Breaking the Stereotype: Managing UTIs in Men
When you think of urinary tract infections (UTIs), does the image of a young woman first come to mind? While UTIs are far more common in women, it’s important to remember that anyone can get a UTI – including men.
Around 1 in 20 men
will suffer a UTI in their lifetime
A UTI is where bacteria get into your urinary system causing a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including things like painful urination in men.
These types of infections can happen whether we are male or female and there are times in our lives when UTIs are more common. For example, we are more likely to get a UTI when we are very young, have certain health problems or as we get old.
Discover more about recognising UTI symptoms in men, how to prevent them and when it’s a good idea to talk to a health professional.
Did you know there are times when males may be just as likely (or even more likely) to get a UTI than similar aged females?
- Boys under 6 months old are about twice as likely to get a UTI than girls of the same age
- UTIs are just as likely to reoccur in boys as in girls before they are 1 year old – but after this point, girls are more prone to have problems with UTIs
- While male adults and teenagers are far less likely to get UTIs than their female counterparts, as men age the risks of suffering from UTIs increases.
- In older men, the risk of having a UTI is almost the same as in older women.
If you have a baby or young child with a UTI please consult your doctor immediately.
What causes UTIs in men?
Most UTIs are linked to bacteria commonly present in the body, these bacteria may get into the urinary tract and because they don’t normally live in there, they can cause an infection to develop.
These bacteria get into your urinary tract through the urethra (the tube that drains urine from your bladder through your penis) and can quickly multiply in your urine, causing irritation and inflammation to the lining of your urinary tract.
Sometimes there may be another health condition that increases the risk of getting a UTI, while at other times there may be no apparent reason for the problem:
- Younger men (under 50 years) tend not to get UTIs, but if they do it is usually related to unprotected sex, being uncircumcised or an abnormality in the structure of their urinary tract, which is often genetic and present from birth.
- UTIs are more common in older men (over 50 years) when an enlarged prostate gland or kidney and bladder issues become more of a problem – these conditions may restrict or block the flow of urine from the bladder.
- Less frequent urination or not fully emptying the bladder gives bacteria the chance to grow and flourish in the stale urine.
Find out more about the causes of UTIs
What are the signs of UTIs in men?
While the causes may be different, the signs and symptoms of a UTI are similar to those experienced by women.
Typical male UTI symptoms include:
- Pain or a burning sensation when urinating (peeing)
- Having to urinate more often than usual
- Feeling an urgent need to urinate
Other signs you may have a UTI may include:
- Pass small amounts of urine
- Feeling as though your bladder is still full after urinating
- Waking up at night to urinate
- Your urine is smelly, cloudy or discoloured
- Pain in the lower tummy (abdomen)
Sometimes older men may not have any of these urinary symptoms but may just feel generally unwell or seem suddenly confused.
While it might be tempting to ignore symptoms, if you think you have a UTI it is important to get checked as soon as possible before they get worse. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to serious complications such as kidney infections.
It’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible if you have symptoms of a serious infection, including any of the following:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Back pain
How can men treat and prevent UTIs?
If you suspect you may have a UTI or have any other urinary problems, the best thing to do is to make an appointment with your doctor to get things checked out early and follow the treatment they recommend.
The type of treatment they recommend will depend on what’s causing the infection and may include antibiotics or other medications.
It’s important to look after yourself when you have a UTI so in addition to any treatments recommended by your doctor, the following may help:
- Drink lots of liquids, especially water – this helps dilute your urine and flush bacteria from the body
- Taking a urine alkaliniser – such as Ural Effervescent Powders, makes your urine less acidic and helps provide relief from the painful, burning symptoms of UTIs
- Cranberry juice or supplement – such as Ural Daily Supplement High Strength Cranberry Capsules may help support your day-to-day urinary tract health.
- If repeated UTIs are a problem, try taking Uramet. This non-antibiotic tablet contains the active ingredient methenamine hippurate and is used to help suppress bacteria in urine and helps prevent recurrent UTIs.
Remember to always check with your doctor or pharmacist for any possible interactions with any medications you are taking before taking Ural products.
Learn more about preventing UTIs
