This article is from the book, The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women , by The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books. To send a link and summary of this article to a friend, click here . You need to go to the bathroom. When you go, hardly any urine trickles out. And when it does, it burns.
Bacteria enter the urethra, or urine tube, that enters the bladder, and set up shop.
If the infection is limited to the urethra, it's called urethritis. Unless treated promptly, a bladder infection can move to the kidneys, leading to a more serious condition called pyelonephritis. Although a woman can have a UTI without knowing it, common signs and symptoms include pain and a burning sensation when urinating, urinating frequently, voiding just a few drops at a time or passing blood in the urine. St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. Women who use certain birth control methods, such as spermicides containing nonoxynol-9, are also at higher risk for UTIs.