When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor whenever you have frequent urination, an intense urge to urinate, discomfort during urination or other symptoms of a urinary tract infection. You also should seek medical attention if you have symptoms of a kidney infection, such as fever, nausea, vomiting and pain in the side or back. It is especially important for any pregnant woman who has symptoms of an upper or lower urinary tract infection to call her doctor immediately.

Prognosis

Once a woman has been cured of cystitis, she has a 20% chance of developing a second infection. After the second infection, she has a 30% risk of developing a third. If a woman has three or more episodes of cystitis within one year and the structure or anatomy of the urinary tract is normal, her doctor may prescribe a special antibiotic regimen to decrease the risk of future infections. Women with frequent infections also can monitor their urine with special dipsticks to detect the first signs of bacteria in the urine, even before symptoms of infection begin.

Additional Info

National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Disorders Office of Communications and Public Liaison Building 31, Room 9A04 31 Center Drive, MSC 2560 Bethesda, MD 20892-2560 Phone: (301) 496-4000 E-Mail: niddk_inquiries@nih.gov http://www.niddk.nih.gov/

American Foundation for Urologic Disease 1000 Corporate Blvd. Suite 410 Linthicum, MD 21090 Phone: (410) 689-3990 Toll-Free: (800) 828-7866 Fax: (410) 689-3998 Fax: (410) 689-3998 http://www.afud.org/