Urinary Tract Infection (uti) 101

There is a common belief that U.T.I. or urinary tract infection is a sexually transmitted or sexually acquired disease. This is partly true but you can also acquire this disease from other means other than sexual intercourse. For some of you who are not yet familiar with UTI, it is a condition wherein our urinary tract, the passage way of our urine, becomes infected by bacteria and the infection later travels to our bladder. The infection may also move to the kidneys, causing an infection called pyelonephritis.

Symptoms of UTI include frequent or urgent urination, blood in the urine, painful urination, the urine looks cloudy or smells very bad, and sometimes it may present no symptoms at all.

Causes of UTI are plenty. This disease is commonly caused by bacteria called Escherichia coli. These bacteria are common in bowel. These bacteria can enter the body through sexual intercourse or when using diaphragm for women. This is why UTI is very common among women than men.

Unsanitized toilet bowl is also a possible source of the bacteria and can attack especially women genitals. Also, when using the toilet, women should wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area.

Holding your urine for long periods may decrease the ability of the bladder to empty fully and can increase the risk of infection. Do not avoid the need to urinate. As much as possible, empty your bladder every three hours even if you do not feel an urge to do so.

Majority of UTI patients acquired the disease through sexual activities. To avoid transmitting or receiving UTI from your sexual partner, urinate before and after sexual intercourse.

And lastly, the best way to clean your urinary tract is to drink plenty of water so that you will have frequent visits to the toilet and you can flush away all the toxins from your body.