Healthy living
How Can I Prevent UTIs, and When Should I Call?
Simple habits that lower your risk of urinary tract infections, the symptoms that need treatment and how a quick telehealth visit can help.
Everyday prevention
- Drink enough water so your urine is pale yellow.
- Urinate soon after sex.
- Wipe from front to back.
- Do not hold urine for long periods.
- Avoid douches, scented sprays and harsh soaps.
- Choose cotton underwear and change out of wet swimwear.
- Treat constipation, which can increase risk.
Signs of a UTI
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Needing to go often and urgently, passing only small amounts
- Cloudy, strong-smelling or bloody urine
- Pressure or discomfort in the lower belly
If UTIs keep coming back
Two or more infections in six months, or three in a year, deserve a plan. Options include vaginal estrogen after menopause, cranberry products, D-mannose for some people, a single antibiotic dose after sex, or a low daily dose. We also check for other causes.
How we can help
Many UTIs can be treated after a quick video visit, with a urine test when needed. We send treatment to your pharmacy and build a prevention plan if infections keep returning. See urinalysis results explained.
Questions people ask
Can a UTI go away on its own?
Some mild UTIs clear without antibiotics, but most need treatment to prevent spread to the kidneys.
Does cranberry juice cure a UTI?
No. Cranberry may help prevent repeat infections in some women but does not treat an active infection.
Can men get UTIs?
Yes, though less often. UTIs in men usually need a closer look.
Talk it through with Lydia
Burning and urgency? A quick video visit can get you relief fast. See a board-certified nurse practitioner virtually anywhere in Virginia, in our Woodbridge office, or straight to your front door in much of Northern Virginia.
Visits start at $85, and every membership comes with a 30-day trial.
Prefer to ask first? Text us at (571) 402-2102 or message us on WhatsApp.
