Can You Get a UTI From Not Drinking Enough Water?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common infection caused by bacteria entering your urinary tract. UTIs can cause pain or burning when you pee, a frequent urge to pee, pressure in your pelvis, or blood in your urine.

Not drinking enough water, or dehydration, may be a risk factor for urinary tract infections. Healthcare providers have long recommended drinking plenty of water as a way to reduce the risk of a UTI, and some research is beginning to show the benefits.

When you’re dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated, allowing bacteria to build up more in your urinary tract. Drinking enough water can dilute your urine, which may help flush out harmful bacteria before the infection can take hold.

How much water you drink doesn’t create the full picture. Other factors that can lead to a UTI include:

• Having a UTI in the past
• Having sex recently or having new or multiple sexual partners
• Hormonal changes due to menopause or pregnancy
• Use of spermicide or diaphragms
• Wiping back to front
• Structural abnormalities of your urinary tract
• Health conditions like diabetes or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 
• Healthcare practices like pelvic examinations, urinary catheters, or antibiotics 
• Not fully emptying your bladder when peeing 

Drinking more water can dilute and flush out bacteria from your urinary tract, reducing the amount that the bacteria can grow. Research shows that women who increased their water intake for a year were 50% less likely to develop UTIs.

Increasing water intake can also reduce the number of hospital admissions related to UTIs for older adults who may not remember to drink water, especially those who live in nursing homes.

How much water you need depends on your age, sex, overall health, and activity levels. The average person should drink about 9-13 cups of water a day. You may need more water if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

A good way to check whether you’re hydrated enough is to look at the color of your urine. If it’s dark yellow or amber, try to drink more water. A pale yellow color suggests you’re properly hydrated.

In addition to drinking more water, there are several steps you can take to help prevent UTIs. If you have a vagina, it’s important to follow hygiene steps, like wiping front to back and urinating after sex, to avoid bacteria buildup.

Taking certain steps while bathing may also help reduce your chance of UTIs. These include:

• Take showers rather than baths.
• Avoid using douches, sprays, or powders on your genitals.
• Stick to gentle, fragrance-free liquid soaps.
• Use a clean, soft cotton or microfiber washcloth.
• Clean the area near your urethra first.
• Take cranberry juice supplements.

If a healthcare provider diagnoses a UTI, they will likely prescribe antibiotics for the infection. It’s very important to take the antibiotics exactly as they tell you to—including finishing the full course, even if you feel better sooner.

Other strategies that can help you manage or treat UTIs include:

• Increase water intake: Research suggests that while taking your prescribed medication, drinking more water may also help you feel better.
• Take supplements: Your healthcare provider might recommend cranberry or D-mannose supplements. However, research on the effectiveness of these supplemental treatments is mixed.
• Use vaginal estrogen: If you’re in menopause, your healthcare provider may also recommend vaginal cream with estrogen to prevent future UTIs.

If you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection, it’s important to see a healthcare provider. Seeking care from a healthcare provider can help you feel better more quickly and prevent the infection from spreading to your kidneys or upper urinary tract.

Certain symptoms may signal that you have a kidney infection, a complication of an untreated UTI. If you experience any of the following symptoms, getting prompt treatment is especially important:

• Fever or chills
• Lower or side back pain
• Nausea or vomiting 

Not drinking enough water can increase your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTI), an uncomfortable but common bacterial infection. Drinking more water can improve symptoms and flush out the bacteria that cause UTIs.

If you are experiencing UTI symptoms, it’s a good idea to seek treatment from a healthcare provider to improve your symptoms and reduce the risk of complications.