This guide is general information about healthcare in Ireland. It is not a substitute for advice from a doctor who has assessed you. In an emergency, call 112 or 999.
What is a UTI?
A urinary tract infection is an infection anywhere in the system that makes and carries urine: the kidneys, the tubes from the kidneys, the bladder and the urethra (the tube you pee through). Most UTIs affect the bladder. This is often called cystitis. An infection that spreads up to the kidneys is more serious.
UTIs are usually caused by bacteria from the bowel getting into the urethra. They are much more common in women, because the urethra is shorter, but men, children and older people get them too.
Common UTI symptoms
- needing to pee suddenly, or more often than usual
- pain or a burning feeling when peeing
- cloudy or strong-smelling urine
- blood in your urine
- pain low down in your tummy
- feeling tired, achy or generally unwell
Symptoms can look different in some people
- Older people may become suddenly confused or agitated, or more unsteady than usual, sometimes without obvious urinary symptoms.
- Children may wet the bed or themselves, hold in their pee because it stings, or just seem unwell.
- Babies may have a high temperature, feed poorly, vomit or be unusually irritable.
Get an urgent GP appointment the same day if you have UTI symptoms and: pain in your side or lower back, a high temperature or shivering, or you feel sick or are vomiting. These can be signs of a kidney infection, which needs prompt treatment. If your surgery is closed, contact your GP out-of-hours service.
Call 112 or 999 if someone is very unwell, for example confused or very drowsy, breathing very fast, has cold or blotchy skin, or has not passed urine all day.
What you can do for mild symptoms
Mild UTIs often settle within a few days. While you recover:
- drink plenty of fluids so you are peeing regularly
- take paracetamol for pain, following the instructions on the pack
- rest, and try a hot water bottle on your tummy or back
- avoid sex until you feel better
Speak to a pharmacist or GP before taking anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen if there is any chance you have a kidney infection, or if you have kidney problems.
Where to get help in Ireland
Your pharmacist
Under the Common Conditions Service, pharmacists can assess and, where appropriate, prescribe treatment for uncomplicated UTIs in women aged 16 to 64. You will be asked questions in private and charged a consultation fee, even if you have a medical card. If anything suggests a more complicated infection, the pharmacist will send you to a GP. Read more about how pharmacist prescribing works.
Your GP
See a GP if:
- you are a man with UTI symptoms
- you are pregnant
- a child has symptoms
- you care for an older person who may have a UTI
- it is your first UTI
- there is blood in your urine
- your symptoms have not improved after a few days, or come back after treatment
- you get UTIs often
- you have a weakened immune system, diabetes, a urinary catheter or a known kidney problem
- you are worried
If you are pregnant, contact your GP, midwife or obstetrician as soon as you have symptoms. UTIs in pregnancy need treatment, and the doctor needs to know you are pregnant to choose a safe antibiotic.
What happens when you see a GP
The doctor will ask about your symptoms, how long you have had them, any previous infections, whether you could be pregnant and any other health conditions. They may ask for a urine sample. A dipstick test gives a quick indication, and a sample sent to the lab (a urine culture) shows which bacteria are present and which antibiotics will work. A culture is more likely to be needed for men, pregnant women, children, recurrent infections and infections that have not cleared.
If antibiotics are needed, the GP will choose one based on your situation and local resistance patterns. Symptoms usually start improving within a couple of days. Contact a doctor again if you are not improving after a few days, or straight away if you develop signs of a kidney infection.
Recurrent UTIs
Some people get UTIs repeatedly. Doctors usually call it recurrent if you have two or more infections in six months, or three or more in a year. A GP can look for triggers, check for underlying causes, arrange tests if needed and talk about prevention, which may include changes in routine and, for some people, preventive treatment.
Things that may help prevent UTIs
- drink enough fluid that your urine is pale
- pee when you need to rather than holding it in
- pee soon after sex
- wipe from front to back after using the toilet
- avoid perfumed soaps, bubble baths and douches around the genital area
Can a UTI be assessed online?
Often, yes. For a woman with typical bladder symptoms who is otherwise well, a video or phone consultation is usually enough for a doctor to make a safe decision. A remote consultation is less suitable if you have signs of a kidney infection, if you are a man, pregnant, or asking about a child, or if you have had several infections recently. In those cases a urine test or examination is more likely to be needed. See how online GP consultations work in Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Will a UTI go away on its own?
Mild UTIs often settle within a few days with fluids, rest and pain relief. If your symptoms are not improving after a few days, are getting worse, or you are in one of the groups who should always see a doctor, such as men, pregnant women and children, get medical advice.
Can a pharmacist treat a UTI in Ireland?
Yes, for some people. Under the Common Conditions Service, pharmacists can assess and, where appropriate, prescribe for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women aged 16 to 64. There is a consultation fee. If you are outside the criteria, or the pharmacist is concerned, they will refer you to a GP.
Do I always need antibiotics for a UTI?
No. Mild infections sometimes clear without them. A doctor or pharmacist will decide based on your symptoms, your history and your risk of complications. When antibiotics are needed, symptoms usually improve within a few days of starting them.
Is a UTI contagious? Can I pass it to my partner?
No, you cannot pass a UTI to a partner. Sex can make symptoms worse and can sometimes trigger an infection, so it is best to wait until you feel better.
Can a UTI be assessed online?
Often, yes. Typical bladder symptoms in women who are otherwise well can usually be assessed safely by video or phone. Men, pregnant women, children, people with signs of a kidney infection and people with frequent infections are more likely to need a urine test or an in-person review. See how online GP consultations work.
How many UTIs count as recurrent?
Doctors usually describe UTIs as recurrent if you have two or more in six months, or three or more in a year. If that sounds like you, see a GP rather than treating each one separately, so they can look for a cause and talk about prevention.
Sources and further reading
- HSE – Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- HSE – Urine infections in pregnancy
- HSE – Common Conditions Service
- PSI – Common Conditions Service
From AccessGP
Checked against official Irish sources. Last checked 5 November 2026.