You may think that if you have a UTI (urinary tract infection) that the symptoms would be frequent urination, burning with urination, bladder pain or pressure or discoloration and/or odor of urine. Those are many of the symptoms, but there is more that you should know about a UTI, the causes, the treatments and what to watch for. Before I go any further, there is one thing I must stress if you care for an elderly person. With older or elderly people, mental changes or confusion are often the only signs of an UTI.
UTI's are easy to prevent and treat. If you've ever had a UTI, you know what discomfort it can cause. How Do You Get a UTI?
There are several reasons people get UTI's. But the cause of the infection is from bacteria. There are several types of bacteria but one common one typically found in the colon is called E.coli. It normally lives in your body and when this bacteria finds its way into the urinary tract, you develop an infection. Both men and women can develop urinary tract infections, but women are more likely to develop them than men. A woman's urethra is a lot shorter than a male's. The urethra opening is also nearer to the anus in a woman compared to a male. Bacteria that comes from the vagina and the anus can easily enter the urethra. While a majority of UTI's happen in the urethra, they can move on to the bladder, and this is called cystitis, also known as a bladder infection. When the bacteria makes it all the way to the kidneys this causes a kidney infection. Understanding the causes can help decrease the infection to begin with.
Sexual intercourse can cause UTI's. Women who are regularly sexually active are at risk of developing a UTI. While having intercourse, the friction caused can actually encourage any present bacteria to go back up the urethra.
Catheters can cause UTI's especially in ill people who are dependent on catheters for long term bladder emptying and these people can become more susceptible to an infection. Bacteria may be present on the catheter which can then infect the bladder.
Another cause of UTI's is waiting too long to urinate. Your bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. If you consistently wait past the time you first feel the need to urinate, it causes the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity which over time can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder which may increase the risk of urinary tract infection.
Women who use birth control devices such as diaphragms, condoms and spermicides and if you use feminine douches or hygiene sprays. Soaking in a bathtub can also contribute to UTI's.
Ways to Decrease Your Chance of Getting UTI's
#1. Women should always wipe front to back, never back to front. When you wipe back to front after voiding, there is a chance that bacteria from the anus area can be introduced to the urethra from the toilet paper.
Women have been told this for many years, but following this method of wiping after moving your bowels or after urinating can greatly reduce your chances of getting an infection.
#2. If you have to have a catheter, long term or short term, make sure that the person inserting the catheter knows what they're doing. Make sure the procedure is sterile, that the nurse or other medical staff or trained person is using gloves and the supplies are all new, fresh out of an unopened pack and that the catheter does not touch anything but the sterile field that they are using.
#3. Before having sexual intercourse, the best way to help prevent an infection from occurring is by urinating before and after intercourse to remove any bacteria from the urethra.
#4. Shower instead of using the tub.
#5. Know the Symptoms
a. Knowing the symptoms of a UTI can be the best way to start treatment. These include a burning sensation when you urinate, feeling that you need to urinate when you don't, and may include blood in your urine.
b. Drink cranberry juice. This is the easiest way to prevent a UTI. Cranberry juice helps wash out the bacteria. Make sure it is 100% cranberry juice and not a blend.
Cranberry juice cannot cure a UTI, and it doesn't always prevent it either.
c. Wash before and after sexual intercourse and have your partner do the same and urinate no later than ten minutes after having sexual intercourse. This will flush any bacteria pushed inside by sex out of your system.
d. Urinate shortly after you feel the urge. Sometimes this isn't possible, but find a bathroom, or tree!, as soon as possible.
e. Drink plenty of water every day. Keeping yourself hydrated keeps the urinary system flushed out.
f. Contact your doctor if you think you have a UTI. Don't let it go, the symptoms most likely won't subside and they won't go away without antibiotics.
h. Go to the emergency room if you have blood in your urine, pain in your stomach or back, nausea, fever, or diarrhea. You can become septic quickly.
i. Unfortunately some people don't have any symptoms at all especially if you have frequent and recurrent UTI's. Detecting a UTI may be whenever the doctor does a routine urine test. But be aware of your body and know what doesn't feel right.
The symptoms of a UTI
* Cloudy urine
* Foul or strong urine odor
* Frequent or urgent need to urinate
* Low fever (not everyone will have a fever)
* Need to urinate at night
* Pain or burning with urination
* Painful sexual intercourse
* Pressure in the lower pelvis
If the infection spreads to the kidneys, symptoms may include:
* Chills and shaking
* Fatigue
* Fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which lasts for more than 2 days
* Flank (side) pain
* Flushed, warm, or reddened skin
* General ill feeling
* Mental changes or confusion (in the elderly, these symptoms often are the only signs of an UTI)
* Nausea and vomiting
* Severe abdominal pain (sometimes)
Testing for a UTI is simple. Peeing in a cup. That's it. Your doctor may do an exam, but the urine test will determine if you have an infection or not. The treatment is 7 - 10 days of antibiotic and it's important to finish the entire bottle full or the UTI may come back.
If a UTI goes untreated, it can spread to the kidneys and cause severe problems, most likely resulting in a hospital stay. The bacteria travels up through the urinary tract to the kidneys, and then into the blood and leads to sepsis, spreading through your entire body. Treatment at that point may suppress the bacteria, but the body can become so infected that it can become life threatening. Read this story about a Brazilian model, it's horrible!
Bacteria Threatens Brazilian Models Life
So the next time you feel like you have a urinary tract infection, don't mess around. Get to your doctor, get treated and get on with life!
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Contributor's Note
To everyone out there that has had a UTI, you know what I'm talking about!
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