UTI: Symptom and Causes

Symptoms

The symptoms of an infection in upper urinary tract (kidney and ureters) are different from those in lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra).
Symptoms of a lower UTI include

• Urine that appears cloudy and smells bad
• Needing to urinate more often during the day or night, or both
• Burning sensation when urinating
• An urgent need to go to the toilet (holding in your urine becomes more difficult)
• Blood in your urine (haematuria)
• Abdominal pain (tummy)
• A feeling of tenderness around your pelvis
• A general sense of feeling unwell 

Symptoms of an upper UTI include

• A high temperature (fever) of 38 C (100.4 F) or above
• Uncontrollable shivering
• Nausea (feeling sick)
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

With an upper UTI you may also notice pain in your side, back or groin. The pain can range from moderate to severe, and it is often worse when you are urinating.

Causes

• Urinary tract infections are caused by germs, usually bacteria that enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder this leads to infection, which can spread to the kidneys.
• Most of the time, your body can get rid of these bacteria. However, certain conditions increase the risk of having UTIs.