Men and Urinary Tract Infections

A Health Issue Many Men Don’t Know About

Most men think urinary tract infections only happen to women. This is not true. Men can get UTIs too, although they are less common in men than in women. Understanding the symptoms and knowing when to get medical advice is important.

Urinary tract infections can affect different parts of the urinary system, including the urethra, bladder and kidneys. Some health sources estimate that around 1 in 20 men will experience a UTI during their lifetime, although estimates vary between studies.

Contents

• What Are the Signs?
• Why Do Men Get UTIs?
• Simple Prevention Steps
• Testing and Getting Help
• Recurring UTIs
• When You Need a Doctor
• Looking After Your Health

What Are the Signs?

Men with a UTI can experience a range of symptoms. Our guide to common symptoms of a urinary tract infection explains these in more detail. Typical symptoms include a burning or stinging sensation when passing urine and needing to pass urine more often than usual, including during the night.

Other signs can include cloudy urine, blood in your urine, pain in your lower abdomen or back, and feeling hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell. Men with possible UTI symptoms should seek medical advice rather than waiting for symptoms to become more severe.

Cystitis Explained: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options provides more information about inflammation and infection affecting the bladder.

Why Do Men Get UTIs?

UTIs usually occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract. A number of factors can make this more likely. Not drinking enough fluid may contribute to urinary problems, and our guide Can Dehydration Cause a UTI? looks at this in more detail.

Problems emptying the bladder can also increase the risk of infection. If urine remains in the bladder after urination, bacteria have more opportunity to multiply.

An enlarged prostate can sometimes contribute to this problem. The prostate sits below the bladder and surrounds part of the urethra. As it enlarges, it can restrict urine flow and make it more difficult to empty the bladder completely.

Sexual activity can sometimes be associated with urinary symptoms because bacteria may enter the urethra. Keeping the genital area clean can form part of normal personal hygiene, but recurrent symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare professional rather than relying on hygiene measures alone.

Simple Prevention Steps

There is no guaranteed way to prevent every UTI, but some straightforward habits may help. Drink enough fluid throughout the day to avoid dehydration, unless a healthcare professional has advised you to restrict your fluid intake.

Pass urine when you need to and try to empty your bladder fully. Keeping the genital area clean with warm water can also form part of normal daily hygiene.

Some people choose to pass urine after sex, although evidence that this prevents UTIs is limited. If certain drinks appear to make urinary or bladder symptoms worse, reducing alcohol, caffeine or fizzy drinks may help with comfort. Our guide to bladder health and foods and drinks to avoid has more information.

You can also read Preventing Urinary Tract Infections for additional practical guidance.

Testing and Getting Help

If you are a man and think you may have a UTI, contact your GP urgently or use NHS 111 for advice. A healthcare professional may ask for a urine sample, and NICE recommends that men with a suspected lower UTI have a midstream urine sample sent for culture before antibiotics are started.

Home urine tests can check for markers in urine that may be associated with a UTI. However, they are screening tests and cannot confirm a diagnosis or determine whether you need antibiotics. Men with UTI symptoms should still seek medical advice even if a home test gives a negative result. Our guide Where Can I Get a Home Test for a UTI? explains the available testing options.

Seek urgent medical advice if you have a high or very low temperature, blood in your urine, pain in your lower abdomen or back, or if you feel very unwell. A UTI can sometimes spread to the kidneys and become more serious.

Recurring UTIs

Some men experience UTIs more than once. If infections keep returning, further assessment may be needed to identify an underlying cause. Recurring UTIs: Why They Happen looks at some of the possible reasons.

Your doctor may arrange further tests, particularly if there are concerns about how well your bladder empties or whether an enlarged prostate or another urinary problem could be contributing to repeated infections. Identifying and treating an underlying problem may help reduce the likelihood of further UTIs.

When You Need a Doctor

Men with possible UTI symptoms should seek an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 for advice. Do not rely on a home test alone or wait for symptoms to become severe before asking for help.

Seek urgent medical help if you have blood in your urine, a high or very low temperature, pain in your lower abdomen or in your back just under the ribs, or if you feel very unwell. Confusion, drowsiness or difficulty speaking can be signs of a more serious infection and require immediate medical attention.

Looking After Your Health

Most UTIs can be treated successfully, but infections in men warrant medical assessment because further investigation and a urine culture may be needed. Paying attention to urinary symptoms and seeking advice promptly can help ensure that you receive the appropriate treatment.

Drink enough fluid to avoid dehydration, maintain normal personal hygiene and speak to your GP if you develop urinary symptoms or notice a persistent change in how you pass urine.

Recurring infections, difficulty emptying your bladder or changes in urine flow may have an underlying cause, including prostate or bladder problems, so these symptoms should not simply be ignored.

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