Urinary Tract Infection Specialist
Advance Southern Westchester Medical
Sherif El-Masry, MD
Urologist located in Yonkers, NY
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect individuals of all ages and cause symptoms that include burning with urination, dribbling small amounts of urine, and pain in the lower abdomen or back. Sherif El-Masry, MD, at Advanced Urology in Yonkers, New York, is a top-rated urologist who is well-known for his experience and skill in diagnosing and treating UTIs. If you’re experiencing UTI symptoms, schedule an appointment with Dr. El-Masry at Advanced Urology today. Call the office or book your visit online.
Urinary Tract Infection Q & A
What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
UTIs are bacterial infections that can affect any part of your urinary system, which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most often, however, they involve the lower urinary tract. This includes the bladder, which collects and temporarily holds urine draining from your kidneys, and/or the urethra, which is the small tube that carries urine out of your body.
Anyone of any gender or age can develop a UTI, but they’re more common in women. This is likely due to anatomical differences, which includes a relatively short urethra that’s in a more vulnerable, bacteria-friendly location in women compared to men.
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
UTI symptoms can vary and often depend on the location of the infection. A kidney infection, for instance, can cause moderate-to-severe pain in your flank region and may include symptoms such as fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Otherwise, common UTI symptoms can include:
- Burning with urination
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Cloudy and/or strong-smelling urine
- Passing small amounts of urine frequently
- Discolored urine that appears red, pink, or cola-colored, which is a sign of blood in the urine
- Pelvic pain
Children develop many of the same UTI symptoms as adults but are also prone to running fevers and may describe their pelvic pain as a “stomach ache.”
What is the treatment for a UTI?
Before Dr. El-Masry starts your treatment, he performs an exam, carefully reviews your medical history, and typically recommends urine studies to determine the extent and nature of your infection.
Urine cultures, for instance, identify the type of bacteria causing your infection. This is important because different strains of bacteria react differently to various classes of antibiotics. A course of oral antibiotics is the standard treatment for a UTI, but an antibiotic that doesn’t kill the bacteria causing the infection is essentially useless.
Dr. El-Masry also spends time determining the cause of your UTI and providing treatment strategies to help prevent future infections. These strategies may include simple changes in behavior or habits. Children, for instance, frequently develop UTIs due to constipation, holding their urine for long periods, or poor hygiene and/or wiping techniques.
If you’re having symptoms of a UTI or difficulty with recurrent UTIs, Dr. El-Masry can help. Schedule a visit today. Call the office or book your appointment online.