I keep getting Urinary Tract Infections. As you can imagine they are painful and inconvenient. Is there anything I can do to help avoid these? Is there maybe an underlying issue?
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect men and women, but more commonly occur in women. An infection occurs when tiny organisms, usually bacteria, cling to the opening of the urethra (the part that connects the bladder to the outside of the body) and multiply. Most infections come from E.Coli from the colon, but it can also be from Chlamydia and Mycoplasma, which are sexually transmitted.
UTIs can be painful and annoying since you feel like you have to use the restroom often, and when you do, it burns. There may also be pressure in the abdomen and the urine can be milky or even bloody in appearance. Usually it does not cause a fever, but if it does you need to consult a doctor because it may mean that the infection has reached the kidneys.
Now that the unpleasant symptoms have been explained, let’s get to the treatment and prevention options. If you get them more than three times a year, see your doctor about the following options:
• Take low doses of an antibiotic (like TMP/SMZ or nitrofurantoin) daily for 6 months or longer
• Take a shorter course (1 or 2 days) of antibiotics when symptoms appear
Sometimes, when women complain of recurrent UTIs, it may be that the original UTI was undertreated with antibiotics (not long enough), or the antibiotic was not strong enough, the symptoms are actually from a sexually transmitted infection or perhaps there are other underlying issues predisposing to UTIs (neurogenic bladder, incomplete bladder emptying, pelvic floor dysfunction, kidney stones, kidney or bladder anomalies).
There are multiple possible underlying causes to your frequency of UTIs. Now, when you are UTI free – be sure to take these steps to stay this way:
• Drink plenty of water
• Urinate often and right away when you feel like it
• Wipe from front to back to keep the bacteria in the anus from spreading forward
• Take showers instead of baths
• Urinate and wipe well before intercourse
• Urinate immediately after intercourse (intercourse can cause all sorts of bacteria to spread to different places, so be sure to urinate to clean out the urethra)
• Research has shown that using condoms with spermicide increases UTI risk – avoid if you get frequent UTIs
• Change your tampons and pads frequently
• Avoid feminine hygiene sprays and scented douches which irritate the urethra
• If you use a diaphragm for birth control, try another method since women who use diaphragms are shown to get infections more often
• Some people recommend cranberry juice, yet the evidence isn’t clear
Additionally, if you still are experiencing the burn down there after treatment and prevention options have failed, consult a doctor, who specializes in urinary disorders (urologist) or kidney disorders (nephrologist) about more extensive testing.
Renae DeVolder, BA
Graduate Assistant
Health Iowa/Student Health Service
Source: Mayo Clinic and the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Written 2/12/10
Question Link :
http://www.uistudenthealth.com/question/default.aspx?q=1119