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Health Education

How long does a UTI last?

Most uncomplicated UTIs last three to five days with antibiotic treatment
Heidi Borst
By | Mar. 19, 2024 Medically reviewed by Leslie Greenberg, MD
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Key takeaways

  • Simple or uncomplicated UTIs typically resolve with a three to five-day course of antibiotics.

  • Complicated UTIs can be more challenging to treat, have more severe symptoms, and require a longer course of antibiotics (14 days or more) or additional treatment interventions.

  • The typical duration of an uncomplicated UTI with antibiotic treatment is three days for women and seven to 14 days for men.

  • The most commonly prescribed antibiotics for UTIs are Bactrim, amoxicillin, and Macrobid.

In this article:

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can cause significant discomfort, from a nagging ache in your lower abdomen to a burning sensation that makes urinating feel excruciating. A UTI is most often caused by bacteria in the colon that enter the urinary system, a UTI can affect the urethra, bladder, kidneys, or ureters. Risk factors include being female, engaging in sexual intercourse, having a history of UTIs, using certain types of birth control (like diaphragms or spermicide), and decreasing estrogen levels occurring after menopause.

Typically, an uncomplicated UTI lasts three to five days after starting antibiotics. Drinking plenty of water and using an over-the-counter pain reliever help ease symptoms. Keep reading to find out the best way to make a UTI go away, whether UTI symptoms vary by gender, and how to distinguish between different types of UTI.

How long does a UTI last?

Most uncomplicated UTIs last three to five days with antibiotic treatment. The duration of a UTI can vary depending on the following factors:

  • Location: UTIs can occur in different parts of the urinary tract, including the bladder, urethra, ureters, and kidneys. Where the infection is located affects how fast the infection will be eradicated. For example, a bladder infection (cystitis) resolves as fast as 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment. In contrast, a kidney infection (pyelonephritis), which is more severe, often takes a week or more to heal.
  • Severity of infection: A mild or uncomplicated infection with minor symptoms will resolve faster than a severe, or complicated, infection with more intense symptoms. The severity of a UTI can be influenced by the amount of bacterial colonization, underlying medical conditions, and the virulence of the infecting bacteria.
  • Immune response: Individuals with robust immune systems are better equipped to fight off bacterial infections like UTIs, potentially reducing infection duration. But those with weakened immune systems—due to chronic stress, chronic illnesses like diabetes, or immunosuppressive medications—may take more time to clear the infection.
  • Treatment: Antibiotic treatment shortens the duration of your UTI.
  • Sex: A UTI typically lasts longer in men than in women. Men are usually given a seven to 14-day course of antibiotics for a UTI, while women are generally prescribed antibiotics for as few as three days.

You’ll know when a UTI is healing when symptoms of pain and burning begin to resolve, says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.

RELATED: How to relieve UTI pain fast

Uncomplicated UTI

Most urinary tract infections are considered uncomplicated, or simple, UTIs. That means the infection affects the lower urinary tract—the bladder or urethra. When a UTI only inflames the urethra, it is called urethritis. When the bladder is affected, the condition is called cystitis, a bladder infection, or a lower tract UTI. An uncomplicated UTI presents with urinary and abdominal symptoms such as:

  • Urinary urgency
  • Increased frequency of urination
  • Feeling of incomplete emptying after urination
  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Cloudy or foul-smelling urine

It is diagnosed based on signs, symptoms, and urinalysis (urine culture). Uncomplicated UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections seen in clinical practice. Research estimates that they occur in nonpregnant, healthy women at a rate of 0.7 infections per person yearly.

According to Dr. Ruiz, uncomplicated UTIs typically respond well to a short course of antibiotics. Symptoms typically resolve within 24 to 48 hours after starting treatment, but Dr. Ruiz emphasizes the importance of completing all the prescribed antibiotics to wipe out the bacteria.

Complicated UTI

Of the 1 million annual emergency department visits related to a UTI, about 22% are considered complicated UTIs. Complicated UTIs occur when the infection migrates to the upper urinary tract (ureters and kidneys) and affects immunocompromised patients, males, and pregnant women. They are associated with fevers, kidney stones, sepsis, urinary obstruction, or catheters. 

Complicated UTI symptoms are often systemic, including symptoms like:

  • Flank or lower back pain
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Weakness
  • General malaise
  • Fatigue

Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) are a type of complicated UTI that’s typically treated with a 14-day course of antibiotics. More severe cases may require hospitalization and longer treatment with IV antibiotics until clinical improvements are seen through blood and urine tests. It is extremely rare for a UTI to present only in the ureters (the tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder).

Complicated UTIs can also spread beyond the kidneys, leading to urosepsis, a form of sepsis (blood poisoning by bacteria) that begins in the urinary tract and spreads to the bloodstream. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction that occurs when the immune system stops fighting an infection and instead begins to attack its own tissues and organs, resulting in systemic inflammation and unstable vital signs. Patients with urosepsis usually require hospitalization and 14 to 21 days of antibiotic treatment.

UTI in men vs. UTI in women

The typical duration of an uncomplicated UTI with antibiotic treatment is three to five days for women and seven to 14 days for men.

Women experience UTIs much more often than men, says Kecia Gaither, MD, OB-GYN and Director of Perinatal Services/Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx. According to the Office on Women’s Health, women get urinary tract infections up to 30 times more often than men. About 40% of women who have one UTI will experience another one within six months.

Dr. Ruiz explains this is due to a woman’s anatomy—women have much shorter urethras than men, and they are closer to the rectum, so it’s easier for colonic bacteria to enter the urinary tract, especially after sexual intercourse.

Even though it’s harder for bacteria to reach the male urethra, men can develop UTIs, too. Often, men develop bladder infections as a result of kidney stones or an enlarged prostate, which blocks the flow of urine out from the bladder.

Men and women share most of the same symptoms of  UTIs, including;

  • Burning or pain with urination
  • Frequent urination
  • Increased urinary urgency with little urine output
  • Cloudy or strong-smelling urine
  • Pelvic pain or a weighty sensation in the pelvis
  • Fever or chills
  • Blood in the urine
  • Fatigue or tiredness

Men may also experience a tingling sensation during and after urination and difficulty maintaining a urine stream.

RELATED: 20 home remedies for UTI prevention and treatment

Do you need antibiotics to treat a UTI?

If you are experiencing several symptoms of a UTI and a urine culture shows the presence of bacteria, antibiotics are the first-line UTI treatment. They work quickly (usually within three to five days) to resolve the infection. 

Dr. Ruiz says a urinalysis identifies what kind of bacteria is causing the infection so that your provider can prescribe the appropriate antibiotic. In 80% to 90% of cases, E. Coli is the bacteria causing a UTI. In rare cases, a UTI may be caused by fungi such as candida. When a urine culture is performed and a bacteria is isolated, the next step in the lab is to perform sensitivity studies on the bacteria. This tells the provider which antibiotic will effectively cure the infection.

Complicated infections that ascend to the kidneys require a longer course of antibiotic treatment, often seven to 14 days. In severe cases, such as those involving sepsis, IV treatment is started in the hospital, followed by oral antibiotics at home (when the patient is more stable) for up to two weeks.

Commonly prescribed antibiotics for UTIs include:

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and levofloxacin may be prescribed for kidney infections and complicated UTIs. Fungal UTIs are usually treated with the antifungal fluconazole.

If you experience recurrent UTIs, work with your primary care provider or urologist to develop an individualized treatment plan.

RELATED: What to do if you have recurring UTIs

How long does a UTI last without antibiotics?

Uncomplicated UTIs can go away on their own within nine days, but in this study of a total of 346 women, 39% had continued symptoms at 6 weeks. One meta-analysis of five clinical trials concluded that an estimated 25% to 42% of UTIs self-resolve.

However, if a UTI is untreated and does not resolve on its own, it can lead to complications such as:

  • Kidney infection or kidney damage
  • Recurrent infections
  • Narrowing of the urethra in men
  • Premature birth or low birth weight in pregnant women
  • Sepsis

How to make a UTI go away more quickly

While antibiotics can make you feel better in one to two days and completely eradicate the bacteria at 5 days, these home remedies can help reduce symptoms and make a UTI go away faster.

  • Stay hydrated: Dr. Gaither suggests drinking 1.5 liters of water daily to “flush out” the infection.
  • Try cranberries: Drinking no-sugar-added cranberry juice or taking a cranberry extract supplement can improve your chances of curing a minor UTI without antibiotics, says Dr. Ruiz. 
  • Avoid being sexually active: Having sex during a UTI is not recommended, but if your symptoms resolve and you’re taking antibiotics, it may be okay. Dr. Ruiz recommends urinating right after sex to prevent UTIs as well.
  • Try a heating pad: A heating pad can help soothe back and abdominal pain related to a UTI.
  • Use OTC pain relievers: Advil (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen), and Aleve (naproxen sodium) can help relieve pain until your antibiotics kick in. AZO urinary pain relief is an OTC medication developed specifically for symptoms like pain, burning, increased urination, and the increased urge to urinate.
  • Use probiotics: To support a healthy gut flora and help prevent UTIs, probiotics can be effective. According to research, the Lactobacillus species may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of recurrent UTIs.

The bottom line: UTIs can resolve in one to two days

Simple UTIs can be uncomfortable and can progress to complicated UTIs. They almost always are treated with antibiotics. However, the good news is that once you start the appropriate antibiotics, symptoms usually resolve in one to two days, so you’ll be feeling better fast. Just be sure to take all of the antibiotics you were prescribed so the infection clears.

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