UTI is an infection of the urinary tract that occurs when bacteria enter the body through the urine and multiply in the bladder. Women are more susceptible to it.
UTI (urinary tract infection), a kidney infection, is an infection in your urinary organs. These include the bladder, kidneys, and urethra. UTIs occur when bacteria invade the urinary tract through the urine and begin to multiply in the bladder. While the urinary canal is designed to keep such bacteria out, sometimes bacteria can enter the urinary stream and cause an infection.
A UTI is something that most people understand. But, women are more at risk than men for developing the illness. This means that UTIs are more common in women than in men. The biological reason for this phenomenon is simple.
What Is A Bacterial Infection In The Urinary System?
Fecal bacteria can enter your urethra, the tube where urine is expelled from your bladder. The urethra can also become infected by sexually transmitted organisms.
There are three kinds of infections in the urinary tract. Uritis is a localized infection around the urethra. Cystitis can occur when an infection spreads beyond the bladder and urethra. These are the most common and easiest to treat.
Here Are Reasons Women Are More Susceptible To UTI
These infections are more common among women because they have certain characteristics.
- Anatomy
Women have a shorter length of urethra than their male counterparts, reducing the distance bacteria need to travel to reach the bladder. Infection rates are higher because the opening to the urethra lies closer to the place where bacteria is found.
- Contraception and sexual activity
UTIs are more common for sexually active women. Women who use spermicidal agents or diaphragms as birth control methods could be at greater risk.
- Menstrual health
After menopause, the estrogen circulation drops. This could result in changes in the urine tract, making women more susceptible to infection.
- Skin Sensitivity
Females’ external urethral medullary meatus is mostly mucosa. This refers to the moist tissue lining their insides. This portion of the skin can be more sensitive than others and is, therefore, more delicate than the rest of the body. UTIs can occur when the skin is sensitive or irritated.
Here’s How You Can Prevent It
A few simple tips can help reduce the chance of getting a UTI. Your bladder will flush out bacteria by drinking enough water.
It is also important to avoid holding your urine for too many hours. This will encourage bacteria to multiply. To prevent the spread and spread of bacteria, you must clean up after urinating.
Avoid using synthetic products on the genital area. It can irritate your urethra.
How Do You Diagnose and Manage A UTI?
UTIs are usually diagnosed with a sample of urine taken mid-stream. Your doctor will likely follow this up with a lab test to determine which bacteria strain is responsible. This will allow your doctor or pharmacist to prescribe the correct antibiotic to fight that strain of bacteria.
UTIs are often treated naturally with cranberry juice, cranberry extracts, and cranberry-based products. These methods have been thoroughly studied, and while some evidence points to their effectiveness, they are unreliable. More evidence supports cranberry juice and tablets as a preventative rather than a curative measure. LMA recommends speaking with a physician before using cranberry or a tablet of cranberry juice to treat a UTI.