What You Should Know About Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infection (UTI)
is an infection of any point along the urinary tract, from the urethra (in the
penis) known as urethritis through the bladder (cystitis) to the kidneys
(pyelonephritis).
In adults, women are more
likely to have UTI than men, probably due to their having a shorter urethra
(for passing out urine) than the longer one in men, which allows shorter and
easier migration of disease-causing microorganisms up along their urinary tract.
You may be having a urinary tract infection if you're
experiencing some of these below:
v Feeling a burning sensation whenever you're urinating.
In addition, there may be this need to always go urinate and an increase in the
number of times you urinate in a day, all of which you never experienced
before.
v A feeling that your bladder is full every time or pain
somewhere near your pubic hair area or on either side of your lower abdomen
towards your back near the rib cage.
v In some cases, people with UTI may see streaks of
blood in their urine.
v Because it is an infection, some people with UTI do
have fever, chills and generalized body weakness.
If you're experiencing some
of the above, especially the first two, quickly visit a good hospital near you
to see a doctor. Any good hospital should be able to recommend and, in most
cases, carry out the following tests on you after the doctor has asked you
series of questions and examined you:
Ø Urinalysis: this analyses your urine with special chemicals or a
strip of paper (dipstick) for things like white blood cells, protein, and other
chemicals called nitrite and leucocyte esterase, which indicate you may be
having a UTI if they are found in the urine.
Ø Urine
Microscopy, Culture and Sensitivity: this
test examines your urine under the microscope for white and red blood cells;
part of the urine is also cultured for the particular microorganism causing the
UTI, and the identified microorganism is now tested against a batch of
antibiotics to find which ones are most effective against it.
Once the causative
microorganism has been identified, the most effective antibiotics will be
prescribed by the doctor. And you will be instructed to comply with the
prescribed antibiotics for effective treatment of the UTI. Failure to complete
the prescribed antibiotics as instructed, even if all the symptoms you were
having resolved in the first two days, the UTI will not be treated effectively;
and there's a very high chance the UTI will reoccur and this time will be more
difficult to treat due to the microorganism developing resistance to the
antibiotics.
Also, while on treatment for
UTI, endeavor to drink enough water as this makes you urinate more which helps
wash your urinary tract of microorganisms that may cause urinary tract infection.
Women should urinate immediately after sexual intercourse to lower the risk of
intercourse-associated bacteria migrating into the bladder where they can cause
urinary tract infection.
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