Do you remember that burning sensation every time you urinated followed by urgent feeling that you need to urinate all over again in 5 minutes? Yep, you have most probably got a UTI infection, and this problem affects many people. Urinary tract infections are very common but somehow still under-discussed problem. Proper treatment of urinary tract infections and treatment requires knowing about it in detail.
UTI Definition
UTI stands for urinary tract infection. UTI infection happens when bacteria infect your urinary system. It may affect your bladder, urethra, or even your kidneys in case of advanced infection.
UTIs are more common among women because of their anatomy. Women tend to have shorter urethra and because of that, it is easier for bacteria to enter into their bladder.
Possible Symptoms
You always feel that something is going wrong before realizing that you are sick. Here are the symptoms of UTI infections.
Symptoms of UTIs include:
- Burning sensation during urination
- Strong desire to urinate even when only a small amount of urine leaves your body
- Cloudy or strongly smelling urine
- Pain in lower abdomen or pelvic area
- General feeling of weakness
In case if the listed symptoms are accompanied by fever, chills, or pain in back – it is time to visit a doctor for proper UTI treatment.
The Causes of Urinary Tract Infections
Several things may cause UTIs, and the knowledge of them will help you to avoid such problems in the future.
- Lack of proper hydration, which means less frequent visits to bathroom and inability to flush out the bacteria
- Holding of urine for too long, which gives the bacteria more time to multiply
- Using of certain contraceptives (like diaphragm and spermicide)
- Pregnancy, which is associated with changes of hormonal level and physical changes in the urinary tract
- Diabetes, because of high levels of sugar in your blood, which encourages bacterial growth
- Poor hygiene practices, like improper wiping after using a toilet
None of the listed factors guarantees the appearance of UTIs, but they certainly increase your chances to get them, and they are helpful for the doctors to diagnose your situation and provide you with proper UTI treatment.
Ways to Treat UTI Infections
This is the part when people usually mess everything and try to manage the situation without appropriate diagnosis.
Common treatment options for UTIs include:
- The use of antibiotics, depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection
- Increase in the intake of water to flush the bacteria along with taking antibiotics
- Pain killers for dealing with pain while antibiotics work their way
- Completion of a full antibiotic course even when feeling better after 1-2 days
This is how things really are. Antibiotics should be used with the proper diagnosis; guessing does not do any good.
Why is Self-Medicating the Wrong Solution?
Although it is quite tempting to go for self-medication, this solution poses certain risks.
In particular, inappropriate use of an antibiotic may lead to developing resistance to it, which will make treating the next infection even more difficult. Moreover, the symptoms might just go away while the infection progresses to the kidneys.
In Case of Recurrent UTIs
However, recurrent UTIs are a sign you should look into instead of following the same treatment process.
The cause for the recurrence can be:
- Some problem with the body’s anatomy
- The previous infection was not completely cured
- Some of the daily routines or hygiene practices should change
- In rare occasions – an altogether different illness like diabetes
You will be advised to take tests to see what the cause for the recurrence is.
Habits You Should Adopt in Order to Protect Yourself
There are some routines and habits that really reduce the chance of UTIs.
- Drinking plenty of fluids during the day
- Going to the toilet whenever you have the urge to, without holding it in
- Wiping from front to back, particularly for females
- Urinating after sex, as it flushes bacteria out
- Avoiding unnecessary use of strong feminine hygiene products, since it disturbs the balance of bacteria
When to Rush to the Doctor
UTIs are mostly easy to manage, but there are some indications when immediate medical help is needed.
You should go to a doctor when:
- There are fever or chills along with UTI symptoms
- There is pain in the sides or back, suggesting kidney involvement
- You see blood in the urine
- You have had symptoms for several days, despite home remedies
These are not symptoms to ignore especially if there is a risk of kidneys being involved.
Conclusion
UTIs are common, troublesome and completely treatable if you get the proper care instead of going at it alone. Knowing their causes, symptoms and possible treatments makes it much easier to react to them instead of enduring them unnecessarily.
In case UTI symptoms are dragging on or keep recurring, don’t just tough it out. Anantam Hospital is the best multispeciality hospital in Kalyan and provides dedicated Urology consultations.
