidneys, known as pyelonephritis with or without abscess; a blood stream infection or bacteremia; cardiovascular collapse, also known as shock; and potential kidney failure,” says Varinthrej Pitis, MD, an internal medicine physician at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley. “Early use of antibiotics can eliminate the infection and prevent complications.”

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