Male Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are less common than similar infections in females, but that doesn't mean they are something that should be ignored. They include such infections as cystitis (a bladder infection), urethritis (an infection of the urethra), and kidney infections. Most of the time, male UTIs are found in the urethra or the bladder.
The cause of male urinary tract infections is bacteria. E. Coli is usually the particular strain that is most often responsible for causing the infection, although other types of bacteria can be the cause. The bacteria enters the body through the opening of the urethra.
Men over the age of 50 are most susceptible to male urinary tract infections. After this age, a man is more likely to have an enlarged prostate or kidney stones, which can obstruct the urethra. A man who has a history of diabetes is also at increased risk of developing a urinary tract infection. If he is unable to dispose of urine completely, this leaves him susceptible to urinary tract infections.
Signs of male urinary tract infections include urinating more frequently than normal, as well as pain when urinating. Intercourse and ejaculation may be painful, as well. The sufferer may feel more tired than usual, or be passing urine that has a milky or cloudy appearance. The presence of blood in the urine is another sign associated with a urinary tract infection in males, as is lower back pain.
If not treated promptly, there is a risk that the infection will spread and move up to the kidneys through the urinary tract. A kidney infection can be very serious, and for this reason any suspected male urinary tract infections should be checked out by a doctor right away.
Once male urinary tract infections have been diagnosed, antibiotics are usually prescribed to treat them. Some doctors will recommend that cranberry juice be consumed as well. The antibiotics work quickly to clear up the infection, sometimes taking only days to take effect.
If you are prescribed an antibiotic to treat an infection, it's important that you keep taking it for the number of days the doctor has recommended. Stopping the medication early may mean that the infection hasn't been completely cleared up, even if the symptoms have settled down.