Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms, Causes And Ways To Prevent It; Think you are experiencing symptoms of a urinary tract infection? If your answer is yes, you can find all your questions about urinary tract infection in our article.
Urinary tract infection is simply an infection caused by microbes. These microbes are organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. This health problem is usually caused by bacteria, but in some cases, fungi and viruses can also cause infection. Urinary tract infection is among the most common infections in humans.
A urinary tract infection can happen anywhere in the urinary tract. The urinary tract is made up of your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Infection mostly develops in the lower canal, only in the urethra and bladder. However, it can also involve the ureters and kidneys in the upper canal. Read on to learn what a urinary tract infection is, what are the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, what causes a urinary tract infection.
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What is urinary tract infection?
Urinary tract infection is used to describe infections that occur in any part of the urinary tract and may also be called a urinary tract infection. There are no microbes in the urine of a healthy person. Sometimes germs outside the body enter the urinary tract in various ways and cause infection. Infection can affect the urethra, bladder, kidneys. The most common type of infection is cystitis that develops in the bladder.
Urinary tract infection takes different names according to the region where it develops. In other words, the types of urinary tract infections are:
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Cystitis (bladder):
You may feel the urge to urinate a lot or have pain when peeing. You may also experience lower abdominal pain and cloudy or bloody urine.
Pyelonephritis (kidneys):
This type of infection can cause fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and pain in your upper back or sides.
Urethritis (urethra):
This infection can cause discharge and burning when urinating.
What are the symptoms of urinary tract infection?
Symptoms of urinary tract infection vary depending on which part of the urinary tract is infected. Lower tract infections affect the urethra and bladder. And it usually presents with the following types of urinary tract infection symptoms:
- Burning during urination
- Little but frequent urination
- Urgency to urinate
- Bloody urine
- Cloudy urine
- Urine that is dark in color, such as cola or tea
- Strong odor in urine
- Pain in the pelvic area in women
Symptoms of urinary tract infection in men
Symptoms of upper tract urinary tract infection in men are similar to those in women. Symptoms of lower tract urinary tract infections in men sometimes include rectal pain in addition to the common symptoms seen in both men and women.
Symptoms of urinary tract infection in women
Women with lower tract urinary tract infections may experience pelvic pain in addition to common symptoms. Symptoms of upper system infections are similar in men and women.
What causes urinary tract infection?
Anything that reduces the emptying of your bladder or irritates the urinary tract can lead to an infection. There are also many factors that can increase the risk of developing a urinary tract infection. We can briefly list these factors, which can be counted as the causes of urinary tract infection, as follows:
- Older adults are more likely to have urinary tract infections.
- Movement restriction after surgery or prolonged bed rest,
- Kidney stone,
- Having had a previous urinary tract infection,
- Urinary tract obstructions caused by prostate enlargement, kidney stones and certain types of cancer,
- long-term use of urinary catheters, which can make it easier for bacteria to enter your bladder,
- Diabetes, if not particularly careful,
- Pregnancy,
- Abnormally developed urinary structures since birth,
- A weakened immune system.
Causes of urinary tract infection in men
What causes urinary tract infection in men? Infection risk factors for men are the same as for women. However, prostate enlargement is a male-specific risk factor.
Causes of urinary tract infection in women
So, what causes urinary tract infections in women? There are additional risk factors for women. It was formerly thought that certain factors, such as poor bathroom hygiene, could cause infection. However, it is thought that this factor may not be as effective today (Recent studies have not been able to show that wiping from back to front for hygiene after going to the toilet causes infection in women).
Does cold cause urinary tract infection? Or does sexual intercourse cause urinary tract infection? Explore the causes of urinary tract infections in women to answer these questions:
Shorter urethra:
In women, the length and location of the urethra increases the likelihood of infection. In women, the urethra is very close to both the vagina and the anus. Bacteria that can be found naturally around both the vagina and anus can cause infection in the urethra and the rest of the urinary tract. This means that the distance bacteria must travel to enter the bladder is also shorter.
Sexual intercourse:
Pressure on the female urinary tract during sexual intercourse can carry bacteria from around the anus to the bladder. Most women have bacteria in their urine after sex. However, the body can usually get rid of these bacteria within 24 hours. Intestinal bacteria may have properties that allow them to attach to the bladder.
Spermicides: Spermicides can increase the risk of infection. They may cause skin irritation in some women. This increases the risk of bacteria entering the bladder.
Condom use during sex:
Unlubricated latex condoms can irritate women’s skin and increase friction during intercourse. This can increase the risk of infection. However, condoms are important for reducing the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Be sure to use enough water-based lubricant to help prevent friction and skin irritation caused by the condom.
Diaphragm:
The diaphragm can press on a woman’s urethra. This, in turn, can reduce bladder emptying.
Decreased estrogen levels:
The decrease in your estrogen levels after menopause replaces the normal bacteria in your vagina. This can increase the risk of infection.
How is urinary tract infection transmitted?
In the light of all this information, what is good for urinary tract infection? Urinary tract infection is treated depending on its cause. Your doctor first determines which organism is causing the infection from the test results used to confirm the diagnosis. In most cases, it is bacteria that cause the infection. Infections caused by bacteria are usually treated with antibiotics.
In some cases, the cause of the infection is viruses or fungi. Viral infections, with drugs called antivirals; Fungal infections are treated with drugs called antifungals.
It is very important to treat urinary tract infection. Untreated infections become more severe as they spread. Infections that occur in the lower urinary tract are usually easily treatable. An infection that has spread to the upper urinary tract is more difficult to treat and is more likely to spread to your blood and cause sepsis. This is a life-threatening event.
If you suspect you have a urinary tract infection, contact your doctor as soon as possible. A simple examination and urine or blood test can save you from many problems in the long run.
How to prevent urinary tract infection?
- You can take the following precautions to prevent possible urinary tract infection:
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.
- Do not hold your urine for a long time.
- If you are experiencing any symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor.
Urinary tract infections are more common in women than men.
Some simple precautions like the above and eliminating risk factors can help prevent possible infection.
