What is the prognosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Men?

Urinary tract infections involve the parts of the body — the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — that produce urine and carry it out of the body.

Urinary tract infections often are classified into two types based on their location in the urinary tract:

Lower tract infections — These include cystitis (bladder infection) and urethritis (infection of the urethra). Lower urinary tract infections commonly are caused by intestinal bacteria, which enter and contaminate the urinary tract from below, usually by spreading from the skin to the urethra and then to the bladder. Urethritis also may be caused by microorganisms that are transmitted through sexual contact, including gonorrhea and Chlamydia. Another form of male urinary infection is prostatis which is an inflammation of the prostate.

Upper tract infections — These involve the ureters and kidneys and include pyelonephritis (kidney infection). Upper tract infections often occur because bacteria have traveled upward in the urinary tract from the bladder to the kidney or because bacteria carried in the bloodstream have collected in the kidney.

Treatment

A course of an antibiotic medicine will usually clear the infection quickly. This is usually for seven days. You should see a doctor if your symptoms are not gone, or nearly gone, after a few days.

Outlook

Most urinary tract infections can be treated easily with antibiotics. In a man who has a urinary tract abnormality or an enlarged prostate, repeated urinary tract infections may occur as long as the underlying problem continues to interfere with the free flow of urine.

Read more articles on Men's Health.