What is a UTI?
An infection that occurs in your kidneys, bladder, urethra, or ureters is considered a urinary tract infection (UTI). Your bladder and urethra are the most likely spots for the infection.
Bacteria are able to get into your urinary system through your urethra. Due to the shortness of their urethra, women are at a greater risk of developing UTIs than men.
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
Symptoms of a UTI include:
- Pain or burning during urination
- A strong urge to urinate with minimal elimination
- Feeling like you can’t empty your bladder
- Frequent urination
- An odor to your urine
- Red or pink tinged urine
- Pelvic pain
While these symptoms may indicate any number of medical issues, it’s important to get it checked out as soon as possible. If left untreated, a UTI can cause irreversible damage to one or both of your kidneys.
Why do I get so many UTIs?
There are a number of factors that may increase your risk of developing more frequent UTIs, including:
- Sexual activity, especially with new partners
- Choice of birth control, such as diaphragms or spermicidal agents
- Depressed immune system
- Kidney stone
- Loss of estrogen during menopause changes the urinary tract, increasing risk of infection
How are UTIs treated?
The team at Pure OBGYN use antibiotics to treat UTIs. If it’s a simple infection, they might prescribe one of the many common prescriptions used to eliminate the bacteria that caused your UTI, such as Cipro® or Bactrim®. Drinking plenty of fluids to help your body flush out the infection is also recommended to help speed up your recovery.
Once you start treatment, you should feel better within a few days, but you need to continue to take your medication as prescribed.
If you get UTIs often, the team may recommend you take a long-term antibiotic to help clear up the infection and prevent recurrence.
Can cranberry juice prevent UTIs?
While cranberry juice used to be recommended as a preventive measure for UTIs, the evidence to support the recommendation is limited. You can drink cranberry juice if you like, but it may not be an effective way to prevent a UTI.
Tips to prevent UTIs include:
- Drinking plenty of water
- Wiping from front to back after urinating
- Urinating after sexual intercourse
- Using a different birth control
For treatment of your UTI, call the office or book an appointment online.
