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How To Prevent Urinary Tract Infections In The Elderly

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Treatment From A Gp For Utis That Keep Coming Back

Prevent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) Naturally

If your UTI comes back after treatment, you may have a urine test and be prescribed different antibiotics.

Your doctor or nurse will also offer advice on how to prevent UTIs.

If you keep getting UTIs and regularly need treatment, a GP may give you a repeat prescription for antibiotics.

If you have been through the menopause, you may be offered a vaginal cream containing oestrogen.

How To Prevent Urinary Tract Infection In Elderly

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Urinate Before And After Sex

Sexual activity increases the chances of getting a UTI, especially if youre a woman. Thats because bacteria can easily get into the urethra during sex.

To reduce your risk, pee immediately before and after sex. The idea is to flush out bacteria that may cause UTIs.

Its also a good idea to gently wash your genital area before sex. This can help keep the area clean and reduce the chance of bacteria spreading to your urethra.

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When To See A Health Care Providerand What To Expect

If you have any of the signs of a bladder problem or urinary tract infection, talk to your healthcare provider. Read advice on talking to your doctor about sensitive subjects, like bladder problems.

When you see your healthcare provider, he or she may perform the following tests to try to figure out what might be causing your bladder problem:

  • Give you a physical exam to look for any health issues that may cause a bladder problem. For women, the physical exam may include a pelvic exam. For men, the physical exam may include a prostate exam, which is usually done with a rectal exam.
  • Take a urine sample to check for a bladder infection.
  • Examine the inside of your bladder using a cystoscope, a long, thin tube that slides up into the bladder through the urethra. This is usually done by a urinary specialist.
  • Fill the bladder with warm fluid to check how much fluid your bladder can hold before leaking.
  • Check a bladder scan using ultrasound to see if you are fully emptying your bladder with each void.

Diagnosing A Urinary Tract Infection In Older Adults

5 Phases to Heal UTIs Naturally

Vague, uncommon symptoms such as confusion make UTIs challenging to diagnose in many older adults. Once your doctor suspects a UTI, its easily confirmed with a simple urinalysis.

Your doctor may perform a urine culture to determine the type of bacteria causing the infection and the best antibiotic to treat it.

There are home UTI tests that check urine for nitrates and leukocytes. Both are often present in UTIs. Because bacteria are often in the urine of older adults to some degree, these tests arent always accurate. Call your doctor if you take a home test and get a positive result.

Antibiotics are the treatment of choice for UTIs in older adults and younger people. Your doctor may prescribe amoxicillin and nitrofurantoin .

More severe infections may require a broad-spectrum antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin .

You should start antibiotics as soon as possible and take them for the entire duration of treatment as prescribed by your doctor. Stopping treatment early, even if symptoms resolve, increases the risks of recurrence and antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic overuse also increases your risk for antibiotic resistance. For this reason, your doctor will likely prescribe the shortest treatment course possible. Treatment typically lasts no more than 7 days, and your infection should clear up in a few days.

Its important to drink plenty of water during treatment to help flush out the remaining bacteria.

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What Is The Difference Between Lower And Upper Uti

Generally speaking, a UTI isn´t dangerous, although it is painful. It is most commonly treated with antibiotics by prescription from a doctor, but if left untreated, the infection can spread from the lower urinary tract to the upper urinary tract and the kidneys. Such an infection can potentially cause kidney damage or even kidney failure. If that happens, the symptoms will get considerably worse with e.g. back pain, nausea and fever. From the kidneys the infection can enter the blood stream and spread to other parts of the body, which is a serious medical condition that requires intensive care.

Antibiotics For Urinary Tract Infections In Older People

Antibiotics are medicines that can kill bacteria. Health care providers often use antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections .

The main symptom of a UTI is a burning feeling when you urinate.

However, many older people get UTI treatment even though they do not have these symptoms. This can do more harm than good. Heres why:

Antibiotics usually dont help when there are no UTI symptoms.

Older people often have some bacteria in their urine. This does not mean they have a UTI. But health care providers may find the bacteria in a routine test and give antibiotics anyway.

The antibiotic does not help these patients.

  • It does not prevent UTIs.
  • It does not help bladder control.
  • It does not help memory problems or balance.

Most older people should not be tested or treated for a UTI unless they have UTI symptoms. And if you do have a UTI and get treated, you usually dont need another test to find out if you are cured. You should also not be tested just in case there is a UTI.

You should only get tested or treated if UTI symptoms come back.

Antibiotics have side effects.

Antibiotics can have side effects, such as fever, rash, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, tendon ruptures, and nerve damage.

Antibiotics can cause future problems.

Antibiotics can kill friendly germs in the body. This can lead to vaginal yeast infections. It can also lead to other infections, severe diarrhea, hospitalization, and even death.

When should older people take antibiotics for a UTI?

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How To Treat Utis

Its important to recognize the earliest signs of a UTI for rapid diagnosis and treatment, particularly for frail elderly people who may show fewer symptoms and suffer more severely. So, keep a look out and communicate about changes with your loved one in your day-to-day routines.A full diagnosis will be made by a physician. They will base this on urine test results and on symptoms of the infection. If an Upper or Lower UTI has been diagnosed and treatment is needed, the doctor will decide on which antibiotic to prescribe and at what dosage.

How To Feel Better

Urinary Tract Infections in the Elderly – video #2

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.

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How Can I Prevent Utis All The Time

How to Prevent Recurrent UTIs

  • Tip #1: Stay well-hydrated.
  • Tip #3: Wipe from front to back.
  • Tip #4: Go to the bathroom after having sex.
  • Tip #5: Take showers rather than baths.
  • Tip #6: Avoid using douches and other products.
  • Tip #7: Wear cotton panties.
  • Tip #8: Consider preventive antibiotics.
  • Alice Sparrow

    Bladder Health For Older Adults

    Everyone uses their bladder many times each day, but they may not know what to do to keep their bladder healthy.

    Located in the lower abdomen, the bladder is a hollow organ, much like a balloon, that stores urine. It is part of the urinary system, which also includes the kidneys, ureters, and urethra. Urine contains wastes and extra fluid left over after the body takes what it needs from what we eat and drink.

    As you get older, the bladder changes. The elastic bladder tissue may toughen and become less stretchy. A less stretchy bladder cannot hold as much urine as before and might make you go to the bathroom more often. The bladder wall and pelvic floor muscles may weaken, making it harder to empty the bladder fully and causing urine to leak.

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    Uti In The Elderly: Signs Symptoms And Treatments

    Urinary tract infections arent just a nuisance in the senior populationthey can cause serious health problems. A UTI occurs when bacteria in the urethra, bladder or kidneys multiplies in the urine. Left untreated, a UTI can lead to acute or chronic kidney infections, which could permanently damage these vital organs and even lead to kidney failure. UTIs are also a leading cause of , an extreme and potentially life-threatening response to an infection.

    Drink More Cranberry Juice

    The 10 ways to prevent CAUTI in nursing homes  THE ...

    There is some evidence that drinking cranberry juice or consuming cranberries could help with preventing the recurrence of UTIs.

    A study looked at 150 women who had urinary tract infections and the effects of cranberry juice on preventing urinary tract infections. The women were divided into three groups. One group drank cranberry-lingonberry concentrate juice for 6 months. Compared to the control groups, the researchers found there was a 20% risk reduction in the recurrence of UTIs when the women drank the cranberry-lingonberry concentrate.

    Another study found that cranberry juice could disrupt UTI-associated bacterial biofilms.

    Take these simple steps to keep UTIs at bay.

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    Why Are Seniors Susceptible To Utis

    Older individuals are vulnerable to UTIs for several reasons. The biggest culprit is an immune system weakened by time that increases susceptibility to any infection. Also, the elderly may have a diminished ability to take care of themselves. Reduced cognitive abilities and lower energy levels are issues that cause decreased hygiene and increased bacteria in seniors too. Becoming less communicative, often due to the same diminished cognitive capabilities, can be a contributing factor as well.

    Urine overstaying its welcome in the bladder is common in elderly populations, and can foster bacteria that spreads and turns into a UTI. There are several reasons this may occur. One is that seniors may lower fluid intake during the day to avoid the embarrassment and inconvenience caused by bladder control issues. This leads to less frequent urination and a pool of urine being held in the bladder much longer. Also, aging men and women undergo a gradual weakening of the muscles of the bladder and pelvic floor, or a prolapsed bladder, leading them to retain more urine and to experience incontinence.

    Senior Toileting Tips For Preventing Uti

    “A senior could be having problems emptying their bladder. If possible, when they urinate in the toilet, count to thirty once they have finished and then encourage him to give it another push. In potty-training my disabled son, an autism specialist told me that after the initial urge is gone, the brain can stop/reduce the message that they still needed to go. I know I’ve tried it myself and I am always amazed at how much I’ll go again after the count. Sorry if that’s TMI! Lastly, if they are wearing adult diapers, you may need to be changing them more frequently since they are bacteria sponges.” Rainmom

    “Encourage/help older folks get to the toilet at least every 2 hours. Sometimes, older folks don’t feel thirsty, sometimes they forget to drink, but sometimes, they are afraid of urinary accidents and avoid drinking enough fluids. It’s very important to keep going to the bathroom to empty that bladder.” MomDaughterRN

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    Why Do Seniors Get Utis

    Older adults are more vulnerable to UTIs, because as we age, we tend to have weaker muscles in our bladder and pelvic floor that can cause urine retention or incontinence. Whenever the urine stays in the urinary tract, theres a potential for bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, or E. coli, to multiply and cause an infection to spread.

    Other factors that increase the risk of UTIs in seniors are a weakened immune system, the use of catheters to empty the bladder, diabetes and kidney problems.

    Older women have UTIs more often than older men because of the female anatomy and lower estrogen. Women produce lower amounts of estrogen after menopause. This can create an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the vagina, which can lead to infection.

    Other causes are due to aging inflammation in the vagina, such as atrophic vaginitis, fallen bladders producing impaired urine flow or from irritation during intercourse, Dr. Oldham said. Prophylactic antibiotics after sex may help if this is a recurring issue.

    UTIs are less prevalent in men mainly because of the male anatomy, but they are susceptible to UTIs if they are uncircumcised or have an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostate hyperplasia . UTIs associated with BPH occur as a result of patients not completely emptying their bladder, Dr. Oldham said. The stagnant urine acts as a conduit for bacteria.

    Older Adults Dont Need Powerful Antibiotics For Utis

    URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN THE ELDERLY (TWO MINUTE TIP)

    Treatment for UTIs should begin with narrow-spectrum antibiotics, say Dr. Lathia and Dr. Goldman.

    These drugs are less likely to lead to antibiotic resistance and problematic side effects than broad-spectrum antibiotics.

    Today, amoxicillin is commonly prescribed as first-line treatment for UTIs in older adults.

    Other common narrow-spectrum must be used with caution when patients have chronic kidney disease or take blood pressure medication, as many older adults do or because their side effects can be serious in older adults.

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    And It Won’t Hurt To Try These

    Like many women, you may have memorized the following age-old advice for preventing UTIs:

    • Wipe from front to back.

    • Urinate before and after sex.

    • Drink lots of water.

    • Avoid tight underpants and jeans.

    These suggestions are directed at flushing the bladder and keeping E. coli from spreading into the urinary tract. Although studies have failed to show that they prevent either primary or recurrent UTIs, there’s no harm in trying them, Dr. Gupta says. “They can’t hurt, and if they help, you’re ahead of the game.”

    How Are Utis Treated In Older Adults

    Antibiotics are the first choice of treatment for UTIs. Mild UTIs often clear up in only a few days with the right antibiotic.

    However, depending on the persons age and health plus the severity of the infection, treatment for a UTI may take several weeks and a longer course of antibiotics. In more severe cases, older adults may need to be hospitalized to receive IV antibiotics.

    If your loved one has symptoms of a UTI, its important to make an appointment with their doctor right away. If symptoms are severe, call the doctor immediately to determine whether a trip to the emergency room is necessary.

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    These Are The Steps To Take When Youre Trying To Ward Off Utis

    If you havent experienced a urinary tract infection before, take note: while the infections are uncommon in older men, they can be common in older women, occurring in 10% of women ages 65 or older, and in 30% of women ages 85 or older. For up to a third of women who have a UTI, the infection comes back within six months.

    E. coli bacteria cause approximately 80% of all recurrent UTIs and continue generating microbe strains that are resistant to antibiotics. The ability of the bacteria to stick to the urinary tract can sometimes make them very difficult to eliminate,” says Edward Doherty, who spent 10 years working on potential vaccines for recurrent UTI and other conditions at Harvards Wyss Institute and is now CEO and co-founder of vaccine maker Attivare Therapeutics.

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    Why Are Urinary Tract Infections Common In Older Adults

    10 Tips to Avoid Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in ...

    Seniors are more vulnerable for many reasons, including their overall susceptibility to infections due to a weakened immune system.

    As you get older, your immune response changes its part of normal aging, explains Anna Dowd, APN, a gerontological nurse practitioner in the greater Chicago area.

    According to the National Institutes of Health , the following conditions make older individuals more susceptible to UTIs:

    • Diabetes
    • Urine retention
    • Use of a urinary catheter
    • Bowel incontinence
    • Urinary incontinence
    • Immobility
    • Surgery of any area around the bladder
    • Kidney stones

    People with incontinence are at an increased risk for UTIs because of the close contact that adult briefs and other incontinence products have with their skin. While these products can help contain messes and prevent embarrassment associated with accidents, they can also introduce bacteria into the urethra. Women are more prone to UTIs because the female urethra is much shorter, allowing bacteria to travel to the bladder more easily.

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