Final answer:
Phenazopyridine is a medication utilized as an urinary tract analgesic and spasmolytic, offering symptomatic relief for pain and burning during a urinary tract infection while antibiotics treat the infection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medication phenazopyridine is commonly used as an urinary tract analgesic and spasmolytic. It is known to provide pain relief in cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs) by exerting a local anesthetic effect on the mucosa of the urinary tract. This effect can help alleviate the pain, burning, and urgency associated with UTIs. Phenazopyridine is not an antibiotic; therefore, it does not treat the infection itself but is used to relieve symptoms while antibiotics like fluoroquinolones, nitrofurantoin, or cephalosporins treat the underlying bacterial infection.
Analgesics such as phenazopyridine are particularly effective against low-to-moderate intensity pain, especially pain associated with inflammation. However, narcotics like hydrocodone, which can come in combination with acetaminophen, are prescribed for moderate to moderately severe pain and can cause drowsiness or even loss of consciousness in higher doses. Spasmolytics, on the other hand, help relax the detrusor muscle of the bladder wall and may assist in the treatment or management of bladder spasms that accompany UTIs.