Family Doctor 2007 - (Page 130) common conditions UTIs Urinary tract infections: Common and preventable Usually marked by a frequent urge to urinate and a burning sensation when you do, urinary tract infections affect most women at some point. Here’s how to avoid them. By Sarah D. Garber What should I do if I think I have a UTI? Make an appointment to visit your family doctor. Your doctor will probably want to test your urine for signs of infection, which takes a couple of minutes. If you have a UTI, your doctor will probably write you a prescription for an antibiotic, and may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and relieve your symptoms. Usually, your symptoms go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking medicine. Even if you’re feeling better, make sure to take all the medicine your doctor prescribes. HEALTH tip If left untreated, bladder infections can lead to more serious kidney infections. Talk to your doctor as soon as you experience any symptoms of a UTI. A ny woman who has ever had a urinary tract infection (UTI) knows how uncomfortable they can be. For those who have never had one, there’s no need to worry. UTIs are 100% treatable, often preventable, and so common that almost every woman will have at least one in her lifetime. What exactly is a UTI? A UTI is an infection of any part of your urinary tract. The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine out of your body). Bladder infections are the most common and can lead to kidney infections if they’re not treated. Bacteria, most often E. coli, cause UTIs. Infection with E. coli can be caused by use of certain forms of birth control (such as a diaphragm), sexual activity, pregnancy and improper hygiene. Women tend to have UTIs more often than men because their urethra is shorter, making it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder. How can I prevent future UTIs? Drink plenty of water. Drinking water helps flush out bacteria. Cranberry juice may also help, but you should talk to your doctor before using cranberry juice to prevent UTIs. It may interfere with certain medicines, such as warfarin (Coumadin). Don’t hold your urine. Urinate as soon as you feel you need to. Wipe from front to back after bowel movements. This will ensure that bacteria from your bowels don’t get into your urinary tract. Urinate after having sex. This will help flush away any bacteria that may have entered your urinary tract during sexual activity. Talk to your doctor if you experience frequent UTIs. Your doctor can prescribe medicine to help keep your UTIs from coming back. Your doctor may also recommend another form of birth control if the one you’re using may be causing your UTIs. Sarah D. Garber is an associate editor with the American Academy of Family Physicians, headquartered in Leawood, Kan. What are the symptoms? Signs of a UTI include the following: ● A burning sensation when you urinate. ● Feeling like you need to urinate more often than usual. ● Feeling like you need to urinate, but not being able to. ● Leaking a little urine. ● Urine that smells bad. ● Cloudy, dark or bloody urine. Signs of a more serious infection also include the following: ● Nausea. ● Lower back pain. ● Fever. Drink plenty of water to flush out your urinary tract and help prevent UTIs. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Academy of Family Physicians http://familydoctor.org/190.xml National Kidney Foundation http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=116 National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult 130 familydoctor 2007 http://familydoctor.org/190.xml http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=116 http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/utiadult
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