Urinary Tract Infection: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatments
Urinary Tract Infection: Before we discuss Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) treatments and Urinary Tract Infection symptoms, let’s briefly discuss what a Urinary Tract Infection is.
The first thing to understand is that there are different kinds of urinary tract infection, which depends on, if, and to where the infection spreads.
The infection occurs when bacteria enter the urethra; however, if the bacteria spreads to the bladder it is known as cystitis or, simply, as a bladder infection. More rarely, the infection can spread to the kidneys, and cause a kidney infection.
Due to physiological differences, women are more prone to getting a urinary tract infection than men, although men do indeed get them too.
More than millions seek medical advice and attention for a urinary tract infection each year and UTI in menopausal women is a particularly high concern due to risk.
And some of those people suffer from persistent urinary tract infections.
Considering these figures, it is not surprising that many people are looking for urinary tract infection treatments and want to know what the common urinary tract infection symptoms are.
Especially popular nowadays are UTI home remedies.
Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms
If you suspect you have a urinary tract infection, it is essential to seek your doctor’s advice.
Some common urinary tract infection symptoms include the feeling of pressure or pain in the lower pelvis area; discomfort or pain while urinating; frequent urination; the abnormal colour of urine–such as being cloudy or even bloody in appearance; and a potentially pungent or unpleasant odour to the urine.
Please note that children may also get a urinary tract infection, and many or sometimes all-of these aforementioned urinary tract symptoms will not be present or appear more subtle. Sometimes the only symptom children will have is a fever. If you suspect your child has a urinary tract infection, it is important to be even more vigilant for these reasons.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatments
It is possible that a urinary tract infection will go away on its own, and no treatments will be needed. However, if you suspect you have a urinary tract infection, do not leave the condition untreated hoping it goes away. If you do, you run the risk of having the infection spread and become much more serious.
Urinary Tract Infection Medication
Prescription antibiotics are often used as one of the most common urinary tract infection treatments. Such antibiotics will usually clear up the infection within a matter of days.
You will be urged, however, to make sure you finish the entire course of antibiotics. This is because urinary tract infection symptoms can often disappear before the bacteria is completely destroyed.
If you don’t finish the antibiotic course, you run the risk of a rebound in bacterial growth, and infection.
Natural Preventions and Treatments for Urinary Tract Infections
You should not employ these tactics below as a replacement for medical urinary tract infection treatments, but they can be effective protocols for avoiding getting a future urinary tract infection.
- Hydrate yourself by drinking lots of water every day, optimally around 8 oz glasses daily. It is also commonly recommended that you drink cranberry juice as well. Water will help flush bacteria from the urethra, and the acidity of cranberry juice will help prevent or slow bacterial growth.
- Do not hold back urinating if you have to go. Doing so will heighten your chance of getting a urinary tract infection.
- Shower rather than bathe to lessen the chance of getting a urinary tract infection since bacteria will have a reduced chance of getting into the urethra.
- Urinating before and after sex is advised as it will help eliminate bacteria from the urethra.