Why Your UTI Might Not be a UTI: Dr. Dave Explains

By John Aase • December 2, 2022

In today's video, Dr. Dave Strobel explains what an infection is, what it isn't, and shares a story of how a patient's supposed UTI was actually a heart attack.

It's easy to think, "well, if there are foreign germs growing somewhere in my body, that must mean infection," but that isn't actually the case. Our skin is covered in germs. Even when we wash and scrub with soap, some germs will still remain, and clearly not everybody is running around with skin infections.

Similarly, the human gut is filled with all sorts of bacteria that helps our bodies function. The average person carries around roughly 2 to 6 pounds of bacteria. It only becomes an infection when the germs get into the body, invade tissues, and cause symptoms such as swelling, redness, or tenderness to the site. If there are no symptoms, there's no infection.

The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, the bladder, and the urethra, as well as some assorted pipes that carry fluids around to the bladder. Generally speaking, the urinary tract is supposed to remain sterile. There should be no germs in your bladder at all. However, as people get older, that tends to change. Germs start to grow in the bladder, often without causing any issues.

In these cases, there is no infection because there are no symptoms of it. The germs are there, but they are not invading the tissues yet. However, if you went into the emergency room and took a urine test, it would come back saying there are germs growing in the bladder, so you might have a urinary tract infection. This false positive could hide what's actually causing your health problems.

This video is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis, but instead to provide you with information so you can ask your doctor the right questions and get the health care you need.

Note: These videos are presented for educational purposes only. Your use of this site does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Specific medical advice is only offered through membership in HELPcare Clinic.

John Aase

John is part of HELPcare’s content development team and lives with his wife Bella in Plymouth, Minnesota. He is an MFA candidate at Hamline University.
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