Urinary Tract Infection

Top 10 Ways to Manage A UTI- All About Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections or UTI is considered a very prevalent type of infection experienced by the human body. Alone in the US, about 10 out of every 25 women contract UTI. Similarly, in the US, about every 3 out of 25 men experience urinary tract infections. Women are more prone to developing than men due to the female anatomy.

What is Urinary Tract Infection?

As the name suggests, when any part of the urinary system, which includes kidneys, urethra, uterus, and urinary bladder, gets infected due to the presence of harmful bacteria or yeast, the infection is known as a UTI. Most commonly, the lower urinary tract, i.e., the bladder and the urethra, suffer from a UTI. However, situations may turn serious when it starts spreading to the kidneys.

Types of Urinary Tract Infections

• Bladder Infection: Bladder Infection is caused more frequently in women than men is also known as cystitis. In this condition, the bladder swells up and gets irritated. One may feel the sudden urge to pee or may have problems urinating properly. It is usually caused due to the presence of E.coli bacteria, which is often the main culprit for UTI development.
• Urethral Infection: Such an infection is also known as urethritis. In this, the bacteria enter the urethra and cause inflammation. It leads to serious consequences when left untreated.

What causes a UTI?

There can be possibly many reasons for contracting a UTI; putting the finger on just one cause of UTI may be a hard nut to crack. A combination of two or more of the causes can potentially lead to a UTI.

• Sexual Intercourse: Sexual activities perturb the sensitive tissues of your reproductive parts, which make them prone to infection. In women, the continual thrusting during sex can introduce bacteria in the vagina. Refrain from indulging in sexual activities if you have UTI.
• Age: The risks of UTI reduce extensively during middle age. However, it can increase in the old age people. With age, the bladder starts to get weak, and emptying it fully becomes difficult. Subsequently, the longer the urine stays in the bladder, the more bacteria develop in it. These bacteria, later on, aggravate the urinary tract infection.
• Anatomy: Women are 50% more likely to develop frequent UTIs than men. The female anatomy in itself makes women more prone to urinary infections. It is also because the female urethra is narrower than a male urethra. In males, it extends to about 20 cm, whereas, in women, it is only 4 cm long. This leads to higher risks of bacterial development in women.
• Poor Hygiene: One of the most common causes of UTI in women is poor personal hygiene. Dirty toilets, coarse undergarments, improper cleansing down there can all potentially lead to yeast and bacterial infection. After using the toilet, wipe the vagina from front to the back and not vice versa as this way the bacteria will not interfere in your urinary tract.
• Using a Catheter: Prolonged use of urinary catheters can also lead to UTI. Continuous use of catheters introduces a large number of bacteria into the urinary tract. Most catheter-related urinary tract infections are treated with the help of UTI antibiotics.
• Urinary Incontinence: If you have urinary incontinence, the chances of you getting infected with a UTI are graver. One may also experience blood in urine inflammation while urinating. It is curable with the right medicines and proper care.
• Kidney Stones: Oftentimes, frequent urge for urination or inflammation in the urinary tract may be a symptom of kidney stones. The stones in the kidney block the urinary tract, thus trapping the urine inside. The trapped urine causes excessive pressure in the kidney that becomes uncontrollable after a point. In case the UTI development happens every so often, consult your physician and get yourself diagnosed.
• Pregnancy: During the pregnancy, the bladder is suppressed due to the growing uterus. This suppression may cause the bladder to overreact. Additionally, the urine during gestation has increased levels of sugar, proteins, and hormones that can lead to UTI.
• Menopause: Once you hit menopause, the estrogen production falls down severely. The vaginal tissues start to get thinner with age, and thus, they cannot provide adequate protection from UTIs.
• Urostomy: If you have recently undergone any type of surgical procedure such as a urostomy, chances of yeast and bacterial infection down there are at an all-time high. The urostomy itself may get infected by bacteria and multiply in the body. If left untreated, it can alleviate the UTI.

What are the symptoms of UTI?

Some of the most common symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection are

• Frequent and constant urge to urinate. 
• Spotting blood in the urine 
• Pungent smell in urine 
• Vomit and Nausea 
• Abdominal cramps 
• Back pain 
• Cramps around the kidney area 
• Fatigue & Fever 
• Inflammation while urination

Ten ways to manage UTI

Home remedies for UTI treatment, proper rest, and intake of medicines can help you get rid of UTI in 24 hours. In the normal course, yeast infection in the urinary tract goes away within a couple of days. To avoid the chances of it developing again, one requires to follow a healthy lifestyle. Here are ten ways in which you can manage a UTI.

1. Maintain Healthy Hygiene

Proper hygiene measures help in maintaining a healthy urinary tract. Use skin-friendly perineal skin care products that do not irritate your skin. In addition to this, use non-alcohol perineal wipes after using public toilets to avoid infections. Wipe from front to the back for maximum protection.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking adequate water helps dilute the urine. Increased intake of water frequent urination; the more you urinate, the quicker the bacteria are flushed out of your urinary tract.

3. Cranberry Juice

It is a well-known fact that cranberries are A-type Proanthocyanidins (PACs) which means they have properties that do not allow the bacteria to stick to the bladder wall. This way, it helps to cure UTI and prevent reoccurrence of the same.

4. Empty the Bladder

Yeast and bacteria infection can come and go quickly if your bladder is not emptied fully. If you find it hard to do it naturally for any reason, consult your physician. They may recommend the use of urological products such as urinary catheters.

5. Use Right Urological Supplies