More than half of American women will develop a UTI in their lifetime. (This compares with about 14 percent for men.) Kalpana Gupta, a professor at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine who studies patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs), says that while these Infection is common, but it’s almost always a frustrating and shameful experience.
In most cases, Gupta says, urinary tract infections (called bacterial cystitis) don’t have much to do with any individual behavior. The main reason UTIs are more common in women is that they have a shorter urethra than men, making it easier for bacteria to reach the urethra.
The vast majority of UTI cases are caused by E. coli, bacteria that live in the gut and sometimes on the perineum.
Ja-Hong Kim, a urologist at the University of California Health, says many misconceptions about UTIs are due to the lack of high-quality research on the topic. These are some of the most common questions patients ask specialists.
1. Is it possible to have a UTI and not have a burning sensation?
this is possible. UTIs can occur anywhere in the urinary tract, including the urethra, bladder, kidneys, and, in men, the prostate, Kim explained. For a problem to be considered a UTI, the patient must have certain symptoms and confirm the presence of bacteria in the urine.
Many of the well-known symptoms, such as burning sensation and constant toilet trips, “are known from studies of young, otherwise healthy, college-aged women,” Gupta said. But they may vary.
In older adults, a UTI may be accompanied by a fever or a feeling of fullness, he explained. Some patients had low back pain, suggesting that the UTI could be in the kidneys, which would make it a more serious case that could lead to sepsis and kidney damage, although those findings are “very rare,” Kim said.
2. Does it have anything to do with a sexual relationship?
unnecessary. Benjamin Bricker, chief of urogynecology at NYU Langone Medical Center, says women are almost always advised to urinate before and after intercourse to flush out any germs, but the practice isn’t supported by any evidence. Interestingly, however, this may work for some women, she added.
The most common hypothesis about the relationship between sex and UTIs is that during penetrative sex, bacteria from the skin of the perineum are pushed into the urethra, which can lead to UTIs, Gupta said. Another reason is that certain products, such as spermicides, alter the vaginal microbiome and can create an environment where bacteria can multiply and migrate to the urethra.
3. Is there any health problem?
Doctors often tell women that good hygiene, such as cleaning from front to back, not wearing wet bathing suits for long periods of time, and avoiding tight underwear can reduce the risk of AND YOU. The rationale is that cleaning from front to back reduces the chances of bacteria in the stool being pushed into the urethra, as well as irritating the vaginal area from wet bathing suits or tight underwear.
These practices don’t cause harm, but they also have no scientific evidence, Gupta mentioned, adding that giving these types of advice in the case of a UTI could end up giving women an obsession with cleanliness.
4. Are antibiotics my only option?
Not always. “Imagine when you’re hiking and you scratch yourself on a tree and the scratch turns a little red. Since your body can fight these bacteria, you don’t need to take antibiotics,” says Brooke. “Urinary tract infections, like other infections, are caused by bacteria,” many healthy young patients find that the body is eventually able to expel the bacteria on its own. He explained that although antibiotics are part of the usual treatment regimen, it is worth doing the culture first to determine the best course of treatment.
In mild cases, good hydration can help the body clear the infection, says Brooke. There are some over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, and AZO, that can help reduce discomfort while your body is working.
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