Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infections located anywhere within the urinary system: kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections occur in the lower urinary tract — the bladder, which stores urine, and the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to outside of the body.
UTIs generally occur when bacteria enter through the urethra and spread to the bladder, causing uncomfortable or even painful symptoms. It’s important to treat the infection, as it may otherwise make its way up to the kidneys, which can cause serious health problems, including kidney damage and septic shock, a potentially fatal condition.
Our team of experienced physicians at Women's Health Specialists, PLLC diagnoses and treats urinary tract infections among our patients at our office in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. While some women get UTIs only occasionally, for others, it’s a chronic condition. In this blog, our team weighs in on things you can do to help eliminate the problem.
Common symptoms of a UTI affecting the lower part of the system include:
We should note that, in older adults, UTIs can be mistaken for other conditions, and it’s also possible for the person to become mentally altered as a result of the infection. Prompt treatment is important.
Women are at a higher risk of contracting a UTI than men, and that’s all down to the differences in anatomy.
Women have a shorter urethra than men, and it’s located close to the anus. We naturally have bacteria inhabiting our bodies, and any that are opportunistic can access the urinary system by jumping from the anus to the urethra, then making their way just a short distance to the bladder.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and mycoplasma, can also infect the urinary tract. Women’s urethras are also close to the vagina, meaning it’s an easy jump for a pathogen to move from the vagina into the urethra and up to the bladder.
If you get recurrent, chronic UTIs, you can do some things to help prevent getting another. These include:
Good hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent a UTI in women. Since the urethra is close to the rectum, it’s easy for E. coli to move from the rectum up the urethra and back into your body. To prevent this, after a bowel movement, always wipe from front to back to prevent introducing the bacterium into the urinary tract.
In addition, while you’re having your period, make sure to regularly change your pad or tampon, so it doesn’t become infected.
Regularly drinking fluids — especially water — helps flush out bacteria that are in your urinary tract. The general recommendation is six to eight, eight-ounce glasses of water every day.
Since the vagina is close to the urethra, getting a UTI after sex is also common. To prevent pathogens from gaining access to the urinary tract, always urinate before and after intercourse to flush them out.
Using diaphragms and/or spermicidal agents for birth control may increase your risk for UTIs because they’re inserted into the vagina. Again, urinating after intercourse may help prevent an infection from taking hold.
Are you struggling with chronic UTIs and need help? Come into Women’s Health Specialists, PLLC for an evaluation. Call our office at 615-907-2040, or book your appointment online with us today.
