UTI treatment online
Burning, urgency, running to the bathroom every twenty minutes – a urinary tract infection is miserable. Talk to a licensed provider by video or phone today, usually without leaving home.
- Licensed providers
- Same-day visits, usually
- Video or phone
Get started Members: request a visit
Written by the CheckMD care team · Updated
Signs of a urinary tract infection
A UTI happens when bacteria get into the bladder or urethra. They are very common, especially in women, and the symptoms are hard to ignore:
- A burning or stinging feeling when you pee
- Needing to go often, or urgently, but only passing a little
- Cloudy, dark or strong-smelling urine
- Pressure or cramping low in the belly
If that sounds familiar, you don't need to wait for an office appointment to get started.
How a virtual UTI visit works
Your provider asks about your symptoms, how long you have had them, your health history and any medicines you take. For many adults with typical, uncomplicated symptoms that is enough to make a diagnosis.
If treatment is right for you, your provider sends a prescription – usually a short course of antibiotics – to the pharmacy you choose. Sometimes they will ask for a urine test first, for example if the symptoms are unusual or keep coming back, and tell you where to have it done.
Most people start to feel better within a day or two of starting treatment. Finish the full course, drink plenty of water, and check in again if you are not improving.
Medicines your provider may prescribe
- Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) or fosfomycin – common antibiotics for an uncomplicated bladder infection
- Phenazopyridine – short-term relief of burning while the antibiotic starts to work (it turns urine orange)
Only when it is right for you: your provider checks your symptoms, allergies, other medicines and health history first. Prescriptions go to the pharmacy you choose.
What you can do at home right now
- Drink plenty of water
- Don't hold your urine – go when you need to
- A heating pad on the lower belly can ease cramping
- Skip alcohol, coffee and fizzy drinks until it settles
When a UTI needs an in-person visit
- Fever, chills, or pain in your back or side under the ribs – signs the infection may have reached the kidneys
- Nausea or vomiting, or you can't keep fluids down
- You are pregnant
- Symptoms in a man, or in a child
- Blood in the urine, or symptoms that don't improve within 48 hours of treatment
- Three or more UTIs in a year
Your provider will tell you if any of these apply and where to go. A virtual visit is not an emergency service. For chest pain, trouble breathing, severe bleeding, signs of a stroke or a serious injury, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) at any time.
Get help in three steps
Request a visit
Tell us what is going on and choose video or phone.
Talk to a provider
Usually the same day, often within hours.
Start feeling better
Get your care plan and any prescription at your pharmacy.
Questions about UTI treatment online
Do I need a urine test?
Not always. Many uncomplicated UTIs in adults are diagnosed from symptoms alone. Your provider will order a test if your symptoms are unusual, keep returning or don't respond to treatment.
How fast can I get treatment?
Most members are seen the same day. If a prescription is right for you, it goes straight to your pharmacy, often ready within hours.
Can I prevent UTIs from coming back?
Drinking enough water, not holding urine for long and peeing after sex help many people. If you get UTIs often, your provider can talk through other options with you.
Can men be treated online for a UTI?
Men can start with a virtual visit, but UTIs in men usually need a urine test and sometimes an exam, so your provider may refer you for those.
How much does an online visit cost?
Visits are part of your CheckMD membership – one yearly price, and you don't need insurance. You pay the pharmacy for any medicine. See the current plans on our pricing page or read about telehealth without insurance.
Can I be seen today?
Most visits happen the same day. Request a visit, choose video or phone and pick the earliest time.
What if I don't get better?
Book a follow-up visit. Your provider can adjust your treatment or tell you where to be seen in person. If you get worse quickly, don't wait – get urgent care.
Feeling unwell? Talk to a provider today.
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