According to Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving women's health across Australia, one in two women will get a urinary tract infection (UTI) in their lifetime and nearly one in three women will have a UTI needing treatment before they are 24 years of age.
A UTI is an infection in any part of your urinary system, which includes the bladder, urethra, ureters and kidneys. The most common type of UTI in women is an infection of the bladder called cystitis.
If untreated, UTIs can lead to kidney infection, which can be very serious, so if you have symptoms of a UTI, it is important to see your doctor for treatment as soon as possible.
UTIs are caused by bacteria entering the urinary system, usually via the urethra (the tube that takes urine from the bladder to outside the body). Anyone can develop a UTI but they are more common in women who are sexually active, those with health conditions such as diabetes or urinary incontinence, and post-menopausal women.
Symptoms of a UTI include:
a burning sensation when urinating
urinary frequency
feeling the need to urinate often but only passing small amounts
having a feeling that the bladder is still full after urinating
having blood in the urine
having urine that is smelly, cloudy or darker than usual
discomfort in your lower abdomen
fever
In most cases, UTIs respond to treatment with urinary alkalisers (which makes the urine less acidic and can reduce the pain and burning sensation during urination), drinking plenty of water, and antibiotics if needed. But if left untreated, they can develop into a serious kidney infection. If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours and include fever, chills, back pain, nausea or vomiting, it is important to see your doctor immediately. If you have recurring UTIs, you may need further investigations to help determine the cause.
You can reduce the risk of a UTI by:
drinking plenty of fluids to help flush out bacteria
urinating immediately after having sex
gently wipe from front to back after urinating
wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting pants
considering an alternative method of birth control if you use spermicides
avoiding the use of douches or vaginal deodorants, which can irritate or create an unhealthy vaginal bacterial imbalance
Some studies suggest that drinking cranberry juice or using cranberry products might help to reduce the risk of UTIs, but the research isn’t consistent.
For more information:
Visit The Continence Foundation of Australia https://www.continence.org.au/news/your-guide-utis
References:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/urinary-tract-infection-uti
https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/bladder-bowel/urinary-tract-infections-utis#what-is-a-uti
https://www.nps.org.au/consumers/urinary-tract-infections-utis#what-is-a-urinary-tract-infection?
