UTIs can make it hard to sleep because they cause discomfort and make you need to urinate often. They can also cause a burning feeling and pain in your stomach, which can be worse at night. Learning more about UTIs and finding ways to ease the symptoms can help you sleep better and feel better while dealing with the infection.
What is a UTI?
A UTI happens when bacteria get inside your urinary system, which includes your bladder, urethra, and kidneys. UTIs can happen in any of these areas and can cause an infection. They are more common in women, but anyone can get them. UTIs are a common problem that can make you feel uncomfortable.
Symptoms of UTI
If you have a UTI, you might feel some uncomfortable symptoms. Some things to look out for include:
Frequent Urge to Urinate
One of the most common signs of a UTI is feeling like you have to urinate all the time, even when your bladder is almost empty. This can be really annoying and make it hard to do things during the day or sleep well at night.
Burning Sensation During Urination
When you feel a burning sensation when urinating, it's often a sign of a urinary tract infection. This type of infection causes inflammation or irritation in the parts of your body that carry urine. This discomfort during urination is a common symptom of UTIs, and should be addressed promptly by seeking medical care.
Cloudy or Discolored Urine
Your urine may look cloudy or a different color than usual if you have a UTI. It might even have a hint of pink, red, or brown, which could mean that there's some blood in it. This is not normal and is a sign that something is wrong with your urinary system. If this happens, you should see a doctor right away to get it checked out.
Strong or Foul-Smelling Urine
If you have a UTI, your urine may start to smell different. It might have a strong or bad smell, which is usually caused by the bacteria that's causing the infection. This change in smell is another sign that something is wrong, so it's important to get it checked out by a doctor.
Pelvic Pain
Women with UTIs may experience pain or discomfort in their lower abdomen or pelvis. This can feel like pressure or cramping, and it can vary in intensity. It's important to be aware of this symptom, as it can be a sign of a UTI. If you're experiencing pelvic pain, it's a good idea to get it checked out by a doctor.
Lower Back or Flank Pain
If you have a urinary tract infection, you might feel pain in your lower back or sides. This can happen because the infection can spread to the kidneys, which are in the back of the body. This is a serious symptom and you should see a doctor right away if you have it.
Feeling Tired or Unwell
In more serious infections, you can expect to experience fatigue, tiredness, and a general feeling of not being well. These are known as systemic symptoms, and are common when the infection is more advanced.
Fever or Chills
If you start to get a fever, along with shivering or sweating, this could mean that the infection has gotten really bad, and it might be spreading through your body. This could make the infection much more dangerous, so it’s really important to get medical attention as soon as possible.
Home Remedies for UTI
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be painful and annoying, but there are some things you can do at home to feel better. Even though they aren't substitutes for medical treatment, these remedies can help ease your symptoms and make you feel better faster. Here are some home remedies that can help with UTIs:
1. Stay Hydrated
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Drinking plenty of water can help flush bacteria out of the urinary tract, which will make you get better faster. Try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day to stay hydrated and keep your urine healthy.
2. Cranberry Products
Cranberries have stuff in them that can help prevent bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract, which can help reduce the risk of infection. Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplements may be helpful in preventing UTIs. Just be careful with cranberry juice that has a lot of sugar in it, as that can make the infection worse.
3. Use a Heating Pad
When you have a UTI, you may feel pain and discomfort in your lower abdomen. One of the best ways to relieve this pain is to use a heating pad. This can help to relax your muscles, ease inflammation, and provide you with a comforting warmth. If you don’t have a heating pad, you can also try soaking a towel in hot water and applying it to your lower stomach. Either way, this remedy can help to provide much-needed relief and comfort.
4. Practice Proper Hygiene
If you don’t want UTIs to get worse, it’s important to be clean. Every time you go to the bathroom, wipe from front to back. Wear underwear that is comfortable and not too tight, and that is made of cotton.
5. Increase Vitamin C Intake
Eating foods with lots of vitamin C can help your body fight UTIs. Vitamin C is great for your immune system, and it can make your urine more acidic, so bacteria have a harder time living in it. Eat lots of oranges, bell peppers, and strawberries to get more vitamin C.
6. Avoid Bladder Irritants
If you have a UTI, it’s best to stay away from things like coffee, alcohol, spicy food, and sweeteners that are made in a lab. These can make your symptoms worse and irritate your bladder. Instead, eat simple foods that won’t make you feel worse.
7. Empty Your Bladder Frequently
Don’t keep your urine in. If you do, bacteria can grow and make your UTI worse. Go to the bathroom as soon as you need to urinate, especially after having sex. Make sure you empty your bladder completely every time.
8. Try Probiotics
You can try eating yogurt and fermented foods because they have probiotics which are good for your gut and urinary tract. These good bacteria can help stop infections from happening over and over again.
9. Herbal Remedies
You can try drinking teas made with parsley, dandelion, or chamomile, because they can help get rid of water from your body. This can help keep your urinary system clean. But it's important to talk to your doctor before trying these teas.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
Some folks say that drinking apple cider vinegar mixed with water (about a tablespoon in a whole glass of water) could help your urinary tract because it has stuff in it that can stop bad germs from getting out of control.
11. Rest and Recovery
Make sure to get enough rest so your body can fight the infection better. When you're well-rested, your immune system will be stronger and better able to fight off infections. Try to reduce stress and get plenty of sleep so your body can heal.
Medical Treatments for UTIs
If you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may need medicine to treat the infection, make you feel better, and stop the infection from getting worse. The type of medicine you get will depend on how bad the infection is and where it is. Some common medicines used to treat UTIs are:
1. Antibiotics
The main way to treat UTIs is with antibiotics. The kind of antibiotic, how much you need to take, and how long you need to take it will depend on how bad the infection is and what kind of bacteria caused it. Some of the antibiotics that are usually prescribed are:
Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim): Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole) is a type of antibiotic medication that can be used to treat many types of urinary tract infections (UTIs) that are not too serious. This medication is good at killing the bacteria that cause UTIs, which makes it a good choice for treating these infections.
Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid): Nitrofurantoin (also known as Macrobid) is a medicine that is often used to treat infections in the bladder. It is a good choice for treating bladder infections because it works well at fighting the bacteria that cause these infections.
Fosfomycin:Â Fosfomycin is a medicine that can be used to treat uncomplicated cases of infections in a single dose. Fosfomycin is a good choice for treating these infections because it can be taken in a single dose, which means that you don't have to take it for a long time.
Ciprofloxacin or Levofloxacin:Â Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin are two types of antibiotics that are used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) that are more severe or involve the kidneys. These medications are often used when other antibiotics are not effective or when the infection is more serious. They work by killing the bacteria that are causing the infection.
2. Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help make the discomfort caused by urinary tract infections (UTIs) more bearable. They can help reduce pain in your pelvis or the burning feeling you may have when you pee. In some cases, doctors may prescribe special medications called urinary tract analgesics to help reduce pain and the feeling of needing to pee urgently.
3. Increased Fluid Intake
If you have a urinary tract infection, your doctor may tell you to drink more fluids during treatment. This helps to flush out the bacteria in your urinary tract and helps you to recover from the infection.
4. Hospitalization for Severe Cases
If someone has a really bad UTI that is affecting their kidneys or has spread through their body, they might need to go to the hospital for treatment. At the hospital, the doctors may use things like antibiotics, fluids given through an IV, and other medicines to help the patient get better.
5. Treatment for Recurrent UTIs
If someone keeps getting UTIs, they might need to do some extra things to help prevent them from coming back. Some of these might include:
Prophylactic Antibiotics: If someone gets UTIs a lot, their doctor might prescribe them a low dose of antibiotics that they have to take for a long time. This is to help prevent the infections from coming back. The antibiotics are taken like a medicine to help stop the infections from happening.
Post-Coital Antibiotics:Â Some people are more likely to get UTIs after having sex. If this happens to them, their doctor might give them antibiotics that they have to take after they have sex. This is to help prevent them from getting a UTI after having sex.
Lifestyle and Hygiene Modifications: Changing the way you live and how you take care of yourself to make sure you stay healthy and don't get sick.
6. Addressing Underlying Conditions
If UTIs are caused by other health problems, like kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, or problems with the way the body is made, more treatments may be needed. Surgery or other special procedures might be needed to fix these problems.
7. Follow-Up Testing
Once you've finished your treatment for the UTI, your doctor may ask you to give another urine sample so they can make sure the infection is gone. This is especially important if you've had UTIs before or if they're hard to treat.
Why UTI Pain Happens at Night
UTI pain often gets worse at night because of things happening in your body and things happening around you. Here are the most common reasons why:
1. Reduced Distractions
During the day, you're busy doing things that take your mind off the pain. But at night, when you're just lying in bed and trying to sleep, you don't have anything to distract you from the pain, so it feels worse.
2. Increased Bladder Sensitivity
UTIs can make the bladder really sensitive, so when you lie down at night, the pressure and position of your body might make the irritation and fullness feel worse. That's why you might notice the pain more at night.
3. Hormonal Changes
When you're sleeping, your body doesn't produce as much of the hormone cortisol. This hormone helps to fight inflammation and make pain less severe. When your body doesn't make as much of it at night, the pain and discomfort from a UTI can feel worse.
4. Less Frequent Urination
When you have a UTI, urinating can help get rid of the bacteria that are causing the infection and make your bladder feel better. But at night, you don't urinate as often. That means the bacteria and things in your urine that cause pain and discomfort can stick around in your bladder longer. This makes your symptoms feel worse.
5. Increased Awareness of the Urge to Urinate
When you have a UTI, you may have a constant urge to pee. This urge can be really uncomfortable when you're trying to sleep. The urge may feel even stronger when you're lying down, which can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.
6. Body Position
When you lie flat on your back, it can make the pressure in your belly and bladder feel stronger. That pressure can make your UTI symptoms feel worse. Some people find that it helps to sleep on their side with a pillow under their knees or to sleep sitting up a little bit to take the pressure off.
7. Hydration Patterns
People often drink less water in the evening because they don't want to get up in the night to urinate. But if you don't drink enough water, the urine can become more concentrated and irritate the lining of your bladder. This can make the symptoms of a UTI feel worse.
8. Circadian Rhythm
Your body has an internal clock, which is called the circadian rhythm. It helps control a lot of things, including how much pain you feel. Pain can change throughout the day, and sometimes it can feel worse at night, which is when your UTI pain might feel more intense.
When to See a Doctor
If your UTI isn't too bad, you may be able to take care of it yourself at home. But there are some cases where you'll need to see a doctor so things don't get worse. Here's when you should see a doctor:
Persistent or Worsening Symptoms: If you’re still feeling the UTI symptoms like pain when you urinate, or you have to urinate all the time, and these symptoms don’t get better after two days, you should go to the doctor.
High Fever or Chills:Â If you have a high fever or chills, this could mean that the infection has spread to your kidneys. This is a serious problem and you need to see a doctor right away.
Severe Back or Flank Pain: If you’re having a lot of pain in your back or sides, this could be a sign that the infection has spread to your kidneys. This is a serious problem and you should get medical help right away.
Blood in the Urine: If you see blood or if your urine is pink, that’s not normal. It means you need to go to the doctor to get checked out.
Recurrent UTIs:Â If you keep getting UTIs, you should see a doctor. They can help you find out why you keep getting UTIs, and they can also help you stop getting them.
Pregnancy:Â If you're pregnant and have UTI symptoms, you need to see a doctor right away. UTIs during pregnancy can cause serious problems for you and your baby.
Underlying Health Conditions: People who have diabetes, weak immune systems, or kidney stones need to see a doctor right away if they have UTI symptoms. These things can make UTIs more dangerous.
Inability to Urinate:Â If you have trouble or can't urinate, and you're in pain, it could mean there's a blockage or a really bad infection.
Symptoms in Children or Elderly Adults: UTIs can show up in different ways in kids and older adults. For example, kids may have a fever, and older adults may seem confused. If you see these symptoms in someone, they need to be checked out by a doctor right away.
Symptoms After Treatment:Â If you still have UTI symptoms after you finish your medicine, or if they come back, you should see a doctor again. They might need to do more tests or give you more medicine.
At Volusia Medical Center, we want to help you stay healthy and avoid problems with your urine. If you're worried about UTIs, or want to learn how to prevent them, our team of doctors is here for you. We care about your health, and we'll work hard to make sure you feel better. So if you have questions, or need help with UTI problems, please contact us today and schedule an appointment to talk to one of our doctors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, UTIs are common but if they are not treated, they can cause big problems. It’s important to know the signs and to get medical attention if you need it. There are things that you can do to help prevent UTIs and make them better if you have one, but if it’s bad or if the symptoms get worse, you should see a doctor. The doctor can give you the right treatment and help you to feel better. Taking care of your body and being careful about UTIs can keep you healthy and happy.
FAQs
1. Why is UTI pain worse at night?
When you sleep at night, your body makes more concentrated urine, which can make your bladder feel more irritated. Plus, lying down can also make the irritation worse. And since there are fewer things to distract you from your pain, you might feel it more when you're trying to sleep.
2. How to get rid of a UTI fast?
The best way to get rid of a UTI fast is to drink lots of water, take the medicine your doctor gives you, and stay away from things that make your bladder hurt. Doing these things should make you feel better and get rid of the infection quickly.
3. What is the best over-the-counter UTI medicine?
If you want to get over-the-counter medicine for a UTI, phenazopyridine is a common choice. It can help with the pain for a short time, but it doesn't actually treat the infection. If you want to get rid of the infection, you need to see a doctor and get antibiotics.
4. Is it safe to take painkillers every night for UTI discomfort?
Taking painkillers like ibuprofen every night for UTI discomfort is not a good idea unless a doctor tells you to. They can help with pain relief in the short-term, but it's important to talk to a doctor if you need to take them for a longer time.
5. When should I worry about my UTI symptoms at night?
If you have UTI symptoms like fever, a lot of pain, or blood in your urine, you should get medical help right away, even if it's at night. And if your symptoms are still there after you've tried to treat them, you should also go to the doctor.
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