As a woman, one of the crucial things you need to prioritize is your health. Healthy living helps you to be more productive and live longer. Females encounter various health issues, among them being urinary tract infections. Although this disease affects both genders, research shows that women are more likely to contract it than men. Here are some of the essential things to know about urinary tract infections.
What is Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?
A urinary tract infection comprises an infection affecting the urinary system in a human being. This infection can affect the urethra, bladder, ureters, or kidneys. The chance of a female getting a urinary tract infection is higher than that of men, with the risk of contracting it being ranked as 1 in every two women. Most females also struggle with recurrent infections, which might sometimes occur for years. On the other hand, only 1 in 10 males can get this infection in their lifetime. Primarily, humans’ urine does not contain any germs or bacteria. Besides, urine occurs as a by-product of the kidney’s filtration system. Kidneys remove excess water and waste products from the blood, thus creating urine. This urine naturally moves through the urinary tract without causing contamination. But, if some harmful external bacteria get into this system, it can cause issues like inflammation and infections.
Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections
The symptoms of a UTI you must watch out for include the following;
- Feeling shaky and tired
- Pressure or pain in your lower abdomen or your back
- Dark, cloudy, bloody, or strange and smelling urine
- Feeling a burning sensation when peeing
- Chills or fever usually occur if the infection has reached the kidneys.
- An intense or frequent urge to urinate, but only little comes out after peeing.
Types of Urinary Tract Infections
Since urinary tract infections can occur in different parts of the urinary system, each type gets a name depending on where it occurs.
Urethritis
Just like the name suggests, this infection occurs in the urethra. Usually, you will experience a burning sensation when peeing and a discharge.
Cystitis
This refers to the infection that occurs in the bladder. The patient will likely hurt when they urinate and feel the urge to pee frequently. Again, you can also experience bloody or cloudy urine and lower back pain.
Pyelonephritis
This refers to a urinary tract infection that affects the kidneys. A patient having pyelonephritis will have symptoms like chills, side or upper back pain, fever, vomiting, and nausea. You should watch out for this infection as it can be fatal if left untreated for a long time.
Treatments for Urinary Tract Infections
The most common treatment for urinary tract infections is antibiotics. Therefore, you can buy Nitrofurantoin to help eliminate the foreign bacteria in the urinary system. Remember to take the full dosage as prescribed even if you begin feeling better. Also, drink lots of fluids and water to aid in flushing out the harmful bacteria from the tract. You can also acquire drugs to help eliminate or reduce the pain, if there is any.
To prevent the occurrence of urinary tract infections, women should take personal hygiene seriously.
