Why do I always get a UTI in the summer?

In this article:

• Why summer increases your UTI risk
• Why women are at higher risk
• Symptoms
• Prevention
• Treatment
• When to see a healthcare provider
• Expert takeaway

In this article

• Why summer increases your UTI risk
• Why women are at higher risk
• Symptoms
• Prevention
• Treatment
• When to see a healthcare provider
• Expert takeaway

A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria spread along any part of the urinary tract, which includes the bladder, urethra, ureters, and kidneys. Though this can happen any time of year, studies show UTIs are more common in the summertime. Women, in particular, are at increased risk during the summer. A study published in the Journal of Urology found that the rate of UTIs in women across the U.S. increased by 20% to 30% when temperatures were between 77 and 86 degrees the previous week.

What is it about the warm, summer months that makes people more susceptible to UTIs? There are several reasons, including dehydration, travel, and exposure to extra moisture due to heat and humidity. Here’s more on why your UTI risk is higher in the summer, plus how summer UTIs can be prevented and treated.

Why summer increases your UTI risk

UTIs are more common in the summer because of a combination of heat-related factors, according to Kecia Gaither, MD, OB-GYN, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist, and Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Cornell Weill Medicine.

The most common causes include:

1. Dehydration

It’s much easier to become dehydrated in warm weather because your body loses a lot of fluid through sweating. If you’re not actively staying on top of your water intake, it’s easy to fall behind. When you don’t replace lost fluids, your urine becomes more concentrated, says Dr. Gaither, which promotes bacterial growth. You also stop emptying your bladder as often, she says, reducing your body’s ability to flush out this bacteria.

2. Summer travel

Do you always get a UTI when you’re on your summer vacation? The change to your usual routine could be the reason. Summer travel is a common risk factor for increased UTIs.

“When you’re on a road trip or catching flights, you tend to hold your urine longer than you normally would because you don’t want to stop or use a public restroom, [but] unfortunately, your bladder isn’t meant to store urine for hours at a time,” explains Jason B. Carter, MD, urologist and Medical Advisor at Aeroflow Urology.

Putting off voiding for long periods of time means you’re not flushing out the bacteria that naturally grows in and around the urinary tract. Dr. Carter says regularly emptying your bladder is one of the body’s simplest defenses against infection.

3. Prolonged exposure to moisture

Most people are exposed to higher levels of moisture in the summertime. The weather is hot, humid, and sweat-inducing, plus we spend more time swimming in pools, lakes, and oceans.

All that moisture can quickly lead to infection, however. Lounging around in a damp swimsuit or staying in sweaty clothes after a workout increases your exposure to moisture around your genital area, says Dr. Gaither. This moist environment encourages bacteria to thrive and ultimately increases your risk for UTI.

Why are women at higher risk for UTI?

There are two main reasons why women are more likely to get UTIs than men, says Dr. Carter: their anatomy and hormones.

Women have shorter urethras than men. “So bacteria have a much shorter distance to travel before reaching the bladder,” he says. “The urethra [the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body] is also located closer to the rectum, where the bacteria responsible for most UTIs naturally live.”

Dr. Carter is referring to Escherichia coli (E. coli), which is always present in the colon as a typically-beneficial bacteria that aids in digestion and protection against illness. However, sometimes E. coli spreads to the urethra and enters the urinary tract, where it can flourish and cause infection.

On top of a higher anatomical risk, women also have a hormonal risk. After menopause, estrogen levels decline; this changes the normal bacteria that help protect the urinary tract, increasing your risk of UTI as you reach your 50s, 60s, and beyond, says Dr. Carter.

Summer triggers and how to counter them
Summer trigger	Why it raises UTI risk	How to counter it
Dehydration	Urine becomes more concentrated and prone to bacterial growth	Stay hydrated throughout the day, especially when you’re outside in high temps
Summer travel	You hold your urine for longer, which means you don’t flush out normal bacteria as often	Schedule regular bathroom stops on road trips and use the bathroom whenever you have the opportunity (i.e., during airport layovers)
Moisture exposure	Bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments; wet or sweaty undergarments encourage bacterial growth around the genitals	Change out of wet swimsuits or sweaty workout clothes ASAP

UTI symptoms to watch for

Most UTIs start with some common symptoms:

• A painful or burning sensation when urinating
• Increased urination
• More urgent urination
• Discolored, cloudy, or smelly urine
• Pelvic pain or pressure

However, UTIs can quickly spread all the way up the urinary tract to the kidneys, turning into a serious medical emergency. If a kidney infection is left untreated, Dr. Carter says bacteria can spread into the bloodstream and become life-threatening. This is especially common in older adults, people with diabetes, or anyone with a weakened immune system, he adds.

When you’re already experiencing UTI symptoms, which often include pain or discomfort, it may not be obvious that the infection has spread. So what are the key symptoms to watch for?

“I tell patients that fever is one of the biggest red flags,” says Dr. Carter. “If a UTI is accompanied by chills, pain in the back or side below the ribs, nausea, vomiting, or you simply feel significantly ill, don’t assume it’s ‘just another UTI.’”

If you experience any of these additional symptoms, you should get evaluated by a healthcare provider immediately.

How to prevent a UTI this summer

Although UTIs are more common in the summer, that doesn’t mean they’re unavoidable. Here are some ways to prevent infections in warm weather.

1. Stay hydrated and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to start drinking, says Dr. Carter. Check for pale yellow urine as a sign you’re getting enough fluids.
2. Use the bathroom as often as needed, and avoid holding urine for long periods of time. Always wipe from front to back to avoid moving bacteria from the rectum to the urethra.
3. Change out of wet clothing ASAP, especially wet swimsuits and underwear.
4. Choose your clothing wisely. Per Dr. Gaither, loose-fitting undergarments made of breathable materials like cotton are less likely to create an environment prone to bacterial growth.
5. Urinate after sexual activity to help keep bacteria away from the urethra.
6. Skip the harsh feminine products. Dr. Carter says it’s a misconception that the vagina needs to be heavily cleansed or deodorized, and many scented soaps, douches, feminine sprays, powders, and bubble baths can irritate the tissues around the urethra and disrupt the normal balance of healthy bacteria. He recommends sticking to warm water only, or a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser if necessary.
7. Try taking cranberry supplements. Some people find that using them regularly reduces the number of UTIs they get each year.
8. Consider reaching out to your healthcare provider if you’re having recurring UTIs every single summer.

“Don’t just accept it as normal,” says Dr. Carter. “There are several effective prevention strategies we can tailor to you, and it’s worth discussing them with your healthcare provider before the next trip rather than after the next infection.”

How to treat summer UTIs

Because almost all UTIs are bacterial, you typically need to take antibiotics to treat one. This is especially true for UTIs causing symptoms like burning, urinary urgency, frequent urination, pelvic discomfort, and cloudy or foul-smelling urine, says Dr. Gaither.

If you’re experiencing UTI symptoms at home, reach out to your usual healthcare provider for treatment. If you’re traveling, consider using a telehealth platform through your employer or insurance provider to get fast, remote care; if that’s not an option, check your area for urgent care centers close by.

There are several antibiotics used to treat UTIs, including amoxicillin, Cipro, Keflex, Levaquin, and Macrobid. Some antibiotics have been shown to be especially effective for women, including Macrobid, Bactrim, and Monurol.

While you wait for your antibiotics to take effect, you can get faster relief from your UTI symptoms with over-the-counter (OTC) medications found in most local pharmacies. Pain relievers like Tylenol and NSAIDs (Motrin, Aleve, and aspirin) may reduce some of your urinary and pelvic pain. There are also numbing medications like phenazopyridine, available as a prescription and OTC drug, which soothe pain and burning in the urinary tract for a few hours at a time.

Common UTI antibiotics
Drug name	Price without insurance	SingleCare price	Savings options
Amoxicillin	$19 for 21, 500 mg capsules	$3 for 21, 500 mg capsules at Walmart	See latest prices
Cipro (ciprofloxacin)	$114 for 14, 500 mg tablets	$8 for 14, 500 mg tablets at Walmart	See latest prices
Keflex (cephalexin)	$46 for 28, 500 mg capsules	$8 for 28, 500 mg capsules at Walmart	See latest prices
Levaquin (levofloxacin)	$168 for 10, 500 mg tablets	$8 for 10, 500 mg tablets at Kroger	See latest prices
Macrobid (nitrofurantoin)	$92 for 10, 100 mg capsules	$6 for 10, 100 mg capsules at Kroger	See latest prices
Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim)	$61 for 30, 400-80 mg tablets of Bactrim	$8 for 30, 400-80 mg tablets of Bactrim at Kroger	See latest prices
Monurol (fosfomycin)	$142 per 1, 3 gm packet	$28 per 1, 3 gm packet at Walmart	See latest prices

When to see a healthcare provider

If you are generally healthy and have only mild UTI symptoms, you may be able to manage the infection at home and avoid antibiotics. However, there is risk involved with taking a “wait and see” approach, since UTIs can spread relatively quickly to the kidneys when left untreated. It should only be done under a healthcare provider’s guidance.

Some people should never delay treatment for a UTI because they’re at higher risk for spread of infection and life-threatening complications. Per Dr. Gaither, this includes immunocompromised people, pregnant women, anyone with an upcoming urology procedure, people with underlying kidney disease, diabetics, and the elderly.

Even if you’re not in any of the high-risk categories, you still need to know when to stop home management of a UTI and get evaluated by a provider. If your symptoms last more than 2 days, get worse, or go away and come back, you should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible. If you have a fever or chills, pain in your back or side, visible blood in the urine, or nausea and vomiting, you should get immediate medical attention, says Dr. Gaither. These are signs of a possible kidney infection, which is a medical emergency.

Expert takeaway

If you are taking antibiotics for your UTI, it’s important to finish the entire course as prescribed, even if you start to feel better. Stopping antibiotics earlier than instructed can cause your UTI to come back, worsen, or become harder to treat.