Urinary Tract Infection can Lead to Serious Complications

Are you experiencing any of the following?•    Painful urination•    Blood in your urine•    Dark, cloudy or smelly urine•    Pain or tenderness in your lower abdomen or back•    Burning when you urinate•    Fever •    General feeling of illness paired with any of the above symptomsIf you are experiencing the above; you may urinary tract infections symptoms.  Some mild urinary tract infections symptoms will resolve in a few days with fluids, rest and pain relievers.  However if after two to three days your symptoms are not getting better; you may want to consult a physician.  Urinary tract infections symptoms left untreated can lead to infection in the kidneys (nephritis).  Nephritis can lead to serious (even life threatening) complications.  Urinary tract infection treatment with antibiotics is central to overcoming nephritis.Urinary tract infections symptoms that lead to nephritis can cause eth following serious complications:•    Bacteremia or sepsis is a serious infection that occurs when untreated urinary tract infections symptoms let bacteria to enter the bloodstream.  Urinary tract infection treatment is needed immediately and may require hospitalization to administer intravenous antibiotics.•    Permanent kidney damage or failure can occur when urinary tract infections and symptoms are left untreated.  Surgery may be required to remove the damaged kidney or dialysis (mechanically cleansing the blood of waste) may be needed.•    Portal hypertension can occur due to the inability of damaged kidneys to regulate the amount of water and waste in the bloodstream.  This can cause an unhealthy increase in the blood pressure.  An increase in blood pressure can damage the heart, and blood vessels.  Stroke and heart attack can also be caused by untreated urinary tract infections and symptoms.•    Chronic untreated urinary tract infections and symptoms can lead to scarring of the bladder, kidneys ureters (tubes urine travels from kidneys to bladder) and urethra (tube that removes urine from the body).  This scarring can create a malady of problems including pelvic inflammatory disease, urine retention, incontinence (involuntary bladder accidents), fluid retention in the body, congestive heart failure due to the back up of fluid around the heart, and breathing problems due to fluid collection in the lungs.•    Medications can accumulate in the blood stream due to the inability of the kidneys to breakdown and remove them.  This can lead to increased levels of certain medications and lead to accidental overdose.The urinary tract has a key responsibility of regulating the water ratio in our body and removing harmful toxins and waste.  An alteration in this process can lead to detrimental problems.The elderly and children are especially prone to urinary tract infections and symptoms that when left untreated cause serious health issues.  Anytime a child or elderly person exhibits urinary tract infections and symptoms; close monitoring and urinary tract infection treatment is advised.In healthy adults and teens it is advised any urinary tract infections symptoms that do not clear up in a few days should be assessed by a physician.