Urinary Track Infection

· Kidney-collects the waste products and creates urine

· Ureters-transports urine from kidney to bladder

· Bladder-holds urine until excreted

· Urethra-a short tube that carries urine out of the body from the bladder

The causes of urinary track infections include the following:

· Wiping back to front and it introduces bacteria from the rectum to the urethra

· Sexual intercourse because bacteria is pushed up the urethra.

· Holding back urinating too long too often

· Health issues like kidney stones and diabetes

· Loss of estrogen

· Use of a catheter

The symptoms of a urinary track infection includes painful urination, frequent urge to urinate with no results (little or nothing comes out), change in color and appearance of urine, urine with a bad odor or appears to have a milky color to it, and flu like symptoms like a fever, chills, tiredness, and shaky.

A urinary track infection is diagnosed by a health care professional by having the UTI sufferer provide a clean urine sample to be tested. Once diagnosed the doctor will treat a urinary track infection with antibiotics. The medication should be taken as directed by the doctor to make sure all the bacterial are killed.

Women with health issues are more likely to have complications from urinary track infections like having the infection spreading. Pregnant women are at risk of their baby being born too early or getting high blood pressure when they have a urinary track infection.

To prevent getting a UTI the following can be done:

· Always wipe front to back

· Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day

· Avoid feminine hygiene sprays

· Wear cotton crotch underwear

· Avoid tight pants

· Take showers instead of baths

· Urinating shortly after intercourse

· Urinate before intercourse begins

Most women don’t get urinary track infections but there are women who suffer often from them. Caught early the symptoms and discomfort will be gone in a couple days.