what happens if a uti goes untreated

[julian q]

will it go away by itself?
will drinking large amounts of water flush a uti out?

[smokey]

If you have a UTI, it must be treated with the proper antibiotic. It will not go away by itself and you cannot simply flush it out of your system by drinking large amounts of fluid. Left untreated, you will get a headache, temperature, chills, sweating, body pains, your heart will stop pumping, your blood will coagulate-the stench will be great.

[stephen212]

Aside from all the miserable symptoms that accompany UTIs (bladder infections), the greatest threat, and the reason it is crucial to treat them, is because of the risk of the infection spreading to the kidneys.

It's important not to lose sight of what proper urological care is all about for someone with an SCI -- maintaining the health of your kidneys.

[paulsask]

Greetings

There seems to be a difference of opinion.
I just got over a very harsh UTI. What really made me mad was I was left out of a 4 day weekend at the lake - which don't come often.
Anyhow, I was hit on a Wednesday p.m. High fever (103), intense chills then hot & sweaty.
Waited till monday to get urine test, had 3 different bugs.
Doctor wanted another sample to try to narrow down which bug it was. Haven't heard from the clinic since.
For 6 days I drank huge amounts of water and took about 4-6 extra strength Tylenol.
Voila, come a week later I felt great. No thanks to my doctor.
Bug may still be in my body somewhat, but my immune system has it under control.

Thanks

[SCI-Nurse]

Julian q - Both paulsask and Smokey have described well the symptoms of a UTI; when these exist, an antibiotic is needed. In a Consensus Statement on the use of antibiotics for UTI's, it is now recommended that antibiotics be used with discretion. i.e. when a person does not have the full-blown symptoms referenced above, then a high fluid intake, with possibly added cranberry juice or tablets is appropriate; if one develops an elevated temperature, signs of AD, etc., then an antibiotic will be prescribed.

Stephen has stressed accurately the crucial concern in the presence of a UTI, i.e. Kidney and ureter infections. Persons with frequent UTI's are also at greater risk of developing ureter and kidney problems. The most important thing you can do in bladder management is to empty your bladder on a regular basis, do not allow more than about 400cc to collect at any one time, drink at least 8 - 8oz glasses of fluids daily (between breakfast and dinner, tapering off in the evening). It is recommended that your beverage of choice be water; other fluids should be consumed in moderation and carbonated beverages should be limited to one per day. CRF

[Scorpion]

Why only one carbonated beverage per day? What does carbonation have to do with anything? I understand how caffeine can dehydrate you, but what does carbonation do besides make you burp?

~Rus

[SCI-Nurse]

Scorpion - I, too, have just learned that a large quantity of carbonated drinks will cause the environment of the bladder to be more alkaline, which causes one to be more prone to infections/bacteria. i.e. It creates an environment favorable to bacterial growth. CRF

[Scorpion]

Learn something new everyday. Hmm, i'm still trying to figure out why it would decrease the acidity of the bladder, but i'll take your word for it...for now. Oh well, I've been cutting back my soda intake anyway just because I need to lose some weight.

~Rus

[rdf]

I've had many uti's where I treated them myself, with lots of water, cranberry juice, and rest. I've only had to take antibiotics for a uti twice in 15 years. If you can catch it early enough I believe, you can prevent it from escalating. Know your body.

[SCI-Nurse]

For those of you who used Spinewire and the SpinalNurse Forum, you may recall that there was considerable discussion re: cranberry tablets. Many who take them have reported a reduction in the frequency of UTI's. CRF