Urinary tract infection, commonly referred to as UTI, is a condition in which infection occurs in any part of the urinary system. The infection can be in the kidneys, urethra, bladder, and uterus. In most cases, it affects the lower urinary tract, which comprises the urethra and the bladder. UTI can be treated with the help of antibiotics, but it is important to know the symptoms of the condition to get a timely diagnosis.

Common symptoms of UTI
There are several signs and symptoms of UTI which, when known, can help in diagnosing and treating the condition. These symptoms are mentioned below:

1. Frequent urge to urinate
Those with UTI  experience frequent urges to urinate. These urges are extremely strong. UTI causes inflammation of the bladder and the urethra. This leads to the malfunctioning of the receptors in the body that is responsible for sending the signals for urination.

2. Discomfort or pain during urination
The infection-causing bacteria irritate the urinary tract lining. This leads to inflammation that can cause discomfort or pain while urinating.

3. Passing less urine
The infection can cause swelling of the urethra. This causes interference with the amount of urine that is passed at a time.

4. Cloudy urine
Those with UTI might experience cloudy urine. This is caused due to the white blood cells that form in the system to fight and remove the infection-causing bacteria.

5. Smelly urine
The bacteria that cause the infection are also responsible for causing a fishy odor in the urine.

6. Pneumaturia
This is identified by the passing of gas while urinating. Sometimes it happens that UTI leads to the passing of gas while a person is urinating.

7. Incontinence
When UTI affects the elderly, reduced control over bladder movement can be one of the symptoms of the condition.

Diagnosis of UTI
Once the symptoms are identified, several procedures can be used to diagnosed  UTI . These include the following:

1. Urine sample test
The doctor will ask the patient to get urine test to check for bacterial infection and the presence of red blood cells or white blood cells. 

2. Urine culture
In this procedure, urinary tract bacteria can be ordered to be grown in the lab. This diagnosis method allows the doctor to know which type of bacteria has been causing the infection and which medication would suit the best.

3. Ultrasound or CT scan
In case a person experiences frequent bouts of infections in the urinary tract, the doctor would want to check the cause behind this abnormality. For this, they can order an ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI. 

4. Cystoscopy
This is a procedure used by the doctor to look inside the bladder for the causes of recurrent infections. A cystoscope is used in this procedure. It is inserted into the urethra and passed through the bladder.