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Common symptoms and distress of urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections are a problem that many people encounter in their daily lives. Not only can it be extremely uncomfortable, but it can also have a serious impact on quality of life.
Symptoms of urinary tract infections include frequent urination, painful urination, incomplete urination, and sometimes blood in the urine, lower back pain, and lower abdominal pain. As a result, patients often feel very inconvenient in their daily activities, and even anxiety and stress can occur.
Especially for female friends, urinary tract infection is a common problem. So, why are urinary tract infections so common, and how can we effectively prevent and treat them?
Causes of urinary tract infections and groups with high prevalence
Urinary tract infections are particularly common in women, mainly due to the anatomy of women. The urethra in women is shorter, only about 5 cm, while the urethra in men is about 18 cm long.
This physiological difference makes it easier for bacteria to enter the bladder through a woman's short urethra and cause infection.
The female urethral opening is close to the vaginal opening and anus, which are susceptible to fecal-contaminated gut bacteria, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections.
Unclean sex is also an important cause of urinary tract infections in women, and the bacteria around the urethral opening are easily squeezed into the bladder during sex, causing infection.
If a man's foreskin contains bacteria, or even inflammation itself, and is not adequately cleaned before and after sex, these bacteria can transfer to the woman's urethra during sex, causing infection.
In addition to physical and sexual reasons, other high-risk groups are also susceptible to urinary tract infections. For example, diabetics have high levels of sugar in their urine due to poor blood sugar control, providing a good environment for bacteria to grow.
The elderly are also more likely to suffer from urinary tract infections due to weakened immunity. The influence of lifestyle should also not be overlooked, with unclean sex and poor hygiene increasing the risk of infection.
Everyday measures to prevent urinary tract infections
In order to effectively prevent urinary tract infections, keeping the private parts clean and dry is the most basic requirement. For daily cleaning, choose a mild detergent and avoid using harsh products.
Before and after sex, both partners should be adequately cleaned to reduce the possibility of bacterial infection.
In addition to daily cleaning, women should also pay attention to keeping their private parts dry and avoid wearing wet clothes for a long time to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Drinking plenty of water is one of the effective ways to prevent urinary tract infections, and drinking enough water can dilute the urine and increase the amount of urine you urinate to help flush out the bacteria in the urethra.
It is recommended to drink no less than 2000ml of water per day, especially if you feel unwell in the urinary tract.
Adequate hydration not only helps prevent urinary tract infections, but also boosts the body's metabolism and maintains overall health.
Dietary and lifestyle changes can also play a role in preventing urinary tract infections, try to avoid spicy and irritating foods, eat more fruits and vegetables, and keep a light diet.
Choose cotton underwear that is breathable and wash them frequently to avoid bacterial growth. Proper exercise can also boost immunity and help prevent infections.
By developing these healthy lifestyle habits, you can effectively reduce the frequency of urinary tract infections and improve your quality of life.
Treatment for urinary tract infections
When we find that we have symptoms such as frequent urination, painful urination, and incomplete urination, it is very important to seek medical attention in time. The doctor will conduct a detailed examination and evaluation based on the patient's specific situation to determine the type and severity of the infection.
Through urinalysis and culture, the pathogen causing the infection can be accurately identified and the appropriate antibiotic can be selected for treatment.
Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment for urinary tract infections, and the appropriate type of antibiotic is usually chosen depending on the pathogen of the infection and the patient's condition. Common antibiotics include sulfonamides, quinolones, and penicillins.
When taking antibiotics, patients must follow the doctor's instructions to complete the entire course of treatment, and even if the symptoms disappear, they cannot stop the drug or reduce the dose on their own, so as not to lead to bacterial resistance and recurrence of infection.
During the process of drug treatment, patients should also pay attention to the adjustment of diet and lifestyle habits to help the body recover faster. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of rest, and avoid spicy and irritating foods to reduce the burden on the urinary system.
Choose light and easy-to-digest foods in your diet, and increase your intake of vegetables and fruits to boost your immunity.
Management of recurrent urinary tract infections
For some patients with recurrent urinary tract infections, more preventive and management measures are needed in addition to conventional antibiotic therapy.
Long-term prophylactic antibiotic therapy is an effective approach, especially in patients with frequent relapses.
The use of prophylactic antibiotics needs to be done under the guidance of a doctor, usually with low doses of antibiotics for long-term prophylaxis when the patient is asymptomatic, but this approach may come with some side effects and risks, so it needs to be used with caution.
Patients should also pay attention to lifestyle adjustment and self-monitoring, develop good hygiene habits, avoid unclean sexual life, and have regular medical check-ups to monitor their health.
As soon as the early symptoms of a urinary tract infection are detected, measures should be taken as soon as possible to avoid exacerbations.
Home care is also an important part of managing urinary tract infections, and for mild urinary tract infections, there are some home remedies that can be used to relieve symptoms.
For example, warm compresses and warm sitz baths can relieve lower abdominal and lower back pain and reduce discomfort. Drinking some herbal teas, such as chrysanthemum tea, honeysuckle tea, etc., can also help clear away heat and detoxify and promote body recovery.
In terms of diet, we should pay attention to the intake of foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwifruit, etc., vitamin C can increase the acidity of urine and inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Also, avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol, and sugary beverages, which can irritate the urinary system and worsen symptoms.
Through the above treatment and management methods, urinary tract infections can be effectively controlled, the risk of recurrence can be reduced, and the quality of life of patients can be improved.
Although urinary tract infections are common, they are not terrible, as long as we pay attention to prevention in our daily life, seek medical attention in time, and treat them scientifically, we can deal with this problem well.
We hope that you can use these suggestions to better protect your urinary system health and stay away from urinary tract infections.
What experiences and insights would you like to share? Feel free to leave a message in the comment area!