Urinary Tract Infections Must Be Treated Promptly By Your Doctor Left Untreated A Uti Can Be Painful And May Spread There Are Several Things You Should Avoid While You Have A Uti In Order To Prevent Worsening Of Symptoms
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections affecting older adults, especially women. If you have a UTI without complications, and you are otherwise in good health, your doctor might prescribe a shorter urinary tract infection treatment, such as a 3-day course of antibiotics. However, treatment type and length will depend on your medical profile and specific symptoms. Additionally, your physician may prescribe pain medication that relieves burning during urination, but pain is usually relieved shortly after beginning the antibiotic treatment. Below is some information to help you know what to do if you have a UTI infection in order to prevent exacerbating your UTI symptoms.
The following things can further irritate your bladder and increase the frequency of sensing an urgent need to urinate. Until your UTI has cleared up, you should:
Can Utis Be Prevented
A few things can help prevent UTIs. After peeing, girls should wipe from front to back with toilet paper. After BMs, wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.
Also, go to the bathroom when needed and don’t hold the pee in. Pee that stays in the bladder gives bacteria a good place to grow.
Keep the genital area clean and dry. Girls should change their tampons and pads regularly during their periods. Bubble baths can irritate the vaginal area, so girls should take showers or plain baths. Avoid long exposure to moisture in the genital area by not wearing nylon underwear or wet swimsuits. Wearing underwear with cotton crotches is also helpful. Skip using feminine hygiene sprays or douches, as these can irritate the urethra.
If you are sexually active, go to the bathroom both before and within 15 minutes after sex. After sex, gently wash the genital area to remove any bacteria. Avoid sexual positions that irritate or hurt the urethra or bladder. Couples who use lubrication during sex should use a water-soluble lubricant such as K-Y Jelly.
Finally, drinking lots of water each day keeps the bladder active and bacteria-free.
UTIs are uncomfortable and often painful, but they’re common and easily treated. The sooner you contact your doctor, the sooner you’ll be able to get rid of the problem.
Take A Break From Coffee To Ease Bladder Infection Symptoms
Sure, your morning cup of java perks you up, but it may also make your UTI symptoms act up again. Caffeine is known to irritate the bladder and worsen bladder infection symptoms. A study of people with interstitial cystitis found that people who drank coffee experienced worsened symptoms. Try a mug of noncaffeinated herbal tea to replace your morning coffee ritual until you are UTI-free.
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Can Too Much Coffee Cause Blood In Urine
Yes, coffee contains caffeine, which may negatively affect your kidneys when consumed in excess. The average caffeine content an adult is required to finish in a day is 400 milligrams and below. This amount equates to drinking four cups of coffee in a day.
However, if you consume too much coffee, above the recommended amount, you may develop kidney stones due to its high caffeine content. High amounts of caffeine in your body will make your urine concentrate, resulting in kidney stones that will tamper with your urinary system, causing blood in your urine.
Coffee is among the worlds most famous and loved beverages, as it stimulates you and gives you the extra energy you need to work through the day or even at night. However, as the saying goes, too much of something is poisonous I can say too much consumption of coffee is hazardous. You are putting your urinary system and whole body at risk when you drink too much coffee.
Longitudinal Changes In Beverage Intake And Luts Progression
Compared with those who did not change their coffee intake or changed it by 1 serving/day, men and women who increased coffee consumption by at least 2 servings/day between baseline and follow-up had 60%80% higher odds of progression of storage symptoms . Progression of urgency specifically was also associated with increased coffee intake of at least 2 servings/day in women and men . Of note, for men, higher odds of storage or voiding progression were also observed with decreased coffee intake. However, this trend did not appear for urgency progression only increased intake , not decreased intake was associated with urgency progression. Women who increased soda consumption by at least 2 servings/day had 60% higher odds of LUTS progression.
Changes in Coffee or Soda Intake and Progression of LUTS, Voiding, and Daytime Storage Symptoms Between Baseline and 5-Year Follow-up in the Boston Area Community Health Survey: Multivariable-Adjusted Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervalsa
| Beverage Intake: Change by 2 or More 8-oz. Servings/dayb . | Men |
|---|
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So Can Coffee Cause A Urinary Tract Infection
Short answer: no.
Coffee in and of itself is not going to cause a UTI. Why? Its not bacterial, its not going to weaken your immune system. Its just a drink. No study has ever shown that coffee will give you an infection in your urinary tract.
Sure, it may be responsible for that headache or your anxiety, but it wont infect your bladder anytime soon.
Talk about a big relief!
Can You Still Drink Coffee If Youre Suffering From Uti
If you want to get rid of UTI fast, the best thing to do is to steer clear of caffeine until you get it treated completely. You may as well avoid coffee, as well as other caffeine products like tea, chocolates, even ice cream.
Hydrate yourself by drinking clear liquids like water and cranberry juice. Livestrong says:
Cranberries are an antioxidant that can help prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of your bladder. Liquids are important in helping to cleanse and flush your kidneys naturally. Clear liquids can help to dilute your urine, making urination more comfortable.
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How Are Utis Treated
UTIs are treated with antibiotics. After several days of antibiotics, your doctor may repeat the urine tests to be sure that the infection is gone. It’s important to make sure of this because an incompletely treated UTI can come back or spread.
If someone has a lot of pain from a UTI, the doctor may recommend a medicine to help relieve the spasm and pain in the bladder. This will turn pee a bright orange color, but it’s harmless and will usually make a person much more comfortable within hours. In the case of a kidney infection, a doctor may prescribe pain medicine.
If you’ve finished all the medicine or if your symptoms aren’t much better after 2 to 3 days of treatment, contact your doctor.
Drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you pee, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice may also be helpful. Skip drinks that containe caffeine , such as soda and iced tea.
People who get a doctor’s help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. Someone with a more severe infection may need treatment in a hospital so they can get antibiotics by injection or IV .
A doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sex for a week or so, which lets the inflammation clear up completely.
Irritation Down There Doesnt Necessarily Mean A Uti
Youre likely to remember the symptoms of a UTI if youve experienced one. You have a frequent urge to pee which often results in a minimal amount of urine and any urine that is released causes a painful, burning sensation. You could also have discolored or foul smelling urine, or pressure in your lower abdomen, back or sides below your ribs. In the elderly, confusion can be the main symptom of a UTI. Such discomfort, however, may not indicate a urinary tract infection.
Other diseases present similarly to a UTI. For example, yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis lead to vaginal itchiness, irregular discharge or blood in the urine . At the onset, symptoms for sexually transmitted diseases can also be confused with those of UTIs. Thats why its important you seek professional medical advice when you start having symptoms you think are a urinary tract infection. If you do have a UTI, and you wait too long to receive treatment, it could lead to a more serious kidney and lower urinary tract infections.
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First Line Of Defense
If youre just feeling the first hint of a UTI, you can get ahead of the infection with AZO Urinary Tract Defense®. It includes a pain reliever to help soothe and a powerful antibacterial agent to help control your infection. If youre beyond that stage, relieve painful UTI symptoms FAST with an over-the-counter urinary pain reliever like AZO Urinary Pain Relief® or for a higher dose of the active ingredient, AZO Urinary Pain Relief® Maximum Strength.
Remember: Theres no over-the-counter cure for a UTI. Only your doctor can prescribe a UTI antibiotic to rid the bacteria causing the infection.
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What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection refers to a condition that affects any portion of a persons urinary tract, such as the kidneys, urethra, or bladder. It typically affects women more often than men. This is because womens urethra is shorter than mens, making it easier for bacteria to travel up to the tract. Learn more about chronic / recurrent UTIs here.
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Caffeine And Alcohol Can Cause Urinary Tract Infections According To A Doctor
Some of the more well known ways to try to prevent UTIs is to stay hydrated, pee after sex and not hold urine in for too long. But what we eat and drink can also higher the risk, according to Dr Swati.
Caffeine is a well known bladder irritant and could be exacerbating UTIs, according to a doctor.
Dr Swati Jha, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, told RSVP Live that what we consume has a big effect on our bladder health.
“Urinary tract infections are very common and can happen when bacteria enters the bladder through the urethra,” explained Dr Swati. “As women have shorter urethras than men, women are more susceptible to UTIs.
“This is because the bacteria that causes UTIs is more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause the infection. It isnt anyones fault if they get a UTI but there are certain things women can do to reduce their risk.”
Some of the more well known ways to try to prevent UTIs is to stay hydrated, pee after sex and not hold urine in for too long. But what we eat and drink can also higher the risk, according to Dr Swati.
“We know that some well-known bladder irritants may also exacerbate the symptoms of an infection, including caffeine, certain alcohols, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame,” said Dr Swati.
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How Does Caffeine Affect The Bladder
Caffeine raises blood pressure, which is the reason for that alert feeling you get when you drink a cup of coffee, have a cola or eat a chocolate bar. This increased blood pressure makes your bladder overactive, and caffeine consumption can contribute to including increased urination, bladder infections and urinary incontinence. Its also thought to have a direct effect on the bladders smooth muscle.
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How Much Caffeine Am I Consuming
You might use coffee or tea to help you wake up, stay energized or you might simply love the taste. You might have a cup of tea mid-morning or a soda with your lunch. Maybe you consume an energy drink in the afternoon and then have a chocolate dessert after dinner.
Do you know how much caffeine you are actually consuming? Lets look at the amounts in common food and drink:
Watch The Lattes: Too Much Caffeine May Lead To Bladder Problems
July 21, 2000 — Do you live for latte? Crave cola? If you’re a woman, take heed: Researchers say drinking too much caffeine may put some women at risk for a difficult and embarrassing bladder control problem as they age.
In a study of more than 250 women who were being evaluated for urinary incontinence, researchers from Rhode Island found that those who downed more than four cups of coffee per day were 2.5 times more likely than those who consumed little or no caffeine to have an unstable bladder condition called detrusor instability. Those who drank two to four cups of coffee per day were about 1.5 times more likely to have the condition.
Up to 40% of women over 65 may have the unstable bladder problem, as may nearly 30% of younger women. So, what is it exactly?
” simply means that the bladder contracts involuntarily,” explains urologist Jerry Blaivas, MD. The bladder is made of smooth muscle fibers, which can stretch as it fills and contract to empty it. Blaivas describes the bladder as being like a balloon with a knot tied at the bottom: The knot, or sphincter, opens and closes as needed to let urine out. “When you urinate, the bladder contracts, and the sphincter opens. In detrusor instability, the bladder contracts without your wanting it to — sporadically during the day.” Stress incontinence, another type of bladder control problem, involves a weakening of the sphincter.
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Things You Need To Know About Urinary Tract Infections
Most people experience common medical issues, such as Urinary Tract Infections , that can be easily treated but may require formal treatments to fully resolve the problem at hand. Either in place of or in combination with formal treatments, there are often other recommendations that may claim to cure ailments sooner or even prevent them from happening. More often than not, these quick fix recommendations end up having no medical validity to them and in turn, end up living as medical myths.
Below, you can read some of the most common myths associated with UTIs and how to treat them.
Myth: Baths Are The Only Factor That Increases The Risk Of Getting A Uti
MYTH! There are several factors that increase the risk for a urinary tract infection. For women, the short length of the urethra, the tube that brings urine from the bladder to the outside world, makes it easier for bacteria to climb up and get into the bladder.
Frequent intercourse is also associated with an increased chance of a UTI because the act of intercourse can push bacteria into that urethra. Therefore, its a good recommendation to empty your bladder after intercourse to rinse bacteria out of the urethra before it has a chance to go up into the bladder.
Additionally, it is important that women properly wipe from the front to the back to ensure that no bacteria are able to enter the bladder.
As always, when dealing with infections such as UTIs, its important that you follow medical facts over modern myths. You can always discuss treatment options and any questions you may have during your next wellness visit with your TopLine MD affiliated provider.
Dr. Mark Grenitz is a proud member of the TopLine MD Alliance practicing gynecology in Broward County.
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Do Spicy Foods Irritate A Bladder Infection
Whether you top your nachos with jalapeños, sprinkle your pizza with red pepper flakes, or love your curry chicken extra hot, you’ve got to skip the spice when you have a UTI. Spicy foods are known to irritate the bladder and worsen UTI symptoms, so cool down your meals and opt for blander choices to treat a urinary tract infection.
Caffeine And Bladder Problems: Second View
The study findings are similar to those found by Lilly Arya, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, who published a study on caffeine and incontinence nearly a decade ago.
”What these studies are really finding high levels of caffeine are associated with urinary incontinence,” she says.
Does it cause or aggravate the condition? “That’s not known,” says Arya, who reports doing consultant work for Pfizer, Astellas, and Duramed, makers of incontinence drugs or products.
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Coffee May Raise Risk Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Drinking caffeinated beverages may contribute to the development of lower urinary tract symptoms in both men and women, according to a new report. LUTS may be less likely to develop in men who drink citrus juice.
Nancy N. Maserejian, ScD, of New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Mass., and colleagues analyzed data from 4,145 individuals who are part of the Boston Area Community Health cohort. Men who reported drinking more than two cups of coffee per day at baseline had a significant twofold increased likelihood of LUTS onset compared with those who reported drinking no coffee, Dr. Maserejians group reported online ahead of print in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Men who increased their coffee intake during follow-up by two or more 8-ounce cups per day from baseline had a significant 61% increased odds of LUTS progression. In men, consumption of orange or grapefruit juice was associated with a significant 50% decreased risk of LUTS development.
Women who increased coffee intake by at least two 8-ounce servings per day during follow-up had a significant 64% increased odds of progression of storage symptoms compared with women who had no change from baseline. Baseline coffee consumption was not associated with LUTS among women. Women who increased their soda intake by two or more 8-ounce servings per day had a significant 59%, 58%, and 40% increased likelihood of overall LUTS, voiding symptoms, and storage symptoms, respectively.