Oh no! It’s a water infection

This week I thought we’ll change gears a little bit and discuss water infections (UTIs). The term ‘water infection’ is used to describe infections of the urinary tract or bladder. Infections occur when bacteria from the anus travel up the urethra into the urinary tract and cause infections at various sites.

Water infections are quite common particularly in women, it is estimated that 1 in 4 women will experience a urinary tract infection at some point in their lives and women are 10 times more likely to have a water infection compared to men.

The reason women are more prone to these infections is due to anatomy.Close proximity of the female urethral meatus(opening of the tube that connects the bladder to the external genitals) to the anus, shorter urethra, and sexual intercourse(bacteria can travel up the urethra during sexual inter course)have been reported as factors that influences this higher prevalence in women.

Urinary tract infections can affect women of all age groups including during pregnancy.

Symptoms

Symptoms can vary depending on what part of the urinary system is affected. However the general symptoms to look out for include:

• Burning or stinging when passing urine
• More frequent urination or an intense need to urinate regularly despite only passing small amounts
• Pain or pressure in lower back or lower abdomen 
• Foul smelling urine
• Cloudy, dark or blood stained urine
• Fever or shakes

Diagnosis 

A lot of the clinical diagnosis of a UTI often comes from the history of symptoms and examination by a medical professional. I will suggest consulting with your doctor or pharmacists if you have any if the above symptoms or more. For further confirmation a urine dipstick test and urine microbiology analysis  could be done.

In some cases, some women might need to have blood tests or scans.

Treatment 

Most UTIs will actually be cleared by the body with no external help but persisting symptoms past 4 to 5 days or fevers should prompt immediate assessment by a medical practitioner. If you are pregnant or have Diabetes I strongly recommend that you seek medical attention at the first sign of symptoms as UTIs can be complicated in these cases.

To treat UTIs the main points are:

1. Hydration- Drinking loads of water will help clear infections and is usually a key part of treatment.
2. Antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection
3. In simple cases or in women who cannot take antibiotics a compound called ‘methanamine hippurate’ can be taken. It works by changing the concentration of urine so that it is less favourable for bacteria to grow
4. Cranberry juice has also been shown to be effective against bacteria.

Chronic UTIs

Some women might suffer recurrent infections either due to their other medical conditions such as stroke, Multiple sclerosis, kidney stones etc or women with weak immune system as seen in HIV, post chemotherapy or diabetes. 

In these cases, some women might need to be seen by specialists in this field for more complex tests. Some women might also have regular antibiotics to prevent UTIs in the absence of symptoms.

Prevention 

So what can we do to prevent UTIs ladies?well here are a few tips that I have found useful and I usually recommend to patients:

• Empty your bladder frequently as soon as you feel the need to go; try not to be in a hurry  and be sure you've emptied your bladder completely.
• Wipe the bottom from front to back.
• Drink lots  and lots and lots of water.(even I am guilty of not drinking enough)
• Stay away from feminine hygiene sprays and scented bath products as these have been known to cause or increase  irritation.
• Clean the genital area before sex.
• Urinate after sex to flush away any bacteria that may have entered your urethra.
• Keep your genital area dry by wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes. Avoid tight jeans and nylon underwear.
• Drinking cranberry juice or taking higher-strength cranberry capsules may help to prevent recurring UTIs.

Note: please consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking cranberry juice or tablets as it is not suitable for women on certain medications

Thanks for reading ladies! Have you had UTIs? What worked for you? Do you have any preventative tips you want to share? I’ll love to hear from you!

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