Men and UTIs: An Introduction
- Kidneys
- Ureters
- Bladder
- Urethra.
The urinary tract organs collect, store, and release urine from your body. Although in men,
UTIs are not as common as in women, they can be serious when they occur. In addition, men who get these infections usually have them again.
In men, a UTI is often a result of an obstruction, such as a
kidney stone or an
enlarged prostate. A medical procedure involving a catheter can also cause a UTI.
Microorganisms called
chlamydia and mycoplasma may also cause a
urinary tract infection. However, these infections tend to remain limited to the urethra and reproductive system. Chlamydia and mycoplasma may be sexually transmitted, and both partners should be treated.
The first step in treating a man with a UTI is to identify the infecting organism and the drugs to which it is sensitive. Doctors usually recommend lengthier therapy in men than in women in order to prevent infections of the prostate gland.
Prostate infections (chronic bacterial
prostatitis) are harder to cure because antibiotics are unable to penetrate infected prostate tissue effectively. For this reason, men with prostatitis often need long-term treatment with a carefully selected antibiotic. UTIs in older men are frequently associated with acute bacterial prostatitis, which can have serious consequences if not treated right away.
A man with a URI should not take his wife's pills for the infection. Men should get treatment that fits their specific needs.
