Urinary Tract Infection

UTI - Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention

Urinary tract infections are no one’s ideas of fun, but almost everyone will have one at some time or another. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are any infection that begins in the bladder, urethra, or kidneys. They can be painful and challenging to overcome. A doctor must diagnose UTIs, but you can track your symptoms at home.

Symptoms

There are many symptoms that people experience with UTIs. People can experience any combination of symptoms, but sometimes, the symptoms are silent. This means that there are no apparent symptoms.

  • Painful urination
  • Confusion (older adults)
  • Frequent urge to urinate
  • Foul or unusual smelling urine
  • Cloudy urine
  • Strong urge to urinate with only small amounts passing
  • Blood in the urine (the colour is usually an indicator)
  • Pelvic pain (women usually)
  • Fever
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Penis pain
  • Nausea

These symptoms sometimes occur together, but they are often mistaken for other conditions when they do not.

 

Causes

Urinary tract infections come from getting bacteria into one of the areas listed above. The kidneys usually filter toxins from the body, but sometimes bacterium grows, causing an infection. Nearly all urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli bacteria.

 

Prevention

Taking care of your body can help prevent urinary tract infections, but sometimes people will still get them. To minimize your risk of UTIs, you can follow the suggestions below.

  • Drink plenty of fluids to flush toxins from your body - At Prema Care, we recommend at least 2 litres a day.
  • Wipe from front to back to minimize the risk of contamination from faeces (women)
  • Keep your body clean (bathing and showering regularly)
  • Watch what you eat (acidic foods can irritate the bladder)
  • Practice good sexual habits
    • Urinate shortly after sex
    • Practice safe sex
    • Wash genitals after sex
    • Use water-based lube if necessary
  • Wear loose-fitting clothing

 

Treatment

Even if you do all of the above things, sometimes, you will get a UTI anyway. When you suspect you have a UTI, visit your doctor and have your urine tested. If you do have a urinary tract infection, you should be prescribed an antibiotic. There are some things you can do at home to minimize the effects as well.

  • Drink more fluids.
  • Rest - make sure that you get all the rest you need to allow your body to heal.
  • Some people claim that cranberry juice will help, but this has not been scientifically proven. You can try it, but if you have trouble with acidic foods irritating your bladder, you might want to pass on this one.
  • Take all of your medicine.
  • Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can help with the pain—keep tract of the times you take these as well. Overdoses can happen if you are not careful. 
  • Talk to your doctor about other medications for symptom improvement.

 

Final Thoughts

Many people get UTIs every day. If you suspect that you have one, see your doctor immediately. Untreated UTIs will not go away on their own, and they may get worse. If you have frequent UTIs, speak with your doctor about the causes you may be experiencing and develop a customized treatment plan. No one likes a urinary tract infection, but you can certainly treat them if you get one.

Prema Care is known to be one of the most cost-effective Introductory Agencies that those seeking live-in care arrangements can access.