How Long Does It Take for a UTI to Clear Up with Antibiotics?

The stinging, burning sensation or the constant urge to rush to the toilet to pee is a very uncomfortable feeling. These are some classic symptoms of a urinary tract infection (or a UTI). If you have not had one before, UTIs are actually quite common. The UTI is often treated with antibiotics and fortunately, most people report that their symptoms improve within a few days. For the infection and bacteria to be fully cleared, it may take a few more days and your antibiotic prescription often covers this. In this article we discuss some commonly asked questions including “how long do utis last with antibiotics?”.

How do antibiotics work for UTIs

You have probably been given antibiotics at some point in your life. This medication is a cornerstone of modern medicine. Without antibiotics, simple infections would become dangerous very quickly and many surgical procedures would be too high risk. However this does not mean antibiotics can treat all infections, this type of drug specifically works on bacterial infections. For example, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often caused by a bacterial (most commonly a strain of E. coli) infection of the urinary tract. If you are prescribed an antibiotic for a UTI, the drug stops the infection either by killing the bacteria directly or by stopping the growth or replication of bacteria. We will get on to answering “how long does a uti last on antibiotics?” in a bit.

The most common types of antibiotics prescribed

Antibiotic prescribing is based on several factors including national clinical guidelines for the most effective drug for a specific condition, the specific type of bacteria causing the infection, antimicrobial resistant strains of bacteria in the local area, and a patient’s individual circumstances (most notably health circumstances like pregnancy or allergies e.g penicillin allergy). For simple urinary tract infections, here are some antibiotics that a doctor may prescribe:

• nitrofurantoin
• trimethoprim

How long does it take for symptoms to go away?

Anyone who has had a urinary tract infection sympathizes with the level of discomfort caused by the symptoms of the infection. You might also sympathise with frantically googling “how long will a uti last with antibiotics?”. Luckily, after taking antibiotics most people report an improvement in symptoms within two days. For the full relief from symptoms, it may take a few more days. Follow this link to read more about medication for UTIs.

Factors that can affect how quickly you get better

After exploring “how long do uti symptoms last after antibiotic?”, let’s discuss some factors that can affect treatment. As mentioned, although antibiotics for urinary tract infections are usually highly effective and symptom relief can be noticed within days, it is still difficult to say with 100% certainty how quickly you get better because there are a variety of factors that influence your response to treatment including:

• Your age
• Your general health e.g Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions or allergies? Do you have a catheter in place? Do you have type 2 diabetes?
• Whether or not you are pregnant will also affect the choice of antibiotic and potentially your response to treatment
• Antibiotic resistance i.e some bacteria may not be affected by certain antibiotics because they have evolved to be resistant

How long does it take for an infection to completely go away?

So how long should a uti last with antibiotics? With effective treatment, symptoms of a urinary tract infection typically go away within a few days of starting the antibiotic. However, it is important to note that just because you may not feel the symptoms anymore, this does not mean that your infection has been fully cleared (i.e the bacteria may still be present). Therefore it is crucial that you finish your full prescribed course of antibiotics. For example, if the full course of antibiotics for a urinary tract infection prescribed for you is 7 days long but you stop feeling the symptoms (e.g burning, constant urge to pee) after 3 days, you must still take the antibiotics for 7 days. Do not stop earlier than prescribed. This not only helps to clear the infection fully, but also helps make sure that the bacteria does not have a chance to evolve to become unaffected by that antibiotic!

Why might a UTI not go away so quickly

Usually, antibiotics for urinary tract infections are very effective and most people report that the UTI goes away quickly. However, the question of how long does a urinary tract infection last with antibiotics is not as simple as it might seem. There are actually quite a few reasons why a UTI might not go away so quickly. These include:

• if you have been frequently getting urinary tract infections
• if the infection is higher up than the bladder e.g kidneys
• if there are structural differences/problems with the urinary tract
• if the bacteria is resistant
• if you are taking the wrong antibiotic

The answer to “how long does a uti last with antibiotics?” can vary as there are many reasons why a UTI might not go away so quickly. If your symptoms do not improve (or get worse) after the full course of antibiotics prescribed, please inform your healthcare provider promptly so they can reassess the situation.

Signs that you need to see your doctor again

Although it might sound simple, a urinary tract infection can actually have harmful complications or it may represent a sign of a more serious underlying problem. In addition to thinking about how long can a uti last with antibiotics, there are some particular signs to look out for. Therefore you should seek prompt medical attention if you notice any of the following even after treatment with antibiotics:

• you continue to have symptoms or your symptoms get worse even after two days of antibiotics
• you notice blood in your urine or the blood in your urine does not go away
• if you notice any signs of a kidney infection e.g you have recently developed a fever, nausea, or back pain

Tips to support your recovery

Now that we have discussed how long for a uti to go away with antibiotics, some things that you can do to help support your recovery from a urinary tract infection include:

• drinking lots of water (this might sound counter-intuitive as you are probably feeling like you need to pee all the time, but good hydration is very important, imagine that you are trying to flush out all the bacteria!)
• try to avoid alcohol and caffeine
• take pain relief e.g paracetamol if you are in pain

Preventing future infections

Potentially a better question than “how long does a bladder infection last with antibiotics?” is “what can I do to prevent future infections?”. Luckily there are some ways to help reduce your chances of another UTI include:

• if you have a uti, finish the full course of antibiotics prescribed. For other quality medicines online, you can browse here at Meds for Less.
• drinking enough water, staying hydrated is very important
• try not to use any products that are scented (e.g perfumed soap) around the genitals
• making sure that you are wiping from your front to back after using the toilet
• if you are sexually active, try to pee soon after sex
• if you notice that you are getting frequent urinary tract infections, please consult your doctor who can assess to see if this is actually a symptom of a different problem