Urinary tract infections can occur in any part of your urinary system, although they most often occur in the bladder and urethra. They are more common in women, and although mild infections can cause pain and be unpleasant, more serious infections can become a serious disease, especially if the infection spreads up the ureters and kidneys. For this reason, it is important to treat UTI as soon as you have symptoms.
Common symptoms of UTI include:
- Increased urge to urinate, with increased frequency
- Pain and burning urination
- Cloudy or pink urine
- Strong urine smell
- Pelvic pain or abdominal pain
- For more severe infections that reach the kidneys - back pain, fever, chills, nausea or vomiting
UTIs are usually caused by E. coli bacteria transmitted from the digestive tract, although they can also be caused by other infectious agents. Since some STDs may have symptoms similar to UTI, it is important that a doctor be tested if you are at risk for any sexually transmitted disease.
The urinary system has a natural defense mechanism against infection, but certain risk factors increase your likelihood of getting an UTI. These include the female, sexually active use of diaphragms or spermicides, the presence of a weak immune system, an enlarged prostate, or the presence of kidney stones. Menopausal women are also at higher risk because lower estrogen levels make the urinary tract more vulnerable to infection.
It is especially important to get immediate treatment for UTI if you are pregnant, since untreated infections are associated with low birth weight in babies. In addition, young children with UTI are more susceptible to infection of the kidney, so immediate treatment is also important in these cases.
The traditional method of treating common UTI is the use of antibiotics. There are several antibiotics used to treat UTI, and, as a rule, the symptoms begin to disappear within a few days after the start of treatment. It is important to continue taking the antibiotic, even if all symptoms have disappeared, to make sure that the infection is completely cleared.
Even with antibiotics, some people will continue with recurrent UTIs. These are usually women who experience this, and in these cases it is useful to turn to other areas of health that leave you more susceptible to infection, since repeated courses of antibiotics can lead to resistant strains of bacteria and make your immune system weaker. If you suffer from chronic recurrent urinary tract infections, there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk and improve your urinary tract health.
Tips for reducing urinary tract infections
- For women, wiping from front to back after urinating reduces the risk of infection.
- Urination and washing shortly after intercourse help wash away bacteria that may have been acquired during sex.
- To drink a lot of water. This will help flush the urinary system.
- Avoid foods or drinks in your diet that contain a lot of refined sugar. It weakens your immune response and provides food for bacterial growth.
- Cranberry juice can be taken in the form of an additive or juice and helps increase the acidity of your urinary tract and prevent bacteria from sticking to the cell walls. The best form of cranberry juice to drink is in its pure, non-sweetened form, because cranberry juice cocktails usually add sugar to it.
- Vitamin C and vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, can increase the acidity of your urinary tract and increase immunity, making it more resistant to bacteria.
- Avoid alcohol because it weakens the immune system.
- Caffeine, dairy products, and processed foods can also cause infections in some people. If you notice that UTIs tend to appear after certain things in your diet, avoid these foods or drinks.
- Feminine hygiene sprays and dry hair can irritate the urethra and increase susceptibility to infection.
For recurrent lung urinary tract infections, in addition to cranberries, there are a number of natural medicines that can help reduce the infection.
- Uva-Ursi: It is an herb with antibacterial properties that has an affinity for the urinary tract.
- D-Mannose: It is a simple sugar that helps prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract.
- Other remedies: Herbs, such as Echinacea, goldenseal and Oregon grape, have immunomodulatory and antibacterial properties. Other herbs, such as dandelion, nettle ulcer or corn silk, have diuretic properties that can soothe help to flush out bacteria.
- Probiotics: Healthy bacteria are a normal component of the urinary and reproductive systems, and if they decrease or go out of balance, this can lead to an increase in infection. Taking a probiotic supplement with acidophilus may help prevent and reduce infection. Probiotics are also important to take after any course of antibiotics, since antibiotics reduce the number of healthy bacteria in our bodies. This will reduce the risk of recurrent infection.
- Replacement of hormones: For women who undergo menopause, reducing estrogen levels may increase the incidence of UTI. Replacing hormones with bioidentical hormones can help increase estrogen levels and reduce infections.
Many natural supplements are combination formulas that contain a number of natural remedies listed here. If you are looking for a natural route of treatment for UTI, it may be helpful as well as follow other health tips when cleaning up the infection.
Stress and recurring UTI
Stress is not just in your mind - it is really a physical thing and affects your health. Too much stress in the body can lead to poor health, and UTIs are no exception. Many people will find that their UTIs occur more frequently during times of stress. Hormones released during excessive stress can weaken your immune system, making you much more susceptible to any type of infection. Stress hormones also increase blood sugar levels, which causes bacteria to replicate and worsen the infection.
Especially when treating chronic UTIs, it is important to tackle any areas of your life that may increase stress levels, as well as to study behaviors caused by stress that may increase the risk of infection. For example, some people may consume more junk food or drink alcohol under stress, and this will only worsen the situation. Doing what you can to reduce stress in your life can significantly affect the prevention of chronic UTIs.
In general, UTI is more unpleasant than a serious health condition, although in serious cases it is important to get immediate medical attention. In preventing chronic mild cases, rather than taking them as an inevitable and annoying part of life, you can significantly reduce or even completely prevent them by following simple health care tips, reducing stress and taking natural medicines.
