Empty the bladder before and immediately after intercourse. If these preventive measures fail, and infections are related to sexual intercourse, prophylactic antibiotics may be prescribed. Conversely, at the first symptom of infection a single large dose of antibiotic can be taken. Women's urethral openings are also near anal and vaginal sources of infectious agents, and women lack the men's protective prostate fluid. This very serious urinary tract infection often requires hospitalization.
Some sufferers experience the urge to urinate constantly even after the bladder is empty.
The urine is cloudy and may be tinged with blood. Pain, usually sudden and intense, is felt in the back just above the waist and gradually spreads down into the groin. If these medications produce marked improvement, oral antibiotic therapy may be continued at home for 2 weeks. If the examination reveals persistent infection, antibiotics should then be taken for 4 to 6 more weeks. Unlike urinary infections, which most often affect women, kidney infections strike men and women in equal numbers.