Urinary Tract Infections In Men
Men can get UTIs, particularly if they have trouble with urine flow. Older men who experience prostatitis are at a higher risk. If the bladder is not emptying properly, the build up ofurine makes it more difficult to cure the infection.
A small number of young men may get a UTI. In males, this is usually the result of a sexually transmitted disease.
Prostatitis Epididymitis Urethritis And Orchitis
In contrast to UTI, prostatitis affects men of all ages and, from 1990-1994, accounted for almost 2 million office visits per year in the United States. Prostatitis syndromes account for 25% of male office visits for genitourinary complaints, 8% of visits to urologists, and 1% of visits to primary care physicians. Of these men, 5% have bacterial prostatitis, 64% have nonbacterial prostatitis, and 31% have prostatodynia. Digital examination of the prostate in the setting of probable or possible UTI should be avoided to prevent the risk of inciting bacteremia.
Epididymitis has a bimodal distribution, corresponding to different age groups and pathogens. Most cases in men younger than 35 years are due to sexually transmitted pathogens. Older patients are more likely to have obstructive prostatism or a history of instrumentation or catheterization.
Gonococcal urethritis is more common in ethnic minorities, lower socioeconomic groups, and persons living in urban centers. The risk to a male having intercourse with an infected female is 17%. Some of these associations may be limited by confounding. The peak age for urethritis is 20-24 years.
Mumps orchitis occurs in 18% of postpubertal boys infected with the mumps virus.
John L Brusch, MD, FACP Corresponding Faculty Member, Harvard Medical SchoolJohn L Brusch, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, Infectious Diseases Society of AmericaDisclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Baking Soda And Water
Another home remedy to help treat a UTI naturally is drinking baking soda and water. Baking soda is a natural alkaline substance that can help to take the sting out of your pee.
Scientific research into using baking soda drinks for a UTI has found that it can help to reduce painful symptoms. The International Urogynecology Journal reported that baking soda can help to lower urinary tract symptoms. Consuming baking soda at the first sign of a UTI helped to reduce the frequency of urination, pain when peeing, and getting up in the night to use the bathroom.10
To help clear your UTI symptoms quickly, mix 1 teaspoon baking soda in an 8-oz. glass of water and drink. Use the baking soda remedy 2 or 3 times a day for 3 days to help reduce the burning sensation when urinating and help cure your UTI. If your symptoms arent better after 3 days, you should see your doctor.
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Check If It’s A Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include:
- pain or a burning sensation when peeing
- needing to pee more often than usual during the night
- pee that looks cloudy, dark or has a strong smell
- needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual
- needing to pee more often than usual
- lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs
- a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
What Are The Treatment Procedures For Male Uti
As a first-line treatment for UTI, your doctor will prescribe you a course of antibiotics to kill the bacteria and ward off other symptoms. If there are no signs of complications, the treatment process may take from three to seven days.
However, you may require more intensive treatment if your doctor suspects serious complications. This treatment aims to reduce the risk of spreading the infection from your kidneys or your upper urinary tract. Each treatment depends on the result of the diagnosis regarding the cause of your condition. The treatment duration can also vary from a minimum of seven days and can last for up to six months.
If there are positive signs of kidney or bladder infection, surgical procedures will take place. It involves either draining or complete removal of the inflamed tissues on the affected areas.
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How Can You Tell The Difference Between A Uti And Bladder Infection
Bladder infections are a type of UTI that involves the lower urinary tract, including the bladder. A bladder infection can spread to other parts of your urinary tract or kidneys if left untreated. The symptoms of bladder infections and UTIs can be similar. See a doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of a UTI, such as painful or frequent urination, pain in your central lower abdomen, or blood in your urine.
How Vets Diagnose Utis In Cats
Vets diagnose urinary tract infections by collecting a urine sample and examining it for the presence of bacteria. These samples must be collected through a process called cystocentesis, where urine is drawn directly from the bladder with a fine needle. This is necessary to prevent contamination of the urine sample from cups, tables, or any other surface the urine may come into contact with.
After cystocentesis, your veterinarian will run a culture-and-sensitivity test. During this test, the bacteria are isolated and studied. This helps the vet determine the best antibiotics for your cats exact infection.
Occasionally, acute infectionsespecially first-time infections that show up suddenlyare treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic without trying to determine which bacteria are involved.
Chronic infections, however, almost always require more testing to isolate the type of bacteria causing the problem and identify the best antibiotic.
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Im Pregnant How Will A Uti Affect My Baby
If you have a UTI and it isnt treated, it may lead to a kidney infection. Kidney infections may cause early labor. Fortunately, asymptomatic bacteriuria and bladder infections are usually found and treated before the kidneys become infected. If your doctor treats a urinary tract infection early and properly, it wont hurt your baby.
Home Remedies For Urinary Tract Infection In Males
Do you have frequent, painful UTIs? You might be amazed by how much you can do at home to ease your pain.
Taking an antibiotic isnt really the only way to get over urinary tract infection symptoms.
In reality, some solutions dont require a prescription and they can be performed right at home in addition to any treatment your doctor has suggested. But beware with do-it-yourself home solutions and check in with your doctor prior to attempting a new method.
For example, mixing sodium bicarbonate and water as a drink to assist combat a urinary tract infection can be dangerous if you drink too much of it. About 5 percent of baking soda-related poisonings in California in between 2000 and 2012 were from drinking baking soda to alleviate a UTI, according to February 2014 research in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
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Some Myth Some Truth: Sexual Activity
Sexual intercourse indeed can be a strong trigger for a UTI, as can any activity that has the potential for putting infection-causing bacteria near the urethra.
Your partners anatomy can act as a ladder for infection of the urethra with bacteria that usually live in the bowel, said Dr. Dielubanza.
Use of spermicides with or without barrier contraceptives has been shown to increase the risk of urinary tract infections in sexually active women. Women may consider an alternative contraceptive regimen if they experience UTIs after intercourse.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatments
UTIs are generally treated with antibiotics. However, as with many things, prevention is key here. There are many things you can do to avoid getting a UTI in the first place:
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Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water helps to dilute your urine and flush bacteria from your urinary tract before its able to start an infection.
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Drink Cranberry juice
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Be diligent about personal hygiene
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Use the bathroom after sex. This helps flush away any new bacteria that may have been introduced through a new partner or certain types of contraception. If youre experiencing UTIs, you may also want to try a new type of contraceptive.
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Avoid irritating feminine products that may irritate the urethra.
If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of a UTI, see your doctor right away. Antibiotics typically work quickly and are the most effective at eliminating symptoms a UTI fast.
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Enhancing Healthcare Team Outcomes
UTIs are best managed in an interprofessional fashion, and besides physicians, most nurses will encounter a patient with a UTI. The key to preventing recurrences is patient education. Once a UTI has been diagnosed, the patient should be encouraged to drink more fluids. Sexually active women should try to void right after sexual intercourse as this can help flush the bacteria out of the bladder. Some women with recurrent UTIs may benefit from the prophylactic use of antibiotics. Several other non-medical remedies may help some women with UTIs. Anecdotal reports indicate that using cranberry juice and probiotics may help reduce the severity and frequency of UTIs in some women. Primary clinicians should refer patients with recurrent UTIs to the urologist to rule out reflux and anatomical defects.
Outcomes
The majority of women with a UTI have an excellent outcome. Following treatment with an antibiotic, the duration of symptoms is 2 to 4 days. Unfortunately, nearly 30% of women will have a recurrence of the infection. Morbidity is usually seen in older debilitated patients or those with renal calculi. Other factors linked to recurrence include the presence of diabetes, underlying malignancy, chemotherapy, and chronic catheterization of the bladder. The mortality after a UTI is close to zero.
How Long Will The Effects Last
For most UTIs, the symptoms go away within 24 hours after you begin treatment. Take all of the medicine your healthcare provider prescribes, even after the symptoms go away. If you stop taking your medicine before the scheduled end of treatment, the infection may come back.
Without treatment, the infection can last a long time. If it is not treated, the infection can permanently damage the bladder and kidneys, or it may spread to the blood. If the infection spreads to the blood, it can be fatal.
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How Does It Occur
Normally the urinary tract does not have any bacteria or other organisms in it. Bacteria that cause UTI often spread from the rectum to the urethra and then to the bladder or kidneys. Sometimes bacteria spread from another part of the body through the bloodstream to the urinary tract. Urinary tract infection is less common in men than in women because the male urethra is long, making it difficult for bacteria to spread to the bladder.
Urinary tract infection may be caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Sometimes a stone in the urinary tract blocks the flow of urine and causes an infection. In older men, an enlarged prostate can cause a urinary tract infection by keeping urine from draining out of the bladder completely. Infection might also be caused by the use of a catheter used to drain the bladder or by urethral stricture, which is a narrowing of the urethra by scar tissue from previous infections or surgical procedures.
You may be more likely to have a UTI if you have diabetes or another medical problem that affects the immune system.
Recovery And Management Of Utis In Cats
Most cats will fully recover within 7-10 days of developing a urinary tract infection, but they may need to remain on a canned diet for longer. Your vet may check a urine sample after treatment to determine if all the bacteria are gone.
Occasionally, cats will develop repeated urinary tract infections. Cats with recurring UTIs often require more testing to determine the underlying cause.
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How Is A Uti Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask about your signs and symptoms. Your provider may press on your abdomen, sides, and back to check if you feel pain. You may need any of the following:
- Urinalysis will show infection and your overall health.
- Urine cultures may show which germ is causing your infection.
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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What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.
Urinary Tract Infections: Causes Symptoms And Treatments
If youve ever experienced a urinary tract infection, you know the symptoms: a burning sensation when you urinate, the feeling that you need to go to the bathroom often even though little urine may come out, pain or pressure in your abdomen, chills, or even fever these are all telltale symptoms of a urinary traction infection, or UTI.
Urinary tract infections are very common in fact, it has been reported that half of women have experienced at least 1 UTI by the age of 35, with some women experiencing them every year. And while they are more common in women and the elderly, men can get UTIs too.
So, what causes a UTI? And how do you treat them?
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What Are The Factors That Cause Utis In Men
Older men, specifically those above the age of forty, have a higher risk of acquiring urinary tract infections. Most UTIs develop when the bacterium passes through the urinary tract and multiplies until it becomes a bladder infection.
Other risk factors that can lead to the development of UTIs include the following:
- Enlargement of the prostate gland
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH, is a condition wherein there is overgrowth on a mans prostate gland. An enlarged prostate gland can lead to the development of urine blockages which can cause infections in the lower urinary tract.
Men with kidney stones are at risk of having UTIs. This condition causes an obstruction along the urinary tract, which is often associated with the development of the infection.
People with diabetes have a higher chance of getting UTIs as their condition interferes with their immune response. Diabetes also causes nerve damages that weakens the bodys signals which keeps them from emptying their bladder. It encourages the invasion of bacteria and poses a greater risk of infection.
- Insertion of instruments
Several procedures that include the insertion of tools such as catheters, drain tubes, and cameras can increase UTI odds. The bacteria can use the foreign material as a reservoir to reach into your system leading to urinary or bladder infection.
- Unprotected sexual intercourse
Recommendations For Uti Prevention
To prevent urinary tract infection, some research suggests that the following may be helpful:
- Increasing fluid intake: The doctor may recommend increased fluid intake to help flush bacteria out of the urinary system.
- Drinking cranberry juice: Drinking 8 ounces of cranberry juice a day may help prevent recurrent UTIs. People who take blood thinners such as warfarin or are prone to kidney stones should check with a physician before trying this approach.
- Proper hygiene: Regular bathing keeps the genital area bacteria free, and women should wipe front-to-back after using the bathroom so as to avoid introducing bacteria into the urethra.
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What Is The Outlook
The vast majority of men improve within a few days of starting treatment. See a doctor if you do not quickly improve. If your symptoms do not improve despite taking an antibiotic medicine then you may need an alternative antibiotic. This is because some germs are resistant to some types of antibiotics. This can be identified from tests done on your urine sample.
Occasionally the infection may spread and cause you to be more unwell. Infection in the bladder may spread to the kidney . Infection may also spread to involve the prostate gland, causing infection of the prostate gland .Occasionally it may lead to a swelling caused by a collection of pus in the prostate gland.
How Are Urinary Tract Infections Diagnosed
Your doctor will use the following tests to diagnose a urinary tract infection:
- Urinalysis: This test will examine the urine for red blood cells, white blood cells and bacteria. The number of white and red blood cells found in your urine can actually indicate an infection.
- Urine culture: A urine culture is used to determine the type of bacteria in your urine. This is an important test because it helps determine the appropriate treatment.
If your infection does not respond to treatment or if you keep getting infections over and over again, your doctor may use the following tests to examine your urinary tract for disease or injury:
- Ultrasound: In this test, sound waves create an image of the internal organs. This test is done on top of your skin, is painless and doesnt typically need any preparation.
- Cystoscopy: This test uses a special instrument fitted with a lens and a light source to see inside the bladder from the urethra.
- CT scan: Another imaging test, a CT scan is a type of X-ray that takes cross sections of the body . This test is much more precise than typical X-rays.
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