08/04/2026
“My urine culture was negative, but I still feel like I have a UTI.”
Burning, bladder pain, urgency, and frequency can happen with both recurrent UTIs and interstitial cystitis, which is why many patients spend months or years being told:
“Your culture is negative.”
“Let’s another antibiotic.”
“Maybe it’s just IC.”
A standard urine culture doesn’t always tell the full story.
Bacteria may be difficult to detect because they are:
-Embedded inside a protective biofilm.
-Present in low amounts.
-A cell-wall-deficient form that may not grow on a standard culture.
Our approach at Źare Medical is different because we don’t stop at a negative culture.
We look at the full pattern, including your symptoms, urine pH, possible biofilm involvement, and use advanced testing to help identify organisms that a standard culture can miss.
Dr. Y at Źare Medical specializes in treating chronic UTI and interstitial cystitis patients. Call us at (415)-766-7266 or visit zaremedicalsf.com to schedule a free 10-minute call.
