When learning about cUTIs, you might come across words and terms you don’t know. Here is a list of some of the more common ones you might encounter:
Antibiotic: Medication that kills bacteria to stop them from growing; used to treat bacterial infections
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): When germs such as bacteria or fungi change (mutate), they may resist drugs that used to kill them or keep them from multiplying. This is called AMR.
Bacteria: Very small (single-cell) organisms, invisible to the naked eye
Bladder: The hollow, spherical organ that holds urine until you pee
Bloodstream infection: Infection in the blood
Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI): A UTI related to having or using a urinary catheter is called a CAUTI
Complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI): A UTI with symptoms that suggest that it has spread beyond the bladder, including fever and pyelonephritis (kidney infection)
Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder, often caused by a bladder infection
Dysuria: Discomfort, pain or burning when peeing
Flank pain: Pain in the side of the body between your ribs and hip
Hematuria: Red blood cells (blood) in your urine
Lower urinary tract: The part of the urinary tract that includes your bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body)
Pyelonephritis: A kidney infection
Recurrent UTI: UTIs that happen two or more times within six months or three times in a year. Recurrent UTIs aren’t necessarily cUTIs. Also called chronic UTIs.
Sepsis: The body’s extreme reaction to an infection; a life-threatening emergency
Systemic symptoms: These are symptoms that affect more than one part of your body beyond your bladder. These include fever, chills, low blood pressure or feeling very unwell.
Upper urinary tract: This part of the urinary tract includes your kidneys and the ureters (tubes that bring urine from your kidney to the bladder)
Urinalysis: A test that examines urine for different substances, including blood and the presence of bacteria. It can’t tell what type of bacteria is present, however.
Urinary catheter: A thin, flexible rubber or plastic tube inserted through your urethra to the bladder that allows urine to drain
Urinary frequency: Needing to pee more often than usual (more than seven times in a 24-hour period)
Urinary incontinence: Accidental or unintentional release of urine, loss of bladder control
Urinary retention: The inability to empty your bladder completely
Urinary urgency: The very strong, sudden need to pee
Urine culture: A urine test that identifies bacteria and other germs in the urine. If bacteria are found, testing can show what types of antibiotics are most likely to work.
