If you’ve ever had a UTI (urinary tract infection) you know what an unpleasant distraction they can be. Plus, taking the time to get antibiotics to treat your infection can feel like a major chore. That can leave many of us wondering: what happens if you don’t treat a UTI and just how dangerous are urinary tract infections?

We’ll be the first to tell you that, when left untreated, UTIs can be pretty darn dangerous. 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 medical provider as soon as possible to avoid any further complications—like 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, using a UTI cleanse, and supplementing with some over-the-counter D-Mannose. But, these treatments are only 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 or 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, Azo, 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 as 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 is impossible to ignore.

If your symptoms don’t improve in 24 hours, it’s time to reach out to a medical provider. Treating UTIs early prevents serious complications, like kidney disease and sepsis, later on.

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

The first stage of a UTI is a lower urinary tract infection. This is when the bacteria is in your urethra—the small tube that your pee exits through–or your bladder. After your bladder is infected, the bacteria can continue traveling up your system and cause an upper urinary tract infection. At this point, the UTI affects your ureters–the tubes that take your pee from your kidneys to your bladder—and your kidneys.

And once in your kidneys? That’s where bacteria can get even more dangerous and get into your bloodstream, potentially leading to sepsis. Diagnosing and treating a UTI with antibiotics as soon as possible is the best way to prevent these dangerous complications!

Having trouble understanding how a UTI can turn into a kidney infection? Here’s a handy-dandy figure to help you visualize the path bacteria can take when a UTI is left untreated.

About one in every 30 UTIs leads to a kidney infection. In rare cases, kidney infections can cause some serious complications, including:

• High blood pressure
• Kidney failure
• Permanent kidney scarring

UTIs might not feel like a big deal at first. But, when left untreated, these infections can keep spreading throughout your system and lead to some major health complications and a possible hospital stay. So, if your symptoms aren’t improving, contact a healthcare provider ASAP for antibiotic treatment.

What Are The Signs That My UTI Is Dangerous?

Sometimes symptoms can be confusing and you might wonder: how can you tell the flu from a UTI? With these infections, it’s important to know what to watch out for.

• Tell-tale signs that a UTI is getting worse include:
• 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.

How Much Time Should I Wait Before Treating a UTI?

If your UTI symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, the safest course of action is to contact a healthcare provider. UTI treatments are available online and can keep your infection from spreading up your urinary system and causing serious (and potentially expensive) harm. The time it takes for a bladder infection to transform into a kidney infection varies for every individual. So, it’s important to pay attention to your symptoms and not underestimate the damage an untreated UTI can cause.

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 know how UTI symptoms present in your own body, you can save money, time and discomfort by talking with a Wisp medical provider 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.