Male Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms

The urinary system in human beings comprises of kidneys, urinary bladder, ureters and urethra. Infection to any of these organs is termed as urinary tract infection. Although, women are more prone to infections of the urinary tract, men above 50 years of age are also highly susceptible to these infections. A bacteria named E. coli is the main cause of urinary tract infections. Urinary bladder and urethra are the organs that are most likely to be affected by urinary infection. However, this infection slowly invades other parts of body via the bloodstream. Even though, the urinary tract infection never takes a life-threatening form, the discomfort and pain associated with it can be quite troublesome.

Causes of Urinary Tract Infection
The uncontrollable growth of the bacteria E. coli is the primary cause of urinary tract infections. There are some other factors which also contribute to spreading of urinary tract infection, such as sex with multiple partners and poor hygiene.

Forms of Urinary Tract Infection in Males
Depending upon the regions of infection, urinary tract infections in men are divided into upper urinary tract infection, or pyelonephritis, and lower urinary tract infection, cystitis. The characteristic symptoms of pyelonephritis include swelling and inflammation of linings of the kidney. Cystitis, on the other hand, is characterized by inflammation and swelling of linings of the bladder.

Symptoms of Pyelonephritis
Pyelonephritis or kidney infection is the condition where the urine flows back from the bladder to the ureters. The condition can be acute (short term) or it can be chronic (long term). A history of kidney stones, obstructive uropathy, renal papillary necrosis etc. escalates the chances of pyelonephritis. Symptoms of pyelonephritis include:

• Back pain or flank pain
• Chills with shaking
• Occasional severe abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• High fever that lasts longer than two days.
• General ill feeling
• Mental changes or confusion
• Changes in the color and texture of the skin
• Urination problems, such as blood in the urine, cloudy or abnormal urine color
• Foul or strong urine odor
• Increased urinary frequency or urgency, need to urinate at night (nocturia), painful urination
• Vomiting, nausea

Symptoms of Cystitis
Cystitis or bladder infection occurs due to infection of the bacteria E. coli, which lives inside the intestine. Most of the times, the bacteria is discharged along with the urine, but at times, the multiplication of the bacteria is so fast that some bacteria stays back and infects the urethra and urinary bladder. The occurrence of Cystitis is rare among men. The reason it is more prevalent in women is that, the urethra is shorter in women and is closely located to the anus. The symptoms of cystitis include:

• Abnormal or cloudy urine color
• Frequent or urgent need to urinate
• Foul or strong urine odor
• Need to urinate at night (nocturia)
• Painful urination (dysuria)
• Pressure in the lower pelvis
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Flank pain
• Mental changes or confusion
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Pain in the penis (rare)

Risk Group
Urinary tract infection is the most common infection among women. The other risk group also includes men with enlarged prostate and with a history of diabetes. People who have been recommended bed rest are also likely to develop urinary tract infection due to lack of movements. Children and infants are also at risk, owing to poor hygienic conditions.

Male urinary tract infection symptoms may vary from person to person. Mostly, in older males, mental changes and confusion are the only symptoms associated with urinary tract infection. Antibiotics are the most widely prescribed drugs for curing urinary tract infection. However, one can lessen the chances of contracting the infection by drinking adequate water and maintaining proper hygiene.