Why do utis happen

Pregnancy hormones can change the bacteria in the urinary tract, making UTIs more likely. Also, many pregnant women have trouble completely emptying the bladder, because the uterus womb with the developing baby sits on top of the bladder during pregnancy.

Leftover urine with bacteria in it can cause a UTI. Have gone through menopause. After menopause, loss of the hormone estrogen causes vaginal tissue to become thin and dry. This can make it easier for harmful bacteria to grow and cause a UTI.

Have diabetes, which can lower your immune defense system and cause nerve damage that makes it hard to completely empty your bladder Have any condition, like a kidney stone, that may block the flow of urine between your kidneys and bladder Have or recently had a catheter in place. A catheter is a thin tube put through the urethra into the bladder. Catheters drain urine when you cannot pass urine on your own, such as during surgery.

What are the symptoms of a UTI? If you have a UTI, you may have some or all of these symptoms: 6 , 7 Pain or burning when urinating An urge to urinate often, but not much comes out when you go Pressure in your lower abdomen Urine that smells bad or looks milky or cloudy Blood in the urine.

This is more common in younger women. If you see blood in your urine, tell a doctor or nurse right away. Feeling tired, shaky, confused, or weak. This is more common in older women. Having a fever, which may mean the infection has reached your kidneys. What causes UTIs? How is a UTI diagnosed? These tests may include: A cystogram. This is a special type of x-ray of your urinary tract.

These x-rays can show any problems, including swelling or kidney stones. A cystoscopic exam. The cystoscope is a small tube the doctor puts into the urethra to see inside of the urethra and bladder for any problems. How is a UTI treated? What can happen if a UTI is not treated? Sometimes the infection can get in the bloodstream. This is rare but life-threatening. How do UTIs affect pregnancy? How can I prevent UTIs? You can take steps to help prevent a UTI. But you may follow these steps and still get a UTI.

Urinate when you need to. Don't go without urinating for longer than three or four hours. The longer urine stays in the bladder, the more time bacteria have to grow.

Try to urinate before and after sex. Always wipe from front to back. Try to drink six to eight glasses of fluid per day. Clean the anus and the outer lips of your genitals each day. Do not douche or use feminine hygiene sprays. If you get a lot of UTIs and use creams that kill sperm spermicides , talk to your doctor or nurse about using a different form of birth control instead.

Wear underpants with a cotton crotch. Avoid tight-fitting pants, which trap moisture, and change out of wet bathing suits and workout clothes quickly. Take showers, or limit baths to 30 minutes or less. Diaphragms, spermicides and condoms may increase your risk for UTI if you are prone to recurrent infections. However, talk to your doctor about solutions. You may be able to go on a low-dose of antibiotics as a preventive measure for six months at a time or after having sex.

Having a suppressed immune system or chronic health condition can make you more prone to recurring infections, including UTIs. Diabetes increases your risk for a UTI, as does having certain autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases and kidney or bladder stones. If you keep getting UTIs, you must talk to your doctor. After talking with you, your doctor will either recommend treatments for recurring urinary infections or send you to a special doctor called a urologist. A urologist focuses on diseases and problems of the entire urinary system, so he may be able to better pinpoint what is causing your infections and how to treat and prevent them.

In addition to the tips mentioned above, you can also take some other simple steps to help prevent UTIs, such as:. If you have had a UTI, you know they can be painful. Drinking lots of fluids and frequently urinating are always recommended for people who have UTIs as this helps to flush out the bacteria. A variety of pain relief medications may be prescribed to alleviate pain. Applying a heating pad to the back or abdomen can also help.

An uncomplicated UTI is one that occurs in an otherwise healthy person with a normal clear urinary tract. These can usually be cured with 2 to 3 days of treatment.

A complicated UTI is one that occurs in a person who is weakened by another condition, such as pregnancy or heart transplant. Complicated UTIs tend to require longer periods of antibiotics, usually between 7 to 14 days.

To cure a UTI that is caused by problems within the urinary system, the underlying issue needs to be found and corrected. If left untreated, these infections can lead to kidney damage.

If the person is seriously ill, they may need to be admitted to a hospital to ensure that they take in sufficient fluids and receive the right medication. People may also need to go to the hospital if they are one of the following:. Drinking fluids and urinating frequently can help flush bacteria from the body, and using a heated pad for short periods can help to relieve discomfort.

Cranberry extracts do not help treat existing UTIs but may help prevent their development. This is because cranberries contain compounds called proanthocyanidins that prevent E. In a large meta-analysis, researchers found that women with recurrent UTIs who took cranberry over 12 months had a 35 percent reduction in infections.

Another large clinical trial found that milligrams mg of cranberry extract taken daily for 6 months reduced the rate of UTI to the same extent as mg of trimethoprim, an antibiotic, without posing a risk of antimicrobial resistance or super-infection in women with recurrent UTIs. Cranberry extract tablets appear to be twice as effective as cranberry juice for preventing UTIs, which may be due in part to the sugar content of cranberry juice.

Cranberry extracts also contain anthocyanins and salicylic acid. This may have a painkilling and anti-inflammatory effect that can help alleviate UTI symptoms. Cranberry extract tablets are available to purchase online. Speaking to a doctor is recommended, to determine the suitability of these tablets.

Changes in the bacterial balance of the genitourinary tract can increase the likelihood of colonization by organisms such as E. Regular use of probiotics may help reduce the risk of UTIs, especially after a course of antibiotics. Probiotics are available online as food products, such as yogurts, and supplements.

In particular, Bifidobacterium longum has shown an ability to prevent undesirable bacteria sticking to the walls of the intestinal tract, in addition to enhancing production of natural antibacterial chemicals and organic acids, thereby reducing the likelihood of UTI.

Read the article in Spanish. Urosepsis is a term used to describe a type of sepsis that is limited to the urinary tract.