Urology Center Workup For Diagnosing Utis
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause various signs and symptoms, but sometimes, they are asymptomatic. Before a treatment protocol is implemented, the physician at the urology center will need to perform a detailed assessment. Here are some things you can expect from your urology health center visit that will help the physician confirm or rule out the presence of a urinary tract infection.
Medical History And Symptom Assessment
The urology center physician will ask you some questions about your medical history. They may ask you if you have a history of urinary tract infections, if you had bladder surgery, and if you have preexisting kidney disease. These conditions can raise your risk for future urinary tract infections and other disorders of your urinary tract. The healthcare provider will also ask you to describe your signs and symptoms.
Urinary tract infections can cause urinary burning, urinary hesitancy, blood in the urine, and pelvic pain. They can also cause back pain, bladder pain, cloudy urine, and strong-smelling urine. In some cases, a UTI can cause systemic symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, loss of appetite, and muscle pain.
Medical Tests
The urology center staff will also perform a urinalysis. After providing a sample of your urine, the urology center staff will analyze it for elevated white blood cells, protein, red blood cells, and bacteria. If present in your urine sample, a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection may be confirmed. Your urine sample will also be visualized and assessed for blood, sediment, and cloudiness.
While kidney stones can cause signs and symptoms similar to those of urinary tract infections, they usually do not cause your urinalysis to test positive for excess bacteria. If your urinalysis test is inconclusive, the doctor may recommend an x-ray or ultrasound of your kidneys, ureters, and bladder, to determine the cause of your symptoms. If you are diagnosed with a UTI, antibiotics may be prescribed.
The doctor may also suggest that you drink plenty of water to promote urination and flush out toxins. You might feel better after taking only a couple of antibiotic pills, however, be sure to complete your entire prescription to make sure that the infection completely resolves.
If you develop signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection, see your primary care doctor or visit a urology center. When UTIs are treated quickly, they are less likely to cause severe symptoms and spread to the kidneys.