So ladies, is it painful to urinate? Do you feel like you have to pee like...ALL the time? lol A lot of us experience this before at least once in a lifetime so far, including myself when I was a little girl. So, don't be ashamed or embarrassed, it happens to us at some point in time. Our focus for today is Urinary Tract Infection aka, UTI.
SO, WHAT IS URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI)?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men because the short distance from the urethra to the anus and the urethral opening to the bladder. Therefore, it’s very common for women to have it, and prone to having UTI multiple times especially due to risk factors.
RISK FACTORS
Female anatomy. A woman has a shorter urethra than a man does, which shortens the distance that bacteria must travel to reach the bladder.
Sexual activity. Sexually active women tend to have more UTIs than do women who aren't sexually active. This can happen during sexual activity when bacteria from your partner’s genitals, anus, fingers, or sex toys gets pushed into your urethra. UTIs can also be caused by chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other organisms. Although UTIs aren’t spread from one person to another like STDs, having sex can lead to or worsen UTIs. But you don’t have to have sex to get a UTI. Anything that brings bacteria in contact with your urethra can cause a UTI.
Certain types of birth control
Menopause
Other risk factors for UTIs include:
Urinary tract abnormalities.
Blockages in the urinary tract. Kidney stones or an enlarged prostate can trap urine in the bladder and increase the risk of UTIs.
A suppressed immune system. Diabetes and other diseases that impair the immune system — the body's defense against germs — can increase the risk of UTIs.
Catheter use. People who can't urinate on their own and use a tube (catheter) to urinate have an increased risk of UTIs.
A recent urinary procedure
WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF UTI?
It’s pretty easy to get a urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder.
Here are the types of Urinary Tract Infection:
Infection of the bladder (cystitis). A bladder infection (cystitis) is the most common UTI in women. You may have urgent or frequent urination. You may also have pain, burning when you urinate, and bloody urine.
Infection of the urethra (urethritis).
Pyelonephritis. This is a kidney infection. If not treated, it can be serious and damage your kidneys.
SYMPTOMS
Urinary tract infections don't always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include:
A strong, persistent urge to urinate
A burning sensation when urinating
Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
Urine that appears cloudy
Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine
Strong-smelling urine
Pelvic pain or back or side pain
If the infection goes to your kidneys, your UTI symptoms may also include:
Pain in your mid-back (to the right or left of the spine)
Fever
Chills
Nausea
Vomiting
Feeling tired
If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor right away.
COMPLICATIONS
When treated promptly and properly, lower urinary tract infections rarely lead to complications. But left untreated, a urinary tract infection can have serious consequences.
Complications of a UTI may include:
Recurrent infections
Permanent kidney damage from an acute or chronic kidney infection (pyelonephritis) due to an untreated UTI.
Increased risk in pregnant women of delivering low birth weight or premature infants.
Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection, especially if the infection works its way up your urinary tract to your kidneys.
PREVENTION
You can take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:
Drink plenty of liquids, especially water.
Drink cranberry juice.
Wipe from front to back.
Empty your bladder soon after sexual intercourse. Clean your genital BEFORE AND AFTER you have sex.
Avoid potentially irritating feminine products.
Change your birth control method.
RESOURCE:
Mayo Clinic
Planned Parenthood
AdventHealth
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