The urinary system is also called the excretory
system, and its job is store move certain waste products from the blood
and eliminate them from the body.
Cystitis and urethritis constitute the two types of urinary
tract infection ( UTI ).
Urethritis: inflammation of the urethra.
Cystitis: inflammation of the bladder.
Cystitis usually results from an ascending infection. Cystitis
and urethritis (UTI) commonly respond readily to treatment, but recurrence
and resistant bacterial flare – up during during course of therapy is possible.
Women are more prone to have UTI, more so than men. UTI is also
a prevalent bacterial disease in children, with girls also most commonly
affected. Doctors suspect that because women have a shorter urethra ( the
tube that carries urine out of the bladder ), it is a short passageway,
only about an inch and a half long. It makes it easier for bacteria to
migrate into the bladder. Also, the opening to a woman’s urethra lies close
to the vagina and the anus, giving bacteria from those areas access to
the urinary tract.
In men and children, UTI is commonly related to anatomic or physiologic
abnormalities. Some other causes of UTI include gram-negative enteric
bacteria (typically Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Enterobacter,
Serratia, or Pseudomonas)
Symptoms:
Urinary urgency and frequency
Dysuria ( pain when urinating )
Bladder cramps or spasms
Itching
Feeling of warmth during urination
Nocturia (excessive urination at night )
Possibly hematuria ( process of blood in the urine )
Possibly fever
Possibly urethral discharge in males.
Other symptoms includes:
Low back pain, malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or tenderness
over the bladder, chills, and flank pain.
Treatment:
Your doctor may prescribe a 7 to 10 day course of an appropriate antibiotic
to treat UTI. IMPORTANT- complete prescribed course of therapy unless
specified by your doctor.
Single-dose antibiotic therapy with amoxicilliln or cortrimoxazole may
be effective in women with acute non-complicated UTI.
Recurrent infections caused by infected renal calculi, chronic prostatitis,
or a structural abnormality may necessitate surgery. In patients
without these predisposing conditions, long-term, low-dose antibiotic therapy
is the treatment of choice.
* Take all of your prescribed antibiotic even if and when you
feel better.
* Drink plenty of water, at least 8- 8 oz of water per day.
* With long term prophylaxis, adhering strictly to the ordered
dosage.
* Fruit juices, especially cranberry juice helps to fight UTI
* Vitamin C may help acidify the urine and enhance the action
of the medication.
* If therapy includes phenazopyridin, patient urine may be red
orange.
*Women should urinate immediately after intercourse.
* Females: wipe after urinating from front to back (avoid wiping
from the anus upwards to the vagina) and after defecation (bowel movement)
wash hands thoroughly with soap and water.
* Take frequent stops during long car trips to empty your bladder
* To prevent recurrent infections in men, Prompt treatment
of predisposing conditions, such as chronic prostatitis.
See your doctor if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.