If men got UTIs as often as women, there’d be antibiotic vending machines.
Very little that I do seems to spread more relief (sometimes sheer joy), than the destruction of UTIs. And unlike for the common cold, patients in this case are usually right… “I just need an antibiotic!” Nobody leaves feeling ripped off by a diagnosis of “viral UTI.”
Dysuria means painful urination. Sometimes the problem is complex, but much more often the problem is easily and rapidly solved. Urinary tract infection is frequently caused by bacteria like E. coli. Less frequently STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea are the culprits. Sometimes there are mechanical causes as well for dysuria, like exiting kidney stones, or fissures that sting with the passage of urine. Rare causes of dysuria include bladder or prostate pathologies including a variety of cancers.
However, the large large majority of patients with dysuria in my world suffer the simple UTI, which is a pleasure to treat. Only rarely are urine cultures required. Actually, it’s borderline embarrassing, given that patients usually know exactly their diagnosis and treatment. “I’m on my honeymoon, and I get UTIs about once a year that always get better with Bactrim. And can you please include Diflucan to treat the yeast infection I may get after the antibiotic?” Patients who call me at 7pm are often ecstatic to receive their first antibiotic dose along with Pyridium for discomfort before bed, without having to pace in an urgent care or ER.