How are urinary tract infections treated?
A simple UTI can be treated with a short course of oral antibiotics. A three-day course of antibiotics will usually treat most uncomplicated UTIs. However, some infections may need to be treated for several weeks. Depending on the type of antibiotic used, you may take a single dose of medication a day or up to four daily doses. A few doses of medication may relieve you of the pain or urge to urinate frequently but you should still complete the full course of medication prescribed for you even if all symptoms have been relieved. Unless UTIs are fully treated, they can frequently return. You should also remember to drink plenty of liquids, especially around the time of a UTI. If the UTI is a complicated UTI, then a longer period of antibiotics is given and usually is started intravenously in the hospital. After a short period of intravenous antibiotics, then the antibiotics are given by mouth for a period up to several weeks. Kidney infections have usually been treated as a complicated U
