Urinary Tract Infection | Genital-Urinary Issues

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Written by Allen Lawrence, M.D.

Urinary tract infections called many different names, such as UTI, bladder infection, cystitis. No matter what you call them, they can make you feel miserable.

Once a urinary tract infection starts you will most likely be frequently running to the bathroom. This is because you will likely have a persistent urge (urgency) to void. Since you recently went, you most likely won't produce very much urine (C). You may experience intense pain and/or burning (dysuria). Your urine may appear pinkish, a sign of blood. In more severe urinary tract infection it is common to develop a fever, and sometimes pain in the lower abdomen.

Most urinary tract infections are caused by an intestinal bacteria, Escherichia coli, however ,there are a number of other organism that commonly cause UTI’s. E. coli is necessary for digestion, however if they find their way into your bladder they can grow there and cause a UTI.

E. coli is normally found in stool, when you have a bowel movement some E.coli will likely remain around your anus. It can be transported to your urethra by a number of means, including when you wipe your rectum up toward your vagina or even during sex.

Who Get UTI’s and Why?

Both men and women can get UTIs, however, UTI’s tend to more common in women. A woman's urethra and anal opening are relatively close together in comparison to men, therefore bacteria can more easily migrate from one opening to the other in women. Also, a woman's urethra is much shorter than a man's, so bacteria don't have to travel far to infect the bladder.

UTI’s tend to be more common during pregnancy because the uterus puts pressure on the bladder changing its ability to empty.

Common reasons for UTI’s in both men and women:

Not drinking enough water during the day. The urine becomes too concentrated and this very concentrated urine irritates the bladder increasing it risk of getting an infection. Becoming dehydrated in hot weather, or during exercise can caus the same type of problem.
Vigorous sex can in some men and women trigger bladder infections.
Excessive spicy foods and/or alcohol can irritate the bladder weaken its ability to protect itself and result in a UTI.
Not emptying your bladder often enough. Sometimes people hold off urinating, the bladder over distends and becomes injured predisposing its owner to a UTI.

Simple Self Treatments

Most UTI’s respond very well to self treatment. Only the most persistent infections will require medical intervention.

When a bladder infection strikes, that is you have burning on urination, frequency of urination, urgency with or without blood, the very first thing you should do is start drinking as much water as you can. Drink at least 8-10 glasses (8-ounce size) every day.

Empty your bladder frequently and start drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry tablets to acidify your urine. You may be able to flush the bacteria out of your bladder before they become established enough to cause a full-blown infection.

Nutrition

Restore intestinal bacterial balance immediately by eating or drinking yogurt. The bacteria that cause UTI’s often do so because they have gotten out of balance. This us generally cause because you don't have enough good bacteria, often referred to as probiotic in your intestinal tract. You can immediately increase the population of probiotic bacteria by eating yogurt or kefir which contain live cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus and other beneficial bacteria. When you shop for probiotics, make sure it says "live cultures" on the labels.

Yogurt suppositories: Dip a stiff tampon, such as the O.B. brand, in live-culture yogurt and insert it in your vagina. Leave it inside for a few hours. Acidophilus vaginal suppositories can also help to reduce infections. Use them immediately after sex or even a hour or two before sex removing the tampon just before sex.

Eliminate irritants: Many foods can irritate your urinary tract. The list includes spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and of course we should not forget nicotine from cigarettes (makes no difference if you smoke or your partner or other family or co-workers smoke, nicotine in the air can crate a problem). If you're prone to UTI’s and you consume any of these substances, abstain for a while and see whether you notice any change in the frequency and severity of your infections.

Supplements

You can also purchase probiotics in a capsule form, if you are not fond of yogurt.. It is likely that this product will require refrigeration. Follow label instructions to be sure it remains potent.

Vitamin C can help prevent UTI’s as it too can help to acidify your urine plus is helps to activate your immune, repair and defensive systems. Vitamin C, 1,000 to 2,000 mg a day is an average dosage. If you tend to get UTI’s after sex, take 1,000 mg before intercourse and an additional 1,000 mg after intercourse.

Medical Treatment

If you see your doctor about your UTI, generally the first step is get a urine sample and test it with a special dip test strip or look at it under the microscope or both.

The most common medical treatment is prescribing antibiotics. Antibiotics are usually taken as soon as symptoms start but women with recurrent UTI’s may be put on prophylactic antibiotics to prevent even getting an infection. If you are allergic to either penicillin or sulfa drug be sure to tell your doctor as both are commonly used to treat UTI’s.

If you tend to develop vaginal yeast infections after taking antibiotics, ask your physician to also prescribe a yeast medication or see our section on vaginal yeast infections and try some of the self-help suggestions, or both.

If you are in pain your doctor can prescribe phenazopyridine (Pyridium). It's a urinary pain reliever and it can help minimize or eliminate the burning sensation that often occurs with UTI’s. Since phenazopyridine is only available by prescription, make sure that your doctor gives you enough to see you through the acute stages of the UTI. If you have recurrent infections make sure you have enough to at least get you started until you can see or talk with your doctor again if you have a future bladder infection. Be sure that you don’t use it for more than 24 hours without consulting your physician to see if you need antibiotics. You should be aware that phenazopyridine will turn your urine bright orange color and that this has no negative significance, however, it does tell you that you are adequately absorbing the medication from your digestive tract.

If bladder infections are recurrent, a urology or gynecology evaluation should be done to be sure that there are no anatomical reasons such as a tumor or polyp in the bladder, or prolapsed pelvic floor.