Urinary tract infections (UTI's) are a serious health problem that account for about 8 million doctor visits every year in the US. Women are especially prone to UTI's, because the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) is shorter in females than in males and it is closer to the anus. As a result, bacteria has a shorter distance to travel in order to enter the female urethra and move up into the bladder.

Men are more likely to get a urinary tract infection if they have an enlarged prostate gland. When the prostate gland is enlarged, it can prevent the free flow of urine out of the bladder and the urine is then more likely to become infected. People who have diabetes are also more likely to get urinary tract infections because they tend to have sugar in their urine and this provides a good environment for bacteria to grow.

The complication of urinary tract infections can lead to kidney infection that can cause damage to the kidneys and may cause other serious problems if not treated promptly and thoroughly.