For Those Who Experience Frequent Utis Managing Risk Factors May Help With Prevention
In some people, urinary tract infections come back again and again. Women, especially, are likely to have recurrent UTIs. While recurrences usually develop within three months of the original infection, having more than two within six months is technically considered a recurrence.
Besides precautions and at-home strategies to help prevent UTIs, sometimes antibiotics are used as a preventive measure for those with frequent UTI recurrences.
Managing risk factors by maintaining good hygiene, such as wiping from front to back for women and avoiding spermicides can lower your likelihood of repeat UTIs.
Simple Tips For Men To Stay Safe From Urinary Tract Infections
- Have lots of water and healthy fresh juices to flush out the bacteria from the body, especially urinary tract.
- You should never hold the urge to pass the urine for long. It can cause the urinary tract to retain bacteria.
- Try to completely pass the urine, so that the bladder is completely empty.
- Have foods rich in Vitamin C such as kiwi, orange, cantaloupe, melon, lemon, broccoli, papaya, etc. Vitamin C kills the harmful bacteria causing urinary infections and improves the overall functioning of the urinary system.
- Cranberry juice is a wonderful home remedy for urinary infections. Just make sure that you consume it without any added sugar for the best results.
- Probiotics majorly promote good health of the gut. The good bacteria called lactobacillus, found in probiotic yogurt, kefir, kimchi boost the health of your gut. It also prevents the unusual growth of the bacteria. So, keep the urinary tract free of any kind of infection.
- Use garlic or its extract in your diet. It has amazing anti-microbial properties that prevent UTIs.
Urinary Tract Infections In Babies And Young Children
Babies and children are at risk of UTIs. These infections always need to be investigated as they may indicate a serious underlying condition, such as urinary reflux. Reflux is caused by a bladder valve problem allowing urine to flow back into the kidneys from the bladder. Reflux can cause the urine to stay inside the body increasing the risk of infection. It may lead to kidney scarring, which in turn leads to high blood pressure and sometimes kidney problems.
Recommended Reading: Royal Canin Urinary Hydrolyzed Protein
Read Also: Royal Canin Urinary So And Hydrolyzed Protein
Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections In Cats
Most cats with urinary tract infections will make frequent trips to the litter box and seem restless. They may go into the box and strain to pee but produce either a small amount of urine or no urine at all. Occasionally, their urine may appear bloody.
Some cats will avoid the litter box because they have associated it with the discomfort caused by the UTI. Instead, they may urinate in other places in your home. Sinks, bathtubs, and clean laundry are popular spots. Your cat also may vomit and seem lethargic as the problem progressesespecially male cats.
In most cases, acute and chronic urinary tract infections will cause very similar symptoms. However, some cats with the chronic form show no signs of disease.
Why Do I Need Urinalysis
Healthcare providers order urinalysis tests for several reasons since a urine sample can provide many insights into your health. Your provider may order a urinalysis for you for one or more of the following reasons:
- As part of your routine medical exam to screen for early signs of certain health conditions.
- If youre experiencing and signs and symptoms of certain health conditions, such as diabetes or kidney disease.
- To monitor certain health conditions you’re receiving treatment for, such as diabetes or kidney disease.
- To diagnose a urinary tract infection .
- If youve been admitted to a hospital.
- As a preparatory checkup for surgery.
Also Check: Flagyl For Urinary Tract Infection
How Are Utis Diagnosed
Only a health care provider can treat urinary tract infections. The first thing a doctor will do is confirm that a person has a UTI by taking a clean-catch urine specimen. At the doctors office, youll be asked to clean your genital area with disposable wipes and then pee into a sterile cup.
The sample may be used for a urinalysis or a urine culture . Knowing what bacteria are causing the infection can help your doctor choose the best treatment.
How Do You Prevent Uti In Dogs
Preventing UTIs in Dogs
Don’t Miss: How Does A Pregnant Woman Get A Urinary Tract Infection
How To Feel Better
If your healthcare professional prescribes you antibiotics:
- Take antibiotics exactly as your healthcare professional tells you.
- Do not share your antibiotics with others.
- Do not save antibiotics for later. Talk to your healthcare professional about safely discarding leftover antibiotics.
Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Your healthcare professional might also recommend medicine to help lessen the pain or discomfort. Talk with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your antibiotics.
How To Prevent Uti Re
Following some tips can help you avoid getting another UTI:
- Empty your bladder often as soon as you feel the need to pee don’t rush, and be sure you’ve emptied your bladder completely.
- Wipe from front to back after you use the toilet.
- Drink lots of water.
- Choose showers over baths.
- Stay away from feminine hygiene sprays, scented douches, and scented bath products they’ll only increase irritation.
- Cleanse your genital area before sex.
- Pee after sex to flush out any bacteria that may have entered your urethra.
- If you use a diaphragm, unlubricated condoms, or spermicidal jelly for birth control, you may want to switch to another method. Diaphragms can increase bacteria growth, while unlubricated condoms and spermicides can irritate your urinary tract. All can make UTI symptoms more likely.
- Keep your genital area dry by wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes. Donââ¬â¢t wear tight jeans and nylon underwear they can trap moisture, creating the perfect environment for bacteria growth.
Show Sources
You May Like: How To Test For Urinary Incontinence
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.
Whats The Difference Between Urinalysis And A Urine Culture
A urine culture involves growing bacteria from a urine sample in a lab to diagnose urinary tract infections and other infections. Urine cultures are not part of routine urinalysis tests. Like a urinalysis, a urine culture sample must be obtained by the clean catch method or by inserting a catheter through the urethra into the bladder.
If your urinalysis results indicate a UTI is likely, your healthcare provider may order a urine culture for a laboratory to run off the urine sample you gave for the original urinalysis. A urine culture can determine the type of bacterium that caused the UTI.
Urinalysis can include several different tests, measurements and assessments of aspects of your urine.
Recommended Reading: How To Relieve Urinary Retention
Types Of Bacteria That Cause Utis
Escherichia coli is responsible for as many as 90 percent of UTIs, although there are many types of bacteria that can cause infections in your urinary tract.
These types of bacteria fall under two categories: gram-positive or gram-negative. This distinction has to do with how the bacteria is structured. Some bacteria contain an outer cell membrane wall called peptidoglycan that is made of sugars and amino acids. Gram-negative bacteria contain this outer membrane while gram-positive bacteria dont. Why does this matter? The outer membrane can make it more difficult to treat due to the extra layer.
What Causes Urinary Tract Infections
Normal urine is sterile and contains fluids, salts, and waste products. It does not contain bacteria, viruses, or fungi. A UTI occurs when germs, most often bacteria from the digestive tract, get into the opening of the urethra and start to multiply.
Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which normally live in the colon.
Read Also: What To Get For A Urinary Tract Infection
Exactly What Is A Uti
A UTI happens when some portion of your urinary tract gets infected with bacteria. Your bladder is the part of your urinary tract thats usually infected when you have a UTI. Normally, bladder infections arent serious and can be treated easily with prescription medications.
Sometimes your kidney, another part of your urinary tract, can become infected. A kidney infection can be more serious. Even if your UTI starts off as a minor bladder infection, not treating it could cause the infection to spread to your kidneys.
We already know that UTIs affect women more often than men, but any of the following risk factors can increase your risk of getting a UTI even more:
- Using diaphragms or spermicides as birth control
- Catheter placement
When Should I Be Concerned About Pelvic Pain
Pelvic pain may be serious if your symptoms developed suddenly or if the discomfort is severe. If you have pelvic pain that lasts for more than two weeks, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Pelvic pain can be concerning and because its a symptom of so many conditions, it can be particularly frustrating. Your healthcare provider can help determine the cause of your pelvic pain so you can receive the treatment you need to feel better.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 06/20/2022.
References
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. . ACOG practice bulletin no. 51. Chronic pelvic pain. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 103, 589605. Accessed 6/20/2022.
- Andrews, J, Yunker, A, Reynolds, WS, et al. . Noncyclic chronic pelvic pain therapies for women: Comparative effectiveness . Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Accessed 6/20/2022.
- Merck Manual. Pelvic Pain. Accessed 6/20/2022.
- Merck Manual. Pelvic Pain During Early Pregnancy. Accessed 6/20/2022.
- Merck Manual. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease . Accessed 6/20/2022.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy
Read Also: What Juice To Drink For Urinary Tract Infection
What Is A Urinalysis
A urinalysis is a test that examines the visual, chemical and microscopic aspects of your urine . It can include a variety of tests that detect and measure various compounds that pass through your urine using a single sample of urine.
Healthcare providers often use urinalysis to screen for or monitor certain common health conditions, such as liver disease, kidney disease and diabetes, and to diagnose urinary tract infections .
While several different aspects of your health can be tested with a urine sample, your healthcare provider will choose which tests to order under a urinalysis depending on your symptoms and situation.
What Is The Urinary Tract
The urinary tract makes and stores urine, one of the body’s liquid waste products. The urinary tract includes the following parts:
- Kidneys: These small organs are located on back of your body, just above the hips. They are the filters of your body removing waste and water from your blood. This waste becomes urine.
- Ureters: The ureters are thin tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to your bladder.
- Bladder: A sac-like container, the bladder stores your urine before it leaves the body.
- Urethra: This tube carries the urine from your bladder to the outside of the body.
Don’t Miss: Urinary Tract Over Counter Medicine
Can I Treat Uti Symptoms With Over The Counter Medicines
Weve already talked about the most common UTI symptoms, but what can you actually do about them?
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen are OTC pain relievers that could help ease some of the pain and discomfort UTIs can cause. Phenazopyridine is another pain reliever that could help relieve uncomfortable symptoms. Some forms of phenazopyridine are OTC while others require a prescription.
Favorite Sites To Find Docs
SWIU is all about supporting women urologists and the urologic issues that impact women. One of our favorite SWIU perks is their searchable database for prospective patients to find a local female urologist.
An excellent source for overall urinary health info, UCF also offers a tool to help would-be patients find a urologist near them. You can search by zip code, distance, and through eight urinary specialties, including pediatric urology.
Also Check: What Medicine Can You Take For Urinary Tract Infection
Complications Of Uti In The Elderly: What You Need To Know
Urinary Tract Infection is one of the most common infections affecting older adults. When promptly and properly treated, UTI is easily managed and rarely develops complications. But, when left untreated, UTI can lead to serious health consequences which can include permanent kidney damage. In rare instances, an infection can enter the bloodstream through the kidneys and lead to a life-threatening condition called . Therefore, early recognition of symptoms, testing, diagnosis, and treatment of UTI is important.
Fatigue Being Tired All Of The Time
Why this happens:
Healthy kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin , or EPO, that tells your body to make oxygen-carrying red blood cells. As the kidneys fail, they make less EPO. With fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen, your muscles and brain tire very quickly. This is anemia, and it can be treated.
What patients said:
I was constantly exhausted and didnt have any pep or anything.
I would sleep a lot. Id come home from work and get right in that bed.
You May Like: Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary S O
Don’t Miss: How To Relieve Urinary Tract Pain
Treatment For Utis In Cats
If you see any signs of UTI in your cat, take them to the vet. For male cats, it can be fatal to wait even a few hours. For female cats, feed them canned food only and see the vet within 24 hours. You should not try to treat the UTI at home with things like cranberry products, which have not been proven to be effective for UTIs in cats.
Urinary tract infections in cats are usually treated with antibiotics. Often, vets also recommend feeding an all-canned diet for a period of time since dry foods often result in a more-concentrated urine, which can lead to urinary tract problems.
If your cat is particularly uncomfortable, your vet may prescribe anti-inflammatory pain medicationespecially if treatment is delayed a few days while you wait for test results. Acute infections usually receive a relatively short course of antibiotics, while chronic UTIs may require longer antibiotic use.
Recommended Reading: Kidney Stone In Urinary Tract
Why The Elderly Are Vulnerable To Uti
Studies have found that as both women and men age, their chances of getting UTI increases dramatically. UTI is the most commonly diagnosed infection in long-term care facilities and they account for more than 33% of all nursing home-related infections. Elderly women become especially susceptible to UTI. 10% of women older than 65 have reported having UTI in the past 12 months, and that rate jumps to nearly 30% for women older than 85.
Seniors are more vulnerable to UTI for many reasons. The human immune system naturally weakens as it ages. Because the elderly are more prone to develop other illnesses as they grow older, their immune systems are further weakened by multiple conditions with which they struggle. So, when fungi or bacteria enter the urethra of older adults, their immune systems are less likely to fight them off and prevent infection.
In addition to their increased susceptibility to infection, older adults may experience a decreased ability to properly care for themselves. Decreases in their cognitive abilities and energy levels may result in poor hygiene and improper self-care. They may even lose their ability to communicate their care needs to their loved ones and caregivers. As a result, their care needs may go unnoticed until an infection has already taken hold.
Read Also: How To Reduce Urinary Incontinence