DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN UTI? HERE IS HOW TO GO ABOUT IT.

March 14, 2022

Have you ever gone to pee and suddenly you feel a painful burning sensation? well you might have an uti. If you are a woman you are more likely to contract this disease, in fact women experience uti eight times more than men. This all being because women have shorter urethra than men and its located very close to the vagina and anus. 50- 60% of adult women acquire it and one to two women gets it at least once in their lifetime. Like other body parts the urinary systems is also prone to disease and in this article am discussing everything you need to know about urinary tract infections.

WHAT IS UTI

Well let me start with basics urinary system includes kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra and renal pelvis. Mostly uti which stands for urinary tract infection infects the bladder and urethra - a tube that drains the bladder but they also occur on ureters that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder and can even extend to the kidneys. In short its an infection of the urinary tract.

WHAT CAUSES UTI

Do you remember being told as a child to wipe from the front to back? well uti is the reason why. The urethra is located close to the anus where the bacteria from the large intestine can pass. If the uti is left untreated it can travel up to the bladder and eventually to the kidneys. Women anatomy makes them more prone to uti because they have shorter urethra so the pathogen can easily access the bladder.

Do you know uti can also be spread during sexual intercourse in which the germs get unto the urinary system. During sex the germs tend to travel from the skin towards and into the urethra.

TYPES OF UTIs

Cystitis (bladder)- frequent sensation to pee a lot ,or it might hurt when you pee. You may also have low abdomen pain and cloudy urine.
Pyelonephritis(kidneys)-causes fever , chills ,nausea ,vomiting and pain in your upper back.
Urethritis( urethra)-causes discharge and burning when you pee.

SYMPTOMS OF UTI

This are the most common symptoms

Pain and burning while peeing
Frequent or intense sensation to urinate although little comes out
Foul- smelling ,cloudy urine
Pain or pressure in your lower abdomen ,just above where your kidneys are located
Feeling fatigue or shakiness
Fever or chills - a sign it has already reached your kidneys

Factors that increase risk of uti

Previous history of uti
kidney stones
Bed rest
Weak immune
Pregnancy
Use of catheters over long period of time
Enlarged prostate
Certain types of cancer
Age

DIAGNOSIS FOR UTI

If you notice any of this signs please contact your doctor for a urine test. This allows your doctor to perform urine culture and see if there any microbes present. To make sure your urine is not contaminated during the testing period, when you visit the bathroom to collect urine collect a sample after expelling some in the toilet. This reduces the possibility of germs from your skin entering in the sample. After this your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics based on the type of bacteria you have.

HOW TO PREVENT UTIs