Urinary Tract Infections in Men

Urinary tract infections or UTIs happen when bacteria grow in the urinary tract and cause symptoms. UTIs are less common in men than in women because the male urethra is longer and less prone to spreading bacteria through the tract, but they can still happen [1]. About 20% of men will have a UTI at some point, and it becomes more common with age [2].  

UTI Symptoms in Men

UTIs can develop in the upper or lower sections of your urinary tract. A lower UTI is an infection in your urethra or bladder, while an upper UTI affects your ureters and kidneys. Symptoms include [3]:

• Intense urge to urinate
• Frequent urination
• Burning during urination
• Bloody urine
• Cloudy urine
• Foul-smelling urine
• Trouble urinating
• Painful ejaculation
• Fever 
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Back or side pain

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Men often experience UTIs along with prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Sometimes, a UTI can cause prostate inflammation, called prostatitis. Prostatitis and UTIs have similar symptoms [4].

How To Test for UTIs

Testing for UTIs is typically a simple process. In most cases, you can check for UTIs at home using UTI test strips or urine home tests. These are the same clinical-grade tests your provider uses in-office and can quickly show abnormal changes in your urine [5]. 

Simple UTI home test strips check for high white blood cell and bacteria activity. Multiparameter urine test strips check for other markers, such as glucose, ketones, protein, pH, and bilirubin [5]. 

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To test for UTI, follow these steps [6]:

1. Collect a sample of urine.

2. Dip the urine test strip or UTI test strip into the urine.

3. Place the strip on a paper towel and wait for two minutes. 

4. Compare the strip to the color chart included in the package.

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If your test is positive, talk to your healthcare provider about treatment. They will likely re-do the test in-office or order tests with a lab to confirm an infection. 

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