Urinary Tract Infections — Know When To Go To The ER

American College of Emergency Physicians

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Urinary Tract Infections

There is such a thing as "good bacteria," thriving in places like your digestive tract and your bladder. A balance between our bodies and bacteria exists. When the balance is in order, you feel fine. When the balance is upset, you may develop an infection.

Urinary tract infections or UTIs are bacterial infections, more common in women and older adults, that may have symptoms including:

• Frequent urination
• Pain with urination
• Lower abdominal pain
• Fevers or chills
• Blood in the urine.

Most UTIs can be treated with antibiotics, but if you're experiencing severe or life-threatening symptoms, you can be assured that trained and qualified emergency physicians will be available to treat you anytime at the emergency department of your local hospital.

Other Symptoms Experienced by Older Adults

Some less common, or “non-specific” symptoms, are frequently experienced by older adults grappling with multiple medical problems.

Non-specific symptoms including confusion, agitation, change in behavior, dizziness and sometimes falls can be caused by many different issues. In older adults especially, medication reactions, dehydration, unrecognized or undertreated pain, are responsible for non-specific symptoms.

In older adults with memory problems such as Alzheimer ’s disease, a new environment or caregiver, a change in routine or simply the underlying memory problem can be responsible for non-specific symptoms.

Anyone who thinks they're having a medical emergency should not hesitate to seek care. Federal law ensures that anyone who comes to the emergency department is treated and stabilized, and that their insurance provides coverage based on symptoms, not a final diagnosis.

Read more about Know When to Go

Elderly Care Infections & Infectious Diseases Know When to Go Public Education

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