Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common infections that can affect the bladder, the kidneys and the tubes connected to them.
Often a UTI will also cause a sense of fatigue in addition to those symptoms, and some people may experience blood in the urine too.
There are many different causes of UTI.
Bacteria enter the urinary tract via the urethra and moves up to the bladder where they cause the infection. This is the reason they are more common in women than men as the urethra is shorter.
Bacteria may enter the urethra after wiping your bottom or having sex.
Other causes are using a contraceptive diaphragm, condoms coated in spermicide or a weakened immune system.
NB: A woman cannot pass UTI to a male partner through sex although sex maybe uncomfortable.
For women, a urine test will confirm if you have a UTI and also help rule out other conditions that might be causing your symptoms, like a sexually transmitted infection. Men may be offered a painless swab test to check for other conditions.
Most UTIs can be easily treated with antibiotics, although in some severe cases hospital treatment may be needed.
To help alleviate pain while the symptoms clear up, you can take paracetamol and place a hot water bottle on your tummy, back or between your thighs.
Try to rest and drink plenty of fluids which helps flush out the bacteria. Don’t take ibuprofen or aspirin if you have a kidney infection as it may increase problems. Kidney infections are diagnosed with a urine test and a GP will ask about your symptoms and recent medical history.
Before menopause, the most common risk factors are sexual intercourse which is thought to increase the number of bacteria in the bladder. That’s why experts often advise women to urinate after sex to flush them out.
The use of spermicides may also cause UTIs in younger women, as they kill off beneficial bacteria in the vagina making it easier for the damaging bacteria to infect.
After menopause, the number of beneficial bacteria in the vagina naturally decline. The bladder also contracts less strongly than it once did, making it more difficult to empty completely.
There are several things you can do to prevent an infection:
Most UTIs are in the lower part of the urethra and are not usually a cause for major concern. But occasionally, if left untreated, the bacteria can travel into one or both kidneys, which can become a kidney infection and you may need emergency treatment.
‘Watch out for a very high temperature, feeling unwell, weak and shivery, or pain in your back or sides – which can be a sign of a kidney infection,. It’s important to seek emergency treatment if suffering from any of these symptoms.
If treated quickly, antibiotics can clear a kidney infection. But if left untreated it can cause damage to the kidneys or the infection can enter the bloodstream.
The typical UTI is caused by a bacterial infection of the urinary tract, but it is also possible to develop an overgrowth of certain types of fungi. Known as a yeast infection, Candida albicans, this type of infection is especially common among women.
This results in an itchy, uncomfortable infection. You may experience:
Factors increasing growth Yeast Infection
