A woman wearing a striped white and black shirt with blue jeans has her hands over her abdomen in obvious discomfort

How Dangerous Are Urinary
Tract Infections (UTI)?

By Jessie McCall
March 3, 2020

If you’ve ever had a UTI (urinary tract infection) you know what an unpleasant distraction they can be, but just how dangerous are urinary tract infections?

UTI pain varies from a nagging irritation to an insufferable infection, complete with back pain, fever and nausea. If your infection gets to this point, it’s essential you speak with a doctor as soon as possible to avoid long-term damage to your kidneys.

How Do I Know If I Have A UTI?

Does it burn when you pee? Most often, the first symptoms of a UTI are mild discomfort and a burning sensation while urinating. If you catch it early enough, it’s possible to flush the harmful bacteria by drinking lots of water and supplementing with some over-the-counter D'Mannose. This treatment is most effective for mild UTIs that are caught early in the infection phase.

A lot of us will try to tough it out, especially if you are a chronic UTI sufferer, even if the burning symptoms continue. It seems like every gal has a tried-and-true home remedy, meant to boost their immune response and fight off the infection without jumping right to UTI Antibiotics.

If you decide to go this route, one common issue comes just a few days in: it becomes more difficult to tell if symptoms are improving or not. For better and worse, our bodies are amazing at coping with pain!

However, the danger of the infection spreading further into your urinary tract increases every day that it is not effectively managed. Many of us suppress the lingering pain by binging Ibuprofen, Midol or Netflix.

We are also experts at distraction: whether it’s fun weekend plans or a big project at work, something in your day-to-day is likely to take priority over your increasing symptoms. But for anyone who has let a previous UTI get out of control knows, once the infection reaches your kidneys you are in for a level of discomfort that will be impossible to ignore.

If managing the UTI yourself doesn’t work, reach out to a doctor immediately. Treating UTIs early prevents serious complications, like kidney disease and sepsis, later on.

How Much Time Should I Wait Before Treating a UTI?

If UTI symptoms persist more than 24 hours, the safest course of action is to call the doctor. The time it takes for a bladder infection to transform into kidney infection varies for every individual and what works for your friend is most certainly not the same for you.

What’s The Worst That Can Happen If A UTI Spreads?

When infection hits the kidneys, scarring is a likely outcome. Kidney scarring leads to chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure and kidney failure. It can also lead to complications with pregnancy as well as septicemia, or poisoning of the blood.

Treating Your UTI With Telemedicine

Risking a broader infection from a mismanaged UTI is an unnecessary risk that no woman in the 21st century should have to take. This is more important than avoiding inconvenient trips to the bathroom at work or in the middle of the night to pee.

UTIs are a normal occurrence for many women—treating them should be too.

That’s where telehealth comes in! Once you are aware of how UTI symptoms present in your own body, you can save you money, time and comfort by talking with a wisp doctor and ordering antibiotics online. Your doctor might also recommend Boric Acid Vaginal Suppositories to prevent chronic infections, and a daily probiotic to counter the effects of antibiotics on your vaginal flora.

Forget about long wait times at the doctor’s office or the fact that you have to take a sick day to go to an appointment. Now you can log on and get what you need quickly from the comfort of your home. There’s no need to suffer through the inconvenience and danger of chronic UTIs anymore.

What Are The Signs That My UTI Is Dangerous?

If a UTI persists these are the tell-tale signs that it is getting worse:

  • Back pain near the kidneys (flank)
  • Nausea
  • Bloody urine
  • Fever

Everyone’s body will respond differently to infection and there are plenty of reasons you may experience more or less of the symptoms described. If you are going through a particularly stressful time due to anxiety or illness, your body’s “typical” response may be different than the last time you had a UTI.

The good news is most infections can be treated at home with a course of antibiotics—when left untreated you may need to stay in the hospital while recovering. If you don’t have health insurance, you should avoid letting a UTI put you in the hospital at all COST.

With proper treatment, however, you can stay far away from a hospital bed. Remember to stay informed and always listen to your body. Be sure to drink lots of water and act quickly if your symptoms get worse.


Get UTI Medication Online


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