Symptoms of a UTI are similar to those of many other conditions and don't necessarily mean you have an infection. Your recommended treatment plan by your GP will depend on whether your infection is in the upper or lower urinary tract. Both types of urinary tract infection can usually be treated at home using a course of antibiotics.
If an upper UTI is more serious or there is increased risk of complications, you may need hospital treatment. You may find your UTI symptoms are mild and pass within a few days.
However, you should see your GP if you find your symptoms very uncomfortable or if they last for more than five days. If these bacteria get into the urethra the tube where urine comes out , they can cause infection. It's thought the bacteria can spread from the skin around the anus to the urethra.
Women are more likely to develop a UTI than men. This is because a woman's urethra is located closer to the anus than a man's, which makes it easier for bacteria from the anus to reach the urethra. You can reduce your chances of developing a UTI by keeping your bladder and urethra the tube that allows urine to pass out of your body free from bacteria.
If you use a diaphragm and have recurring UTIs, you might want to consider changing to another method of contraception. This is because the diaphragm may press on your bladder and prevent it emptying completely when you urinate. If you get recurring UTIs and you use condoms, try using condoms that don't have a spermicidal lubricant on them — it will say whether it does on the packet. Spermicidal lubricant can cause irritation and may make it more likely that you'll experience symptoms similar to a UTI.
We will not reply to your feedback. Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers. The nidirect privacy notice applies to any information you send on this feedback form. And in a lot of women, a few years after menopause, there is a lot of dryness in the vaginal and urinary tract areas.
To counter this problem, doctors often prescribe topical estrogen creams or hormonal creams to reduce dryness and improve pelvic health. As women get older, she adds, they also lose some of the sensation in their nerves, which prevents them urinating regularly and contributes to infections.
So, we tell them to look at the clock and follow what is called timed voiding, which is to void their bladders every three-four hours even though they really don't get that urge to pass urine. While most women are fortunate to only experience an occasional UTI infection, a significant proportion become susceptible to frequent infections. According to studies , at least a quarter of women affected by a UTI will experience a second infection within six months. For doctors, one of the main precautions to take in such cases, is to more assiduously check urine cultures for infections before and after treatment, she says.
This is because recurrent infections can often actually be improperly or incompletely treated infections that flare up periodically. Another useful measure doctors rely on in such cases is to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics for women, especially in cases where episodes of sex lead to infections.
Sometimes, we prescribe just one dose of antibiotics to be taken after each episode of intercourse. Skip to main content. Health Partner. You may need to take antibiotics to prevent the infection from damaging your kidneys or spreading further — if you do need antibiotics, you should feel better after a couple of weeks. Most cases of mild cystitis tend to clear up on their own within a few days. But there are several remedies available over the counter that claim to offer symptom relief.
These usually come in the form of sachets of granules containing ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate and potassium citrate, which you mix with water. Typically you take a sachet three times a day for 48 hours, and should also drink plenty of extra water in the meantime.
Also try to avoid drinking alcohol — or at least limit the amount you drink to a minimum — and refrain from having sex until the infection clears up. Antibiotic treatment for cystitis is usually very effective. However, as prevention is always better than cure, here are some of the things you can do to avoid developing a bout in the first place:.
Try to avoid tight-fitting clothing such as tight jeans, and choose underwear made from cotton or another natural fibre avoid thongs and underwear made from synthetic material. Also avoid using fragranced products such as soap, bubble bath, shower gel or talcum powder around the genital area use non-perfumed varieties wherever possible and try having showers instead of baths having a bath means your genitals may be exposed to bath products for a longer time.
Always wipe from front to back when you go to the toilet, rather than the other way around, to avoid bacteria from the anus getting into your urethra. Avoid using contraceptive diaphragms or condoms with spermicidal lubricants consider using another method of contraception. Use a non-spermicidal lubricant to avoid damage to the genital area.
Try reducing the amount of sugar in your diet, since sugar is thought to encourage the growth of bacteria choose sugar-reduced foods where possible. Also avoid drinks that are caffeinated such as tea and coffee , fizzy or that contain alcohol, as they may irritate your bladder.
Some people find other foods and drinks can trigger a bout of cystitis. Arguably the most popular natural supplement for cystitis is cranberry, which is available in tablet or powder form. Several studies suggest cranberry prevents bacteria from adhering to the wall of the bladder viii , allowing the bacteria to be flushed out of the bladder during urination. Indeed, one study confirms that bacteria find it easy to adhere to the bladder walls of women who develop frequent bouts of cystitis ii.
A more recent review also confirms that cranberry supplementation can safely be suggested as a complementary therapy in women with recurrent UTIs x. Other supplements that may be beneficial include vitamin C, both for its strengthening effect on the immune system and for its action on bacteria that cause urinary tract infections UTIs.
Soluble fibre supplements may also help to maintain a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut and vagina, which in turn may help to reduce the risk of UTIs. Managing cystitis may be difficult, but this guide should put you on the right track.
For more information on how to support your overall health, visit our health library. Chuang YC. BJU Int. Di Martino. P , Agniel. R , David. Reduction of Escherichia coli adherence to uroepithelial bladder cells after consumption of cranberry juice: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial.
World J Urol. Howell AB. BMD Infect Dis. Recurrent urinary tract infection in the female patient.
0コメント