UTI test and treat service
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common, but, fortunately, our team at Toome Pharmacy can help you to deal with this uncomfortable condition quickly and easily.
UTIs, which are most common in women, but can also affect men and children, are usually caused by bacteria or fungi, and can occur anywhere in your urinary tract.
Most will occur in the lower tract, primarily in the urethra, the tube through which you pass urine from your bladder, but some can involve the ureters and kidneys in the upper tract.
While UTIs in the upper tract are rarer than in the lower tract, they’re generally more severe.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of a UTI include:
- needing to urinate suddenly or more often than usual
- pain or a burning sensation when urinating
- smelly or cloudy urine
- blood in the urine
- pain in the lower abdomen
- fatigue
- general feeling of being unwell
Treatment of UTIs
The main treatment for UTIs is antibiotic medication.
In most cases, the medication needs to be taken once or twice a day for five to seven days, but this depends on both the type of antibiotic that is prescribed and on how severe the infection is.
In addition to the antibiotics, it is important for you to drink adequate fluids. Many patients – children in particular – are often tempted to reduce their fluid intake to decrease the need to urinate. Urination can, however, help to flush the bacteria out of the system and so you will be advised to stay hydrated and urinate often.
Test and Treat service available in pharmacy
Previously, UTIs had to be treated by a GP, but our team at Toome Pharmacy now offer a UTI Test and Treat service for women aged between 18 and 65.
By simply calling into the pharmacy, you can provide us with a urine sample, which we can then analyse and prescribe suitable antibiotics. These may be prescribed on a 3-day or weekly supply basis, depending on the severity.
Once you have started the antibiotics, your symptoms should start to clear up within five days (two days in children).
It’s vitally important that you complete the whole course of antibiotics, even if you begin to feel better.
With the UTI Test and Treat service at Toome Pharmacy, there’s no need to wait for a GP appointment. Just come into the pharmacy or give us a call and we can carry out the test and commence treatment quickly and easily.
UTIs can tend to recur frequently and so, during your consultation, you’ll be given advice on lifestyle changes which may help to prevent your UTI recurring.
Consultation and urine analysis £10.
