In most people, urine is normally sterile (free from germs or bacteria) and the presence of bacteria in the urinary tract does not necessarily cause a urinary tract infection. If, however, the bacteria grow and multiply to a certain level, they may cause an infection of the urinary tract and needs to be treated. Anyone can get a urinary tract infection (UTI), but they’re more common in women than men due to the short female urethra (the channel through which urine is passed).
An infection can be thought of as a group of symptoms caused by bacteria entering an area of your body that they should not be in. Urinary infections are caused by bacteria entering your bladder, which most commonly enter your bladder through the urethra. The bacteria multiply in your bladder, either floating in the urine or attached to the bladder wall. As your bladder and kidneys are connected, bacteria in the bladder can also invade your kidneys.
If your body’s immune system fails to clear the bacteria from your body, treatment with antibiotics is probably needed. If you have bladder issues already, you’re more at risk of getting UTI.
