Why Are Females At A Higher Risk For Utis
People with female reproductive organs are at a higher risk for UTIs because of their anatomy. The female urethra, the tube which empties urine from your bladder out of your body, is shorter than someone born with male anatomy.
The female urethra is also quite close to female reproductive organs. That means bacteria from sexual intercourse as well as products like spermicide can be in close contact with the urethra and bladder.
Females also experience menopause and pregnancy. These two biological events change the bacteria in your reproductive and digestive tracts and create conditions that make UTIs more likely.
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Otc Treatments That Can Help Your Uti
Try these at-home treatments while youre waiting to get your antibiotics . And while youre at it, drink as much water as you can. Peeing often will help flush out more of the gunk and hopefully help you feel better a little faster.
Price: $
This is basically like Tylenol or Motrin for your urinary tract. It uses a different active ingredient phenazopyridine hydrochloride but the function is pretty much the same. Itll temporarily numb the tissue around your urinary tract to make the whole situation down there a little more tolerable. You can expect relief in as little as 20 minutes that lasts up to 8 hours.
However, note that this can make your urine reddish-orange tinged and can stain fabric. Also dont take it for more than 2 days.
What Is A Uti
A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract. There are many different parts of the urinary tract that can become infected, and the most common type of UTI is a bladder infection. UTIs may cause discomfort, pain, and burning sensations. They can typically be treated with antibiotics.
People of any sex or age can get a UTI, but it is much more common for women to get UTIs. You are also more likely to get a UTI if you are sexually active, pregnant, or if you have had a UTI before. Symptoms such as pain or burning when urinating, pressure in the low belly, an urge to urinate often, and fatigue and shakiness can all be signs of a UTI. Speak with your healthcare provider if you think you may have a UTI.
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Living With Urinary Tract Infections
If you have 3 or more urinary tract infections each year, your doctor may want you to begin a preventive antibiotic program. A small dose of an antibiotic taken every day helps to reduce the number of infections. If sexual intercourse seems to cause infections for you, your doctor many suggest taking the antibiotic after intercourse.
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Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Products At Walgreens
Urinary tract infections are infections that occur when bacteria enter a persons urethra and infect the urinary tract. UTIs can be painful and uncomfortable and may require medical care. Most UTIs can be treated at home with antibiotics from your healthcare provider, and symptoms may be eased with certain pain-relief products. Walgreens offers options to detect infections and prevent or ease symptoms, such as UTI test strips, urinary pain relief tablets and chewable cranberry tablets.
How To Choose Pain Relief For Uti: The Buying Guide
How do you choose the pain relief for uti? You must consider many things, such as the brand name, price, and product quality. In addition, you should also consider whether it is suitable for your needs or not.
So how do you choose the right pain relief for uti? Here are some tips that you can use to help you find a good product:
What you Should Keep in Mind When Buying pain relief for uti
When shopping for a pain relief for uti, there are several things to consider. You need to think about the quality of the product, the price, and even how much it will benefit your life. However, you also need to keep these factors in mind:
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Should Uti Treatment Vary According To Whats Causing The Infection
Your UTI treatment may vary according to whats causing the infection. Certain UTIs, especially chronic and recurring ones, will need antibiotic treatment as opposed to simple home remedies.
If youre prescribed antibiotics to treat a UTI, a healthcare professional may choose an antibiotic thats specific to the type of bacteria thats triggering your infection.
Are Otc Urinary Tract Infection Drugs Safe
Over-the-counter drugs for urinary tract infections are generally safe for most people. However, if you have certain medical conditions or are pregnant or nursing, you may not be able to take these medications. Always read the warnings printed on the packaging. Consult your primary care physician if youre unsure about taking any OTC drug.
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Are There Any Complications From A Kidney Infection
Most people who develop a kidney infection make a full recovery if treatment is given promptly. Possible complications which occur in a small number of cases include:
- Sometimes germs from a kidney infection get into the bloodstream, particularly if treatment is delayed. This may cause blood poisoning . This can be serious or even life-threatening.
- In pregnant women who develop pyelonephritis occasionally, it may result in the baby being born early or with a lower birth weight.
- A kidney abscess can develop. This is a collection of pus that forms within the kidney.
- The infection can sometimes cause some permanent damage to kidney tissues.
These complications are uncommon but may be more likely if:
- You become severely ill with the kidney infection.
- You have kidney stones.
- Your immune system is suppressed for example, if you have cancer, if you are taking medication such as steroids or chemotherapy, or if you have AIDS.
- You have poorly controlled diabetes.
- You are an older person .
- You are pregnant.
Emphysematous pyelonephritis is also a rare complication. In this condition the kidney tissues are rapidly destroyed by the infection and the bacteria can release toxic gases which can build up in the kidneys. You become very unwell if you develop this complication. This complication seems mostly to affect people who have poorly controlled diabetes.
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How Do You Treat Utis
Urinary tract infections are usually treated with antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider. The length of antibiotic treatment depends on the severity of the infection, whether you have had a UTI before, and if your symptoms go away quickly. If you are prescribed antibiotics for a UTI, it is important to take them as instructed by your healthcare provider.
There are additional medications and treatments available over-the-counter that may help ease symptoms and pain or prevent additional UTIs such as urinary pain relief tablets, cranberry pills, and heating pads.
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Otc Uti Treatment Options
UTIs are typically treated with a course of antibiotics that may run for a single day or a course of 7 days but usually lasts at an average of 1-3 days for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. However, some infections might not even need a course of antibiotics and may cease to exist. But, while treatment of UTIs without antibiotics may be a possible prospect in the future, for now, only a few equally effective OTC UTI treatments are available that can help a patient manage their symptoms. These include:
Hydration: Although not exactly an OTC UTI treatment method, hydration is still the key to treating a UTI quickly. If youve contracted a UTI, it is important to have fluids as frequently as possible so that you urinate more frequently and the harmful bacteria are flushed out of your urinary tract through natural means. This option means curing your symptoms without the use of medication.
- Probiotics: Probiotics serve as an excellent OTC UTI treatment option that helps promote digestion and immunity in your body. Probiotics restore the good bacteria present in your gut and reduce the chances of reinfection.
- Ascorbic Acid: Increasing your Vitamin C intake not only strengthens your immune system but is also a greater OTC UTI treatment option since it helps acidify the urine which may reduce the chance of reinfection.
Its Also Not An Instant Relief You Have To Take Them For A Few Days Or So It Seems To Me
Azo urinary pain relief can also permanently stain soft contact lenses, and you should not wear them while taking this medicine. However, it does not fight infection its not an antibiotic but rather eases the symptoms of infection or other types of urinary irritation. This looks like most of the food groups but there are a lot of foods that you can find that arent part of those which is are needed to stay away from when treating and fighting off yeast infections.
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What Can I Take To Relieve Pain
Phenazopyridine hydrochloride may relieve your pain, burning, itching, and urgency to urinate within 20 minutes. Avoid taking it if you have kidney disease or are allergic to dyes. Do not worry if your urine turns reddish-orange when you take this medication. This common effect is not harmful, but it can stain clothing.
Methenamine and sodium salicylate work together to slow bacterial growth along the urinary tract and to control the UTI. Do not take this medication if you are allergic to aspirin, are on a low-sodium diet or anticoagulant therapy, or have stomach problems.
You can also take other pain relievers, such as NSAIDs or acetaminophen .
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What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections can be similar to other infections in the body, except the fact that UTIs are localized in the urinary tract. The urinary tract can be divided into two parts:
- Lower urinary tract â comprised of the urethra and bladder
- Upper urinary tract â comprised of the kidneys and ureters that connect to the bladder
A urinary tract infection is commonly caused by harmful microbes, which can be fungi, bacteria, or viruses. The symptoms of a urinary tract infection would often range from painful and burning sensations while urinating to a cloudy urine or pain in the abdomen.
Urinary tract infections are regarded as one of the most common bacterial infections in women. According to certain studies, more than 50 percent of women have developed a urinary tract infection or its symptoms in their lifetime.
There are various methods of managing UTI symptoms as well as treating the infection. To help reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections, natural treatment methods can be done, which include:
- Increasing water intake
- Use essential oils
Apart from the conventional and natural methods of treating UTIs, AZO has a list of products that can help manage UTI symptoms as well as the infection itself.
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Azo Urinary Pain Relief Maximum Strength Tablets
Phenazopyridine hydrochloride is the active ingredient of this OTC medication for urinary pain, a chemical which, when excreted into the urine, has a local analgesic effect.
AZO Urinary Pain Relief® Maximum Strength Tablets, unfortunately, does nothing to fight the infection, but only masks the symptoms. Do not take it for longer than three days and dont take it if you have liver problems. If you cover up your symptoms, you might not notice that your UTI is getting worse.
Phenazopyridine is also responsible for the bright orange color of your urine, that indicates the medicine has reached your bladder.
Make sure to not wear white underwear or contact lenses , since this active ingredient can permanently discolor them.
Keep in mind that some animal studies demonstrate a possible link between phenazopyridine and cancer in female rats. Phenazopyridine hydrochloride is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals according to National Toxicologyprogram report.
AZO Urinary Pain Relief® Maximum Strength Tablets contains 97.5 mg of Phenazopyridine per dose.
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Azo Urinary Tract Defensetm
Helps inhibit the progression of infection until you see a health care professional. AZO is not intended to replace medical care.
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The AZO brand portfolio of products is the #1 Most Trusted Brand per Nielsen data through 8/6/16 and the 2016 Pharmacy Times Survey .
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AZO Urinary Pain Relief®, AZO Urinary Tract DefenseTM, AZO Cranberry®, AZO Test Strips®, AZO Yeast®, and AZO Bladder Control® are trademarks of DSM.
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What Is Phenazopyridine And How Does It Work
Phenazopyridine is used to relieve symptoms caused by irritation of the urinary tract such as pain, burning, and the feeling of needing to urinate urgently or frequently. Phenazopyridine does not treat the cause of the urinary irritation, but it can help relieve the symptoms while other treatments take effect. Phenazopyridine is a dye that works as a painkiller to soothe the lining of the urinary tract.
- Phenazopyridine is available under the following different brand names: Azo Standard, Pyridium, Prodium, Pyridiate, Baridium, Uricalm, Urodine, and UTI Relief.
How Much Does Phenazopyridine Cost
Phenazopyridine is available as a generic medication and may be significantly cheaper compared to the brand version. Unless there is a specific reason you need the brand, the generic medication will be a better value. For even more savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
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What Are Some Things I Need To Know Or Do While I Take This Drug
- Tell all of your health care providers that you take this drug. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
- This drug is not to be used instead of an antibiotic. It will not cure a bladder infection.
- This drug may stain clothing or fabric. Protect clothing and fabrics from staining.
- This drug may stain contact lenses.
- Do not wear contact lenses while using this drug.
- This drug may change the color of urine or stools to an orange or red color. This is normal and not harmful.
- Be careful if you have G6PD deficiency. Anemia may happen.
- Do not take this drug for longer than you were told by your doctor.
- This drug may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take this drug.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan on getting pregnant, or are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks to you and the baby.
Drink Plenty Of Fluids
Dehydration is linked to an increased risk of UTIs.
This is because regular urination can help flush bacteria from the urinary tract to prevent infection. When youre dehydrated, you arent urinating as often, which can create a breeding ground for bacteria.
A examined nursing home residents and administered a drinking schedule to participants to increase their fluid intake. Following the schedule decreased UTIs requiring antibiotics by 56%.
In a 2020 randomized control trial , 140 premenopausal participants prone to UTIs took part in a 12-month study to test if a higher fluid intake would decrease their risk of recurrent cystitis and, in turn, their risk of developing a UTI. Researchers found that an increase in fluid intake led to a decrease in UTI frequency.
To stay hydrated and meet your fluid needs, its best to drink water throughout the day and always when youre thirsty.
Benefits of drinking more fluids for UTI
Drinking plenty of liquids can decrease your risk of UTIs by making you pee more, which helps remove bacteria from your urinary tract.
evidence suggests that increasing your intake of vitamin C could protect against UTIs.
Vitamin C is thought to work by increasing the acidity of urine, killing off the bacteria that cause infection.
An older 2007 study of UTIs in pregnant women looked at the effects of taking 100 milligrams of vitamin C every day.
Fruits and vegetables are especially high in vitamin C and are a good way to increase your intake.
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