Research released by Queensland Health reveals that urinary tract infections (UTIs) have ranked in the top 10 presentations for the fourth year in a row.
In a statement, the Department said there were around 65 presentations a day with the complaint in Queensland hospitals.
Emergency Department Registrar at Logan Hospital, Dr Sajid Chowdhury said UTIs were common infections that affected people of all ages, although they were more common in females.
“They are caused by micro-organisms, usually bacteria, that get into your urinary tract,” Dr Chowdhury said.
“UTIs can be a serious infection that can affect all parts of the urinary tract from the bladder to the kidneys,” he said.
“Those who have had a urinary tract infection will tell you it’s not a pleasant experience.”
Dr Chowdhury said even though UTIs were common and very treatable, they could be painful and frustrating, especially if they reoccurred often.
He said symptoms of a UTI could include pain in the lower back or side; pain, stinging or burning on urination; and feeling the need to urinate more often than normal, but only passing a few drops.
Dr Chowdhury said other symptoms included cloudy urine, urine that smelt unusual, or blood in the urine.
The Registrar said people could take simple steps to prevent getting a UTI.
“The best thing to do is drink plenty of water to ensure you’re flushing out your urinary system,” he said.
“Make sure you’re going to the toilet when you need to and not holding it in.
“It’s also good to make sure you’re going to the toilet after sex and make sure you’re wiping from front to back after the toilet to ensure no bacteria is getting into the urethra and making its way up to the bladder,” Dr Chowdhury said.
