Chronic Urinary Tract Infection

If you have constant (chronic) urinary tract infections, prompt treatment is crucial to prevent severe infections and dangerous complications. At the Texas Infectious Disease Institute in Richardson, Texas, double-board-certified internal medicine and infectious disease specialist Serge Lartchenko, MD, and his experienced team are highly trained in treating chronic urinary tract infections. Call the office today or use the online booking tab to make an appointment.

What are chronic urinary tract infections?

Urinary tract infections, commonly called UTIs, are the second most common infection in the United States and often affect older adults. These infections develop in your urinary tract and usually cause bothersome symptoms.

More than 150 million people worldwide are diagnosed with UTIs yearly, and about 50-60% of women experience UTIs in their lifetime. UTIs are easy to treat, especially when detected in their early stages. However, complications can cause bothersome symptoms and increase your risk of an infection spreading to other areas of your body.

What are the symptoms of chronic urinary tract infections?

The hallmark UTI symptoms are:

• Frequent urination
• Cloudy urine
• Constant urges to urinate
• Consistent abdominal or pelvic pain
• Burning with urination
• Painful urination
• Irritation
• Pink or dark brown urine

Recurrent (chronic) UTIs are defined as having two UTIs within six months or three in a year.

What are the risk factors for chronic UTIs?

The risk factors for developing chronic urinary tract infections include:

• Being a woman
• Being sexually active
• Menopause in women
• Using some forms of birth control
• Urinary tract blockages and other abnormalities
• Weakened immune system
• Undergoing a recent urinary procedure
• Using a catheter

When left untreated, chronic UTIs can cause low birth weight babies in pregnant women, kidney damage, a narrowed urethra in men, and life-threatening infection-related complications.

How are chronic urinary tract infections diagnosed?

Your provider diagnoses chronic urinary tract infections after reviewing your symptoms, discussing your medical history, and analyzing a urine sample. You might also need a CT scan, an MRI, another imaging procedure, or a cystoscopy (inserting a scope into your bladder).

How are chronic urinary tract infections treated?

The standard treatments for frequent urinary tract infections include oral or intravenous (IV) antibiotics. It’s also important to drink plenty of water, eat nutritious foods, and maintain good personal hygiene.

If traditional treatment fails, the Texas Infectious Disease Institute offers combinations of antibiotics that eliminate even the most difficult-to-treat chronic urinary tract infections.

Schedule an evaluation today at the Texas Infectious Disease Institute by phone or online if you suffer from chronic urinary tract infections.