Lower urinary tract infections in women
DID you feel a burning sensation the last time you peed? How about the smell? Was it extremely funky? Did you spot blood in the toilet bowl? How about cramping pain in your lower abdomen?IN PHOTO: Cranberries, juiced, can help to prevent the attachment of bacteria to the receptors of the lower urinary tract and thus reduce infection rates.
All of these symptoms can be worrying, especially if you’ve never had them before. But they’re typical signs indicating a bacterial infection of the lower urinary tract.
Dr Belinda Morrison, consultant urologist, said that even though there are no statistics available locally on the prevalence of UTIs in women, they are actually quite common. She said there are several factors which make women more prone to developing them.
Firstly, anatomically, females have a shorter and straighter urethra when compared to men. Therefore this makes it easier for bacteria to ascend from the perineal area and up the lower urinary tract. The perineum in women includes the anus, the vagina and the urethra.
Secondly, oestrogen, the female sex hormone, has a protective effect on the urinary tract. So in women who have low oestrogen levels such as post-menopausal women, due to the decreased effect of oestrogen they tend to be more prone to UTIs.
Thirdly, a woman may have an underlying structural defect in the anatomy of the urinary tract. Whether a renal stone or a neurogenic bladder as a result of diabetes mellitus, these women are more likely to develop UTIs.
A lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Dr Morrison said women experiencing UTIs may experience a burning sensation upon urination, urinary frequency, malodorous urine, cloudy urine or bloody urine.
There are several preventative measures which women can employ to decrease their likelihood of getting a UTI.
1. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking a lot of water. This will help to flush out all the bacteria when you pee and keep the urinary tract free of the pathogens.
2. Consuming cranberry juice can have a beneficial effect in that it can help to prevent the attachment of bacteria to the receptors of the lower urinary tract and thus reduce infection rates.
3. Wiping with tissue from front to back after passing stool can significantly reduce the likelihood of introducing bacteria into the lower urinary tract. The most common cause of UTIs in women is the bacteria, E Coli, which lives in the rectum. Therefore, when you wipe front to back you are carrying away the bacteria from the urinary tract and reducing the likelihood of contracting a UTI.
4. Peeing before and after sexual intercourse is another measure which is recommended. During sex, the bacteria which are present in the perineal area can ascend more readily into the lower urinary tract as a result of the physical act itself.
Dr Morrison notes that if a woman is diagnosed with a UTI and it is uncomplicated then a course of antibiotics for three to five days will be sufficient. However, if the UTI is complicated, then a longer course of seven days is required.
If a UTI is recurrent in that a woman gets more than two UTIs in a six-month period or more than three UTIs in a one-year period then she may be given a low dose prophylactic antibiotic.
