Why too many women are prescribed antibiotics for UTIs they don't have
A new study suggests that many women diagnosed with recurrent urinary tract infections are actually suffering from vulvar inflammation or pelvic floor dysfunction. These conditions mimic UTI symptoms but require entirely different medical treatments.
Why it matters
Correct diagnosis can prevent the overuse of antibiotics and provide more effective, long-term relief for millions of women misdiagnosed with chronic infections.
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Maria Uloko sees the same scenario in her urology practice in Los Angeles every day: A woman has been diagnosed with recurrent urinary tract infections (which means she's had at least two in six months or three in a year), taken repeated rounds of antibiotics, and feels confused as to why the infections keep coming back.
Then, Uloko tells these patients something that often feels both revelatory and frustrating. "Most of them don't actually have UTIs, even though that's been their diagnosis time and time again," she says. "In fact, millions of women are being treated for UTIs they may not actually have."
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