UTI Cure: Daily Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
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Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment
An acronym we wish we did not know so well: UTI (urinary tract infection).
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection caused by bacteria entering the urethra, traveling into the bladder and, if untreated, will move up into the kidneys (this symptom is bloody urine)
Without warning, a UTI can infect and cause severe symptoms within just a few hours. Once the symptoms show, your sunny afternoon is spent in the emergency room or the urgent care. Do not ruin a sunny day over this. Listed are common (and not so common) symptoms, prevention and treatments for urinary tract infections.
(This information is from my personal experience of suffering through these UTIs all my life and what the emergency room/ urgent care doctors have advised me to do. It has been 2 years since my last UTI, so I can say these advices work!)
Symptoms of UTI
* Frequent, urgent and painful or burning urination.
* Back pain (infection in the kidneys)
* Bloody urine
* Lower abdominal pain or bloating
* Nausea, vomiting, fever and/or chills
* Nervousness, nausea, fever and/or chills (in babies). With babies, UTI is difficult to pinpoint and can go unnoticed.
***Without treatment, UTI can do serious damage to the kidneys***
An Ounce of Prevention
* Wipe front to back. Use a different piece of tissue each time. No folding it over.
* Do not "courtesy flush" for you or anyone else while sitting on the potty. Stand up if you must and put the lid down. Bacteria can splash up to 6 feet when flushing.
* Wear cotton panties. Save thongs for very special occasions or change into them right before you want to show them off.
* Pee after intercourse and other playtime activities
* Urinate after taking a shower
* No bubble baths. Use Summer's Eve Bubble bath if can't go without your baths. Clean your tub and rinse the tub well immediately before your bath. Try not to take baths though. Pee afterward.
* Wash any ‘toys' with soap and hot water every time. They make special cleansers too. Don't forget to pee afterward.
* Use your hands with soap to wash delicate areas. Hands are washable. Your pouf or washcloth can hold bacteria and cannot be washed off as well in the shower. Shower daily. It is great if you can shower after intercourse, but who's up for that?
* Cranberry juice WITHOUT SUGAR will build your immune system and prves especially effective toward thwarting UTIs.
* Limit beer, coffee, soda. Way too much caffeine and sugar can be the culprits.
* Use the restroom when you have to. Holding it causes the bacteria in your urine to dwell inside of your urinary tract.
* Change feminine hygiene products every time you use the restroom and frequently
* Change out of sweaty or wet underwear as soon as possible. Includes any average discharges, change your undies often. I change them atleast once throughout the day. (2 or 3 pairs) It can never hurt.
Treatment
* Drink lots of water. If you feel a urinary tract infection coming on, drink loads of water and Gatorade G2 to maintain hydration. If an infection is caught early, you may be able to fend off a visit to the doc by flushing the bacteria out. If symptoms get worse, it is too late.
It is important to remember to urinate as soon as you feel the need when expelling the gallons of water you will be drinking (not gallons... I say about 32 ounces in a hour) One of three things will happen from here. 1) Your symptoms will get markedly better after you first trip to relieve the water. 2) Symptoms will stay the same (just keep drinking) or 3) Symptoms get markedly worse. In this case, don't wait, make plans to get to the ER now while you can still drive yourself.
* No soda, coffee or caffeinated tea if you think you have a UTI. Caffeine is your enemy right now. Keep a fresh water bottle with you and keep sipping. No cranberry juice either. Just Gatorade G2 or Rain varieties (not regular, too much sugar) and/or plain water. (Tap is FINE)
Go To the Doctor if you start needing to urinate every 10 minutes or so. It will get shorter, I promise, without professional treatment....go now while you can still make it through the car ride without needing to stop at the Mobil on your way to the ER.
* Antibiotics. Get an exam and prescription from the doctor. DO NOT USE previous UTI medication or old antibiotics. The chemical composition of the medication breaks down over time and develops into a new substance. You can have an allergic reaction to the new substance causing a new allergy to antibiotics. (college chem. class)
* Exam. The exam for a urinary tract infection is usually an interview. They will put you in a gown and sit and talk with you about where the pain is, prescribe meds, and send you on your way.
* HPV (human papillomavirus) has been linked to increased urinary tract infections.
Urinary tract infections are one of the many curses of being a woman.
Good luck and Happy Peeing.
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Comments
John, Thanks for mentioning the ever elusive straight stream of pee =) Though I don't make it a habit, I have had the honor of witnessing the forked pee stream. Chicks don't pee in a straight line either, so I can't complain too much, but like you said...chicks sit down. Thanks for your comment!
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John Juneau says:
13 months ago
Hi Andromeda. Prevention point #2 is something so few people are aware of. At home, or anywhere that has a toilet with a lid, I make it a habit of putting the lid down before flushing. Consider the size of most bathrooms and the ability of epethelials to travel. The counter top, the toothbrushes, etc. are all potential places for fine germ-laden particles to settle. This is also the reason that it is MUCH more hygienic for a man to sit to pee. Liquid exiting an opening does not just travel in a neat straight stream.
As a guy, I am not so concerned about a UTI, but what about the rest of the body and all the things we handle in the bathroom? Sitting to urinate and putting down the lid before flushing are just decent things to do to maintain cleanliness in the bathroom.