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Most urinary tract infections are bladder infections, and a doctor can evaluate them. If you are asking yourself whether you should go to the ER for a UTI, the answer depends on how far the infection has spread and who has it. Knowing when to go to the ER for a UTI comes down to a few signs that point past the bladder, or to a higher-risk situation such as pregnancy. Head to an emergency room if you notice any of these:
- Fever with chills or shaking
- Pain in your back or side, just below the ribs
- Nausea or vomiting that keeps fluids from staying down
- Blood in your urine, or being unable to urinate
- New confusion or a sudden change in behavior
Trouble staying awake, fast breathing or fainting means calling 911. The sections below explain each sign and what to expect when you arrive.
Bladder Infection vs. Kidney Infection: Why the Difference Matters
Your urinary tract has a lower part, made up of the urethra and bladder, and an upper part, made up of the ureters and kidneys. A bladder infection stays in the lower part. It usually brings burning when you urinate, a constant urge to go, frequent trips to the bathroom, cloudy or strong-smelling urine and pressure low in the belly.
Bacteria can travel up from the bladder to one or both kidneys. A kidney infection is less common but more serious, and it tends to bring fever, chills, lower back or side pain, nausea and vomiting. Our guide on when a kidney infection becomes an emergency covers that stage in more detail.
Doctors use two terms for this. CDC describes an uncomplicated UTI as an infection limited to the bladder in an adult without fever. A complicated UTI reaches beyond the bladder, as with a kidney infection, a fever or a catheter.
Most UTIs begin when bacteria from the skin or bowel enter the urethra. Women get them more often because the urethra is shorter, and an estimated 50 to 80 percent of women have at least one in their lifetime. Kidney stones, a urinary catheter, diabetes and an enlarged prostate also raise the odds of infection.
Warning Signs That Mean Go to the ER for a UTI
These are the signs that tell you when to go to the ER for a UTI. Any one of them is enough reason to be seen.
A fever with chills or shaking is the most common signal that an infection has moved beyond the bladder. A temperature above 101°F (38.3°C) is one of the signs listed for a UTI that has reached the kidneys.
Pain in the back or side, just below the ribs, comes from the kidneys rather than the bladder. Bladder infections cause pressure low in the belly, so pain higher up and toward the back deserves attention.
Nausea or vomiting matters most when fluids will not stay down. A body that cannot hold fluids can become dehydrated quickly, and a doctor may need to give fluids through an IV.
Visible blood in the urine can happen with a simple bladder infection, but it also appears with kidney infections and stones, so a doctor should look at the cause.
Being unable to urinate is an emergency. It can point to a blockage, and a full bladder is painful and can strain the kidneys.
New confusion or a sudden change in behavior can be the main sign of infection in some people, especially older adults.
Feeling very weak or unwell, in a way that is out of the ordinary for you, tells you the illness is affecting your whole body.
Symptoms that are getting worse quickly belong on this list too, because a fast change often means the infection is moving.
Symptoms that return shortly after treatment, or that do not improve, are a reason to be seen again. A doctor can check for a cause that the first visit did not show.
When to Call 911 Instead of Driving In
Some signs go beyond a trip to the ER and call for an ambulance. They can point to sepsis, which happens when the body's response to an infection starts to injure its own tissues and organs. The urinary tract is one of the most common places for the infections that lead to sepsis to start. Genitourinary infections account for 16 to 37 percent of adult sepsis hospitalizations, and sepsis from a kidney infection, though uncommon, can develop quickly.
Call 911 if you or someone with a UTI has any of these signs:
Confusion, disorientation or trouble staying awake. Fast breathing or a racing heart or weak pulse. Shortness of breath. Clammy or sweaty skin. Fainting or near fainting. Extreme pain.
Paramedics can begin care on the way to the hospital. That matters because most sepsis cases begin before the person reaches a medical facility.
Driving yourself is risky with these signs. Confusion, dizziness and fainting can strike behind the wheel, and a passenger may not be able to help if your condition changes. Stay on the line with the dispatcher and unlock the door if you can.
Who Should Get Seen Sooner: Higher-Risk Groups
For some people, UTI symptoms deserve prompt care even before any red flag appears. Infection can move faster in these groups, or it can look different.
Pregnant women should be seen quickly. UTIs affect about 8 percent of pregnancies and are linked to preterm delivery and low birth weight. A pregnant woman with a fever may need hospital care.
Older adults often do not have burning or urgency at all. In people who are older, confusion or other mental changes are often the only sign of a UTI, so a loved one who is suddenly foggy, agitated or unusually sleepy should be checked.
People with diabetes and people with a weakened immune system face a higher risk of the infection reaching the bloodstream. CDC lists adults 65 and older, people with diabetes and people with weakened immune systems as having increased risk of urosepsis.
Men get UTIs less often than women, so a doctor usually wants to look for an underlying cause such as a urinary tract problem.
People with a urinary catheter, kidney stones or another urinary tract condition have an easier path for bacteria to travel, and infections in these settings are treated as complicated.
Infants and young children cannot describe what hurts. A child under 2 with a kidney infection may only have a high fever, and CDC advises talking to a healthcare professional right away if a baby younger than 3 months has a fever of 100.4°F or higher.
Can I Go to the ER for a UTI When Urgent Care Is Closed?
Yes. An emergency room evaluates anyone who comes through the door, and a UTI is a reason to be seen.
Milder symptoms usually go to a primary care doctor first, or to an urgent care center during its open hours. Our post on how an emergency room and an urgent care center differ walks through that choice. The ER becomes the option when symptoms get worse at night or on a weekend and other offices are closed, when any warning sign from the list above appears, or when the person is in a higher-risk group.
Reliant Emergency Room is a freestanding emergency room at 3910 Saratoga Blvd in Corpus Christi, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with physicians on location. Its emergency care services include treatment for urinary tract infection, along with fever, vomiting, dehydration and other infections. Reliant is an emergency room, so it also sees lower-acuity cases when an office is closed and the symptoms will not wait until morning.
The billing terms are worth knowing before you arrive. Reliant is a freestanding emergency medical care facility. It charges rates comparable to a hospital emergency room and may charge a facility fee. It is an out-of-network provider for all health benefit plans. The Insurance Information page lays out these terms in full, including how to request an itemized statement.
What Happens at the ER for a UTI
A visit starts with triage. A nurse checks your vital signs, including temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, and asks about your symptoms, how long you have had them and your medical history.
You will likely give a urine sample. The lab runs a urinalysis and, in some cases, a urine culture to identify the bacteria. When doctors look for signs the infection has spread, they may also order blood tests.
Imaging can follow if a kidney infection or a stone is a concern. An ultrasound or CT scan lets the doctor see the kidneys and the rest of the urinary tract.
Treatment is the doctor's decision, based on the findings. It can include IV fluids for someone who has been vomiting. A patient who needs to be admitted is transferred to a hospital.
Reliant keeps much of this equipment on location: a certified lab (COLA accredited), CT scans, ultrasound, digital x-rays and EKG. Results from the lab and imaging reach the physician at the same facility, which keeps the visit moving.
Get Checked at Reliant Emergency Room
If UTI symptoms cannot wait for an office appointment, Reliant Emergency Room on Saratoga Blvd is open around the clock with physicians on location. You can contact our team through the Contact Us page with questions before you come in. Severe or sepsis-like symptoms, such as confusion, fast breathing or fainting, mean calling 911.
This content is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Medical needs vary from person to person. If you have questions or concerns about your health, symptoms, or treatment options, consult a qualified healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek emergency medical care immediately.
