Can Alkaline Water Cause Urinary Tract Infection

Why Antibiotics Sometimes Dont Work

Home remedies for urinary tract infection or UTI (urine infection)

Most UTIs arent serious. But if left untreated, the infection can spread up to the kidneys and bloodstream and become life threatening. Kidney infections can lead to kidney damage and kidney scarring.

Symptoms of a UTI usually improve within 2 to 3 days after starting antibiotic therapy. Many doctors prescribe an antibiotic for at least 3 days.

While this type of medication is the standard treatment, researchers are noticing that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are reducing the effectiveness of some antibiotics in treating UTIs.

Some UTIs dont clear up after antibiotic therapy. When an antibiotic medication doesnt stop the bacteria from causing an infection, the bacteria continue to multiply.

The overuse or misuse of antibiotics is often the reason for antibiotic resistance. This can happen when the same antibiotic is prescribed over and over again for recurrent UTIs. Because of this risk, experts have been looking for ways to treat UTIs without antibiotics.

Some research has shown that UTIs can be treated without traditional antibiotics by targeting E. colis surface component for adhesion, FimH.

Typically, the urinary tract flushes away bacteria when you urinate. But according to researchers, FimH can cause E. coli to firmly attach to the cells in the urinary tract. And because of this tight grip, its hard for the body to naturally flush the bacteria from the urinary tract.

What Are The Signs Of Struvite Bladder Stones

The signs of bladder stones are very similar to those of an uncomplicated bladder infection or cystitis. The most common signs that a dog has bladder stones are hematuria and dysuria . Hematuria occurs because the stones rub against the bladder wall, irritating and damaging the tissue and causing bleeding. Dysuria may result from inflammation and swelling of the bladder walls or the urethra, from muscle spasms, or from a physical obstruction to urine flow. Veterinarians assume that the condition is painful, because people with bladder stones experience pain, and because many clients remark about how much better and more active their dog becomes following surgical removal of bladder stones.

Large stones may act almost like a valve or stopcock, causing an intermittent or partial obstruction at the neck of the bladder, the point where the bladder attaches to the urethra. Small stones may flow with the urine into the urethra where they can become lodged and cause an obstruction. If an obstruction occurs, the bladder cannot be emptied fully if the obstruction is complete, the dog will be unable to urinate at all. If the obstruction is not relieved, the bladder may rupture. A complete obstruction is potentially life threatening and requires immediate emergency treatment.

Fungal Infections In The Urinary Tract

In recent years, new research has established that the urinary bladder is not sterile as it was previously believed.

In fact, it is home to communities of microorganisms that, in the right balance, help to keep the bladder healthy.

Changes in the balance of these microorganisms have been noted to be present in all bladder conditions.

Further, it has been shown that standard testing does not pick up all infections reliably. So if you experience symptoms after a negative test result it does not necessarily mean that no infection is present.

Standard testing also does not test for organisms other than bacteria. But are they even a thing?

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Why Incontinence With Menopause

Your bladder sits above your pelvic bones and is supported by your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is less of a floor and more of a sling of tendons and muscles that support your internal organs. Think of a hammock of muscles that run between the pubic bone in the front, and stretches back to the tailbone at the back.

A womans pelvic floor muscles support her uterus, bladder, and colon. The bladder relaxes and fills with urine throughout the day. If it is working properly, the small opening that opens and closes to release urine will keep the bladder closed until you can use the bathroom. During pregnancy and then menopause, your pelvic floor muscles will be less able to hold the urine in and the sphincter can open unexpectedly.

With age, and as a woman gets closer to menopause, hormone levels drop steadily. Hormones work to keep your bladder and urethra healthy. Lower levels of estrogen and testosterone can cause pelvic floor muscles to become weak. As these hormone levels continue to drop during menopause, UI symptoms can become worse.

Urge Incontinence is a little different than stress incontinence. Urge incontinence causes women to lose control entirely or too quickly. They might feel the urge to go but are not able to reach a bathroom in time. The relationship between your menopause and bladder results in an overactive bladder, which urges you to pee constantly.

Read Part Two Of Dr Kim Series On Menopause :

References

Jung, C., & Brubaker, L. . The etiology and management of recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, 22, 242249. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2018.1551871

Pearce MM et al. The female urinary microbiome: a comparison of women with and without urgency urinary incontinence. MBio 5, e0128314 (2014

Schneeweiss J, Koch M & Umek W The human urinary microbiome and how it relates to urogynecology. Int. Urogynecol. J. 27, 13071312 .

Siddiqui H, Lagesen K, Nederbragt AJ, Jeansson SL & Jakobsen KS Alterations of microbiota in urine from women with interstitial cystitis. BMC Microbiol. 12, 205 .

Hooton TM Recurrent urinary tract infection in women. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 17, 259268 .

Mody L & Juthani-Mehta M Urinary tract infections in older women. JAMA J. Am. Med. Assoc 311, 844854 .

Raz R et al. Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Postmenopausal Women. Clin. Infect. Dis 30, 152156 .

Terlizzi, M. E., Gribaudo, G., & Maffei, M. E. . UroPathogenic Escherichia coli Infections: Virulence Factors, Bladder Responses, Antibiotic, and Non-antibiotic Antimicrobial Strategies. Frontiers in microbiology, 8, 1566. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01566

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When To Call The Doc

Even without a testing kit or a medical professional to hand, a quick glance at your own urine can tell you if youre dehydrated or your kidneys might not be functioning properly. You excrete small amounts of dark yellow urine.

If your urine looks cloudy, then you might be suffering from a urinary tract infection. If you see traces of red, then blood might be present.

In all of these cases, you should make an appointment to seek medical advice.

Not all colors in your urine are something to worry about, though. Certain substances in the food you eat and drink also affects your urine color.

Beets, berries, and other such food with strong colorings may change the color of your urine. Certain medications may also do that.

If the color remains unchanged for a few days, undergo urine testing just to rule out bacteria or blood in your urine specimen.

How Common Are Struvite Bladder Stones

Bladder stones are somewhat common in dogs, and struvite stones are the most common. In clinical studies, up to 26% of all bladder stones were found to contain struvite. Together, struvite and calcium oxalate uroliths have been found to comprise over 85% of all uroliths. Based on the results of tens of thousands of stone analyses, it has been found that the number of struvite bladder stones has been declining in dogs while the number of calcium oxalate stones has been increasing. Struvite uroliths were noted to be more common in female dogs, while calcium oxalate uroliths are more common in male dogs. Breeds most commonly diagnosed with struvite and calcium oxalate bladder stones include Shih Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer, Bichon Frise, Lhasa Apso, and Yorkshire Terrier.

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Some People Say That Its Best To Have Acidic Urine And Some Say Alkaline What’s Best To Avoid Uti On A Daily Basis

There is often confusion surrounding this and this is mainly because different areas of the body work best at a different pH. For example, urine with a lower pH tends to inhibit the growth of bacteria, and urine that is high in ammonia may impede the bodys immune response to a urinary tract infection. One of the common causes of UTIs, the Proteus species of bacteria, actually makes the urine more alkaline through its self-preserving activities.

On the other hand, the bloodstream is ideally slightly alkaline, which I think is why we often say eating well supports an ‘alkaline balance’, so that’s in terms of the pH of the bloodstream. However, I would try not to get too caught up in this if you eat a healthy balanced diet rich in fresh foods, this should help support the correct pH in different places.

Cranberry products and Goldenrod tea may also help to keep recurrent UTI infections under control.

Do you have questions? Please feel free to ask.

What Causes Mold Sickness

Kangen Water – Urinary Tract Infection UTI Testimonial

The toxins in your system from breathing in mold spores add to the total amount of toxicity in your body. We call this the Total Body Burden. When your burden is high, you start experiencing symptoms many which are seemingly unrelated.

For most people, toxins get flushed out from the body when eliminating waste.

For some, the toxic load is so high that its too much for the body to eliminate them all efficiently. For others, they may have poor detoxification processes or they may even recycle or reabsorb these mycotoxins back, as the body tries to eliminate them. Genetics plays a huge role in this difference from person to person

In short, multiple symptoms happen because, as we say in environmental medicine genetics points the gun, and then the environment pulls the trigger.

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What Are The Symptoms Of A Urinary Tract Infection

These are the most common symptoms of a UTI:

Frequent urination
Pain or burning when passing urine
Urine looks dark, cloudy, or reddish in color
Urine smells bad
Feeling pain even when not urinating
Pain in the back or side, below the ribs
Nausea and/or vomiting
Despite an strong urge to urinate, only a small amount of urine is passed
Women may feel an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone

The symptoms of UTI may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see a health care provider for a diagnosis.

Improving Urine Ph Level With Alkaline Water

Drinking alkaline water will help to increase the pH of your urine. Eating more vegetables will also increase its alkalinity.

Alkaline water will hydrate you better and more efficiently than ordinary water. You can get it through a water ionizer which filters tap water without stripping it of essential minerals.

Infection-causing bacteria thrive in an acidic environment, so its important to balance your bodys pH to keep diseases away.

Drinking freshly ionized water is the fastest and easiest way of rebalancing your body and restoring a sense of health and well being.

With the Tyent ionizers, you can instantly get alkaline water right into your glass from the faucet. Check out our ionizer units and find out why Tyent is the market leader in water ionizers.

Are you keeping your urine in check? Leave us a message below and well help you keep your body alkaline with our products.

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Why Does Alcohol Make My Bladder Hurt

Alcohol use can make your bladder hurt even if you do not have a UTI. The pain occurs because alcohol is highly acidic. In turn, the acid can irritate your bladder lining. The bladder irritation from alcohol is similar to how you may feel when you have a UTI, so it is easy to confuse the two feelings. One study shows that lowering your intake of irritating beverages like alcohol may improve your urinary health.

How Are Urinary Tract Infections Diagnosed

Your doctor will review your medical history and do a physical exam. Other tests may include:

Urinalysis. Lab testing of urine is done to check for various cells and chemicals, such as red and white blood cells, germs , or a lot of protein.

If UTIs become a repeated problem, other tests may be used to see if the urinary tract is normal. These tests may include:

Intravenous pyelogram . This is a series of X-rays of the kidney, ureters , and bladder. It uses a contrast dye injected into a vein. This can be used to find tumors, structural abnormalities, kidney stones, or blockages. It also checks blood flow in the kidneys.
Cystoscopy. In this test, a thin, flexible tube and viewing device is put in through the urethra to examine the bladder and other parts of the urinary tract. Structural changes or blockages, such as tumors or stones can be found.
Kidney and bladder ultrasound. This imaging test uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of the bladder and the kidneys on a computer screen. The test is used to determine the size and shape of the bladder and the kidneys, and check for a mass, kidney stone, cysts, or other blockages or abnormalities.

How To Prevent Mold Exposure

Denying them a place to grow is an important step in preventing mold. And for that, you need to control the moisture inside your home. You should make sure that your home and the workplace is free of visible mold growth or strong moldy odor. Here are a few tips for that.18

Use an air conditioner or dehumidifier to keep the humidity level low.
Make sure that your floor and wall are dry after flooding.
Fix water problems such as roof leaks and plumbing leaks.
Provide enough ventilation for your house.
Use mold-killing products while cleaning bathrooms.
If absorbent materials like carpet become moldy, they should be removed.
Cleaning frequently keeps mold to a minimum.
Do not paint moldy surfaces without cleaning up the mold and drying the surface.19

Cleaning up the mold in your home is the first thing you should do. These are a few ways to do it:

Remove mold growth from hard surfaces using soap and water.
You can also use a bleach solution.
Take less than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water to remove the mold. Remember, never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners as it produces toxic fumes.20
Make sure that the windows and doors are open while you use bleach.
Also, wear protective gloves and eye mask.

If you are worried about mold exposure from your workplace and the symptoms associated with it, you should consult an occupational health clinic.

References

What To Do If You Suspect A Fungal Infection

Unfortunately, adequate testing is not yet widely available. If youve had a stool test that indicates fungal infections this may indicate other fungal infections in the body. But we cant know for sure.

An open-minded doctor may be up for trying anti-fungal medication if other therapies have not worked.

Several natural compounds have both antibacterial and antifungal activity and may be worth trying however, dont assume that something is safe only because it is natural. Do your research!

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You Dont Drink Enough Water

Guzzling H2O will make you go pretty often. And thats a good thing. When you do this, the bacteria gets flushed out before they have a chance to grab hold, Minkin says.

Consider that your cue to make a giant water bottle your BFF. Hooton TM, et al. . Effect of increased daily water intake in premenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections: A randomized clinical trial. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.4204

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How to Prevent UTIs â What a Doctor Wants You to Know

References

Vangelou Strait, Julia. Urine Acidity May Influence Odds Of U.T.I.AlwaysResearchingcom. AlwaysResearchingcom, 1 July 2015. Web. 7 July 2015. < > .

Ostojic, Sergej, and Marko Stonanovic. Hydrogen-Rich Water Affected Blood Alkalinity in Physically Active Men. . Research in Sports Medicine: An International Journal, 06 Jan 2014. Web. 20 Feb 2014. < > .

Lee, MY, YK Kim, and et al. Electrolyzed-reduced water protects against oxidative

damage to DNA, RNA, and protein.Springer Link. Humana Press, 01 Nov 2006. Web. 2 Jul 2013. < > .

Heil, D. Acid-base balance and hydration status following consumption of mineral-based alkaline bottled water..Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13 Sep 2010. Web. 26 Mar 2014. < > .

Vorobjeva, N.V.. Selective stimulation of the growth of anaerobic microflora in the human intestinal tract by electrolyzed reducing water.Medical Hypotheses. Elsevier, 14 Jun 2004. Web. 5 Jul 2013. < > .

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Indicators Of Alkaline Urine

Usually the urine has a darker yellow color. Sometimes calcium deposits can be seen on the appliance, stoma or the peristomal skin.

Additional problems:

Irritated skin pebbled with what appears to be tiny warts

Closing of the stoma opening

Tendency of the stoma to bleed easily

Calcium deposits that collect inside the appliance opposite the opening

Alkaline Water Vs Regular Water

Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some advocates of alkaline water believe it can neutralize the acid in your body.

Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 or 9. However, pH alone isnt enough to impart substantial alkalinity to water.

Alkaline water must also contain alkaline minerals and negative oxidation-reduction potential . ORP is the ability of water to act as a pro- or antioxidant. The more negative the ORP value, the more antioxidizing it is.

Alkaline water is somewhat controversial. Many health professionals say there isnt enough research to support the many health claims made by users and sellers. Differences in research findings may be related to the types of alkaline water studies.

There are a few studies that suggest alkaline water might be helpful for certain conditions.

For example, a found that drinking naturally carbonated artesian-well alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the main enzyme that causes acid reflux. However, more human studies are needed to explore these findings.

Researchers in Japan conducted a that suggested that drinking alkaline electrolyzed water slightly improved stool in 60 participants.

However, more research is needed beyond these small studies. In particular, research is needed to answer other claims made by alkaline water supporters.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has a slightly negative ORP.