Urinary incontinence in neurological disease: assessment and management

Treatment to prevent urinary infection

Most people should not usually need antibiotics for prevention of infections. However, if you have recently had frequent or severe urinary infections your healthcare professional may offer you antibiotics to help prevent further infections. Before prescribing antibiotics, your healthcare professional should check whether there is a problem causing the infections that could be treated (such as bladder stones or bladder emptying problems), discuss with you the risks and benefits, and investigate which antibiotics are most suitable. If you are taking antibiotics to prevent infection, your healthcare professional should regularly review whether they are needed.

If you have a long-term indwelling catheter you should not usually be given antibiotics to prevent infection when your catheter is being changed. However, you may be given antibiotics if you have had symptoms of urinary infection in the past after a catheter change or you experience trauma during insertion of the catheter.