“Urinary Tract Infections are responsible for roughly 8 million doctor interactions each year. UTIs are the second most common type of infection.” - National Kidney Foundation. 

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). UTIs may be treated with antibiotics, but they're not always needed. 

Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than men. Infection limited to your bladder can be painful and annoying. However, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys. Doctors sometimes treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. But you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a UTI in the first place.

A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection in any part of your urinary system, which includes your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

UTIs typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. Although the urinary system is designed to keep out such bacteria, these defences sometimes fail. When that happens, bacteria may grow into an infection in the urinary tract. Most commonly UTIs occur in women and affect the bladder and urethra. Women have shorter urethras than men which makes it easier for bacteria to get to their bladders. Having sex can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract, too.

UTIs don't always present signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include: 

• A strong, persistent urge to urinate 
• A burning sensation when urinating 
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine 
• Urine that appears cloudy 
• Urine that appears red, bright pink or darker — a sign of blood in the urine 
• Strong-smelling urine 
• Feeling tired or shaky 
• Fevers or chills 
• Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the centre of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

Typically you take the antibiotics for 3 days and symptoms resolve rapidly. It will take several days for the infection to clear, though, so it is important to take all of the antibiotics prescribed—don’t stop taking them just because you feel better. Drinking lots of water may help to clear the infection also.

It is a widely held belief that cranberry juice will help with UTIs. It was thought that substances in cranberry juice could prevent bacteria from sticking to the wall of the urinary tract. However, research shows that cranberry products do not cure UTIs, and there is only weak evidence to support that they decrease the risk of developing UTIs in young patients. However, it is unlikely to do any harm.

Most UTIs and bladder infections may take three days to clear up with antibiotics, while more complicated bladder infections or kidney infections may require a course of antibiotics for longer.

UTI home tests are commonly used as a quick way to identify a urinary tract infection. The aim of at-home UTI tests is to allow you to perform a quick urine test to help determine if you have a urine infection.

Our at-home UTI tests cost just £9.99 including standard delivery.

Urinary tract infections are diagnosed by a medical assessment that considers your test results and your symptoms. Without the medical assessment, the test result only gives you an indication of the likelihood of infection. The more white cells (leukocytes) and nitrites that you have in your urine, the more likely you are to have a urinary tract infection. If you would like to discuss your results with a GP, you can book a same-day appointment here.

The results of the UTI test strips were compared to another commercial UTI test. The study showed 94.4% accuracy for the Leukocyte test and 98.4% for the Nitrites test.

Tests will be dispatched from Monday to Friday. If you have chosen Standard Delivery, you will receive your order within 5 working days. If you have opted for Express Delivery, you can expect to receive your order within 1-2 working days.