People can have a UTI without symptoms. But in most cases, they will notice problems. The most common are:
- Increased frequency of passing urine
- Feeling of urgency to pass urine
- Burning or pain while passing urine
- Itching in the genital area
- Passing only small amounts of urine at a time
- Pain over the area of the bladder or in the lower back
- Pain along the sides under the ribs
- Blood in the urine—may be on the tissue after wiping
after passing urine in women
- Cloudy looking urine—may also have pus
- Unpleasant smell to urine
- Unable to hold the urine during the day or night
If the infection has gone up into the kidneys, you may have:
- Fever or chills
- Severe pain in the lower back
Children and babies may have less common problems such as:
- Irritability
- Feeding problems
- Not being able to hold their urine
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
-
Slow weight loss and growth—failure to thrive
Older people may have more vague symptoms of a UTI such as fatigue, confusion, loss of appetite, or trouble walking.
Last reviewed September 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board
Adrienne Carmack, MD
Last Updated: 9/20/2018
