Most women know about the cramps and stomachaches that occur during menstruation and to an extent, it’s considered normal to have them. However, how many of you know about symptoms that put you at a high risk of contracting Urinary Tract Infection? Studies say one in five women will suffer from UTI at least once in their lifetime. With such statistics, we believe that every woman should know some basic yet important things about Urinary Tract Infections.
What is UTI?
Your body has a urinary tract which houses your kidneys, bladder system and urethra. Urinary tracts infections can occur in any of these organs and are usually caused through bacteria that eventually cause infection in these body parts.
Symptoms that define you are at risk: UTI is the second most common type of infection found in humans, especially among women. Some of the most common symptoms of UTI are:
Feeling pain or burning sensation when you urinate.
You feel like urinating quite often, but very little urine comes out when you do.
Blood found in urine.
Urine colour is dark than usual.
You may feel sick and have nausea or vomiting.
You may frequently have fevers and chills.
If you face any of these symptoms, immediately consult your gynecologist.
5 Important things every woman should know about UTI.
1. UTI is one disease that is commonly contracted by women. It is also said that women are more likely to develop UTI than men because women have a shorter urethra, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder.
2. If one does not treat the infection in time by detecting the symptoms, then the infectious bacteria may travel to kidneys and create a much worse situation.
3. Research says one in five women will have at least one type of UTI in their lifetime. UTI type one begins with the Urethra, known as Urethritis, which gives burning sensation while peeing. Type two is cystitis, which affects the bladder which results in discomfort in abdomen and pelvic pressure. Type three is the severe one, called acute pyelonephritis, which affects the kidneys.
4. UTI is known to recur in women even after treatments. Nearly 20 percent of these women will have type 1 and 30 percent of patients will have type 2. In this last group, 80 percent of them will have recurrences.
5. If you are a diabetic, then you are at a higher risk of contradicting UTI.
How to prevent UTI:
Drink six to eight glasses of water everyday.
Avoid holding the urine for long.
Clean the vagina neatly and wipe the excess after you urinate.
Wearing comfortable innerwear.
Foods That Can Help Prevent UTI
Dr Anjila Aneja, Director, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Fortis La Femme suggests that fruits and veggies like Cranberry juice, Blueberries, Cherries, Tomatoes, Bell peppers and Barley water can help you heal and prevent you from contracting Urinary infections. “Plenty of liquids and about 2-3 liters of water can help you avoid getting urinary tract infections,” says Dr Aneja
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