Urinary Tract Infection: The 10 Ways to Manage the Signs and Symptoms to attain faster recovery

Photo credit to GMA network and Planet Ayurveda

                        

           

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the leading complaints of women that bring them to hospitals and other healthcare centers.

            Women have a higher risk of developing UTI due to the shorter length of the urethra of a female person than that of a male one and that the urethra is located close to the anus where the resident bacteria in the colon called escherichia coli (e-coli) usually moves down to the anus and causes UTI once it enters the urethra.

            UTI is an ascending infection. It starts from the urethra, into the urinary bladder, ureters, and kidneys; therefore, it should be detected and managed as early as possible.

Photo credit to GMA network and Planet Ayurveda

            
In order for you to identify a UTI, observe the following signs and symptoms:

1.    Burning feeling at the end of every urination

2.     An increased frequency and urge to urinate

3.    Pain or pressure in the lower back or abdomen

4.    Cloudy, dark, or blood stained urine

5.    Feeling tired or shaky

6.    Fever or chills which is one of the sign the UTI may have reached your kidneys

What to do if you are suffering from one or two symptoms:

1.    Go to the nearest healthcare facility in your area.

2.    Describe the signs and symptoms you have experienced including the onset f symptoms if you remember.

3.    You will be asked to for a urine sample inorder to test for the presence of UTI-causing microorganism such as e-coli:

4.    Produce a urine sample but be careful not to contaminate the sample. It will be one of the basis for the management the UTI:

5.    Follow the prescription of the doctor: The following may be prescribed to manage the disease:

a.    Antibiotics – to kill the microorganism that causes the UTI.

b.    Analgesics (pain medication) that may alleviate pain but may less likely irritate your urinary tract.

c.    Antipyretic medication to decrease an increased body temperature.

6.    In order to attain faster recovery, increase your fluid (water) intake. This will help flush the microorganism causing the UTI out from your urinary tract. This can also help buffer your increased body temperature.

7.    Avoid coffee, juice, soft drinks, and other foods and drinks that are high in solute. These could irritate your urinary tract and aggravate the condition.

8.    Sexual contact is one of the most predisposing activities that lead to the development of UTI. Bacteria from the colon and vagina can get into the urethra during foreplay and intercourse and vigorous sex can cause the bladder to become inflamed, so bacteria stick to its lining. So avoid sexual contact until you have finished taking the prescribed medications and until the symptoms are completely gone that the doctor can tell that you have been completely healed from UTI.

9.    Do not stop taking the medications when you seem to feel that the symptoms are gone. Take the medications as prescribed by the doctor in order to decrease possibility of recurrence.

10. Many products offer promising results of curing urinary tract infections but none of these have been consistently proven to have approved therapeutic claims; hence, one must be reminded of best fluid for UTIs which is water.

11. Wash your external genitalia from front to back. This is to decrease the chance of the e-coli or any bacteria from the anal area to move into the area of the urethra. 

            Some women are genetically predisposed to UTIs, while others have abnormalities in the structure of their urinary tract that make them more susceptible to infection.

            Women who are suffering from any type of diabetes can be at higher risk because of their compromised immune systems that make them less able to fight off infections like UTIs.

            Other conditions that increase risk include pregnancy, multiple sclerosis, and anything that affects urine flow, such as kidney stones, stroke, and spinal cord injury.

            UTI as an ascending infection needs a woman to be extra observant of the signs and symptoms in order to secure health care for the purpose early detection and management of the disease; hence, one must not self-medicate as as it can aggravate the condition and delay treatment. UTIs should be managed immediately by a healthcare professional.