What is UTI – urinary tract infection?

UTIs are extremely frequent. One out of five women on average suffers from UTI with at least one urinary infection in life, and it is mostly the recurrent infection.

The E. coli bacterium is the most common (about 90%) causative agent and responsible for the occurrence of urinary infection.

This bacterium (E. coli) is normally residing in a colon, but it will cause an infection of the urinary tract if it manages to find the way to the urinary tract through the urethra. The reason why these infections are far more common in women than in men is because the urethra is shorter in women than in men and closer to the anus.

The groups with the highest risk:

• Sexually active women

Frequent sexual intercourses cause irritation of the mucous membrane and make it easier for bacteria to pass from the outside to the inside of the urinary tract.

Infection caused in this way is not accidental, it is called the “honeymoon cystitis”

• Menopausal and post-menopausal women:

Changes in hormonal levels result in increased risk of urinary infections.

• Pregnant women:

The hormone progesterone relaxes the muscles of the urinary tract. In this situation, the bacteria penetrate more easily the urinary tract from the external environment through the urethra.

• Women with weakened immune system:

So for example, stress, medicines or colds are all the factors that contribute to weakening of our immune system.

Urinary tract infections and fight between good and bad bacteria.

Once they reach the urinary bladder, the bacteria can cause symptoms known as UTI – urinary tract infection. Bacteria bind to the urinary bladder wall which on the other hand results in irritation and inflammation.

All this is the reason for pain and discomfort you feel if you suffer from this unpleasant condition.

Factors that increase the risk of developing the urinary tract infections:

• Dehydration due to reduced water intake, resulting in reduced urine excretion and therefore reduced ability to effectively flush out “bad bacteria” with a larger (required) urine jet or volume
• Reduced number of “good” bacteria in the urinary tract most commonly appears due to previous administration of antibiotics, which resulted in reduction of protective effect that these bacteria have.
• Sexual intercourses
• Delaying urination after intercourse
• Use of diaphragm and spermicide for contraception
• Menopause (protective epithelium of the urinary bladder and urinary tract becomes weaker and more susceptible to infections)

Symptoms of urinary infection

• Pricking, urination pain, sudden onset
• Even the slightest amount of urine passing through the urinary tube cause the pain
• Frequent and sudden need for urination (most often during the night)
• Pain in the abdomen and/or in the sacrum (lower back)
• Fever, shiver and/or nausea*
• Fatigue
• Cloudy or darker than usual urine (this is often followed by the characteristic unpleasant urine smell)
• Blood may occur in urine in about 30% of cases

A doctor must be consulted in case the symptoms last more than 3 to 5 days and there is no significant improvement of condition.

*In case of this symptom, consult your doctor immediately

How to prevent the development of urinary infection?

Protection from urinary infections

The urinary tract has several mechanisms to reduce the possibility of infections by pathogens such as E. coli, the most important being:

• Adequate urine flow
• Lack of “friendly “ or “good” bacteria known also as probiotics which should naturally reside in the urinary tract and vaginal mucous membrane thus representing our “inner soldiers” preventing “bad“ bacteria from sticking to the walls of these organs.

If this defence is disrupted, disabled, insufficiently strong, bladder (urinary tract) infection will develop.

With these measures, you can reduce the number of recurrent infections or even completely prevent them from occurring:

• Take approximately 2 litres of fluid each day of which about 1.5 l of urine will be excreted.
• Be sure to urinate as soon as possible after each sexual intercourse.
• Avoid getting your feet cold (beware of hypothermia). Change wet clothes as soon as possible.
• When you feel the need to urinate, don’t delay it.
• After defecation wipe from front (from vagina) backwards (towards anus), not the vice versa.

Do not overdo hygiene, do not wash your genital area too often, especially using strong soaps and disinfectants or lotions, as the acidic protective layer on the mucous membrane can be easily damaged.

 What to do in case you get urinary infection?

• Frequent irritation caused by urinary tract infection disappears by itself without any special treatment only with the intake of great amount of water
• If infection lasts for 2 days or longer, it is decisive to start the treatment either with antibiotics or efficient natural products used to solve the problem of urinary tract infection.
• It is important to know that bacteria that cause these infections such as E. coli can continue to travel “upstream” through urinary tract to kidneys, which can then cause kidney infection which makes the situation far more serious.

Urinary tract infections treatments

• The most frequent and usual medical treatment for UTI is antibiotic therapy. It’s aim is to destroy bacteria and mostly lasts 5-7 days.
• Antibiotic therapy also has side effects.

It primarily reduces the number of “good” bacteria which in future can ease the appearance of new infections since the number of “inner soldiers” fighting against the “hostile bacteria” has been reduced.

It is especially important to emphasize that resistance to antibiotics due to excessive usage means that they can no longer be efficient when required.