Common UTI Symptoms In The Elderly
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the elderly often present with a variety of symptoms that differ from those seen in younger individuals. UTIs after the age of 80 may be accompanied by confusion and other more serious symptoms, sometimes requiring hospitalization.
General UTI Symptoms
- Dysuria: Painful or burning sensation during urination.
- Increased Urgency: A sudden, strong need to urinate.
- Increased Frequency: Needing to urinate more often than usual.
- Nocturia: Frequent urination during the night.
- Hematuria: Blood in the urine.
- Cloudy or Foul-Smelling Urine: Urine that appears cloudy or has a strong odor.
Systemic Symptoms
- Fever or Hypothermia: Elevated body temperature or lower-than-normal body temperature.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Gastrointestinal symptoms that can accompany a UTI.
- Lower Abdominal or Pelvic Pain: Discomfort or pain in the lower abdomen or pelvic area.
Additional UTI Symptoms In The Elderly
- Confusion or UTI Delirium: Sudden onset of confusion or changes in mental status
- Agitation or Restlessness: Unusual behavior changes or increased irritability.
- Decreased Mobility: Sudden difficulty with movement or walking.
- Fatigue: Unusual or increased tiredness.
- Loss of Appetite: Decreased interest in eating or drinking.
- Generalized Weakness: A feeling of weakness or lethargy.
In the elderly, these symptoms can be subtle or attributed to other chronic conditions, making UTIs more challenging to diagnose. Cognitive changes are often the first sign of a UTI in the elderly and can be mistaken for dementia or other neurological conditions. If these changes suddenly occur within a 24-hour period, it’s likely UTI delirium.
Read more about how to recognize UTI delirium at Understanding UTIs.
How To Treat and Prevent UTIs In The Elderly
Treatment
Recurrent UTIs are common among elderly female and male patients. The first line of UTI treatment for the elderly is a course of oral antibiotics.
People often ask what is the “best” antibiotic for UTIs for the elderly…the answer is there are none. Because antibiotics have been so over-prescribed, most older patients have become “antibiotic resistant”. There are only two oral antibiotics which remain effective against UTIs.
Read more about antibiotics resistance at Understanding UTIs.
Prevention
The American Medical Association has recently issued guidance on UTI prevention for the elderly: doctors are no longer permitted to prescribe long-term antibiotics as a preventative against recurring UTIs due to the serious side effects they caused in older women and men.
The good news is that there are two all-natural alternatives which have been proven effective in both treating and preventing UTIs in the elderly females and males.
1. D-Mannose powder which binds to the UTI bacteria and flushes them out of the bladder. This supplement can be used to treat an active UTI and provide relief from symptoms; it can also be used as a daily UTI preventative.
A March 2022 article in Antibiotics Magazine confirmed that D-Mannose is as effective as antibiotics in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
2. Cranberry Extract capsules which deliver a daily dose pf 36 mg. of proanthocyandins (PACs) prevents bacteria from sticking to the bladder lining and starting an infection. A November 2019 article in Today’s Geriatric Magazine confirmed that 36 mg of PAC was as effective as the antibiotic trimethoprim in preventing recurring UTIs in the elderly.
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