Don't let urinary tract infections go unnoticed

Dr R K Shimpi
Uro-surgeon & Andrologist

Are you suffering from pain in your lower abdomen, or have problems of frequent urination and irritation? If yes, it's time you consult your Urologist.
The most common organisms or bacteria which cause this urinary problem are of intestinal origin, like Escherichia Coli, or better known as E Coli. Most women are afflicted by this problem of Urinary Tract Infection during their reproductive years. Right from puberty to the post-menopausal period, women experience it some time or the other. If not dealt with on time, this infection could pose a serious health problem because of its frequent occurrence. The different infections usually occur due to the ascent of bacteria within the urethra. This is the reason why women are more prone to infections due to the short length of urethra and its closeness to the anal verge. The other causes of recurrent UTI are anatomical abnormalities in the urinary tract or obstruction to the urinary tract. The bacteria can multiply in the urinary tract and give rise to a serious bladder infection, which is called cystitis. There are other causative bacteria like Chlamydia and Mycoplasma which are transmitted during sexual intercourse and which travel from the vagina to the urethra.

Symptoms
Often a mild infection will go unnoticed as UTI symptoms are asymptomatic. But, for someone who is prone to recurrent infections, the signs are conspicuous.
The most regular features are heaviness of bladder after passing urine, burning sensation while passing urine, frequent urination but the quantity of urine passed is not much, pain in the lower abdomen and lower back and a cloudy appearance and strong odour of urine. If undetected or untreated for long, the infections may aggravate and lead to passing of blood in the urine, known as Haematuria.

Precaution
While a strong course of antibiotics taken for a long duration can tackle the infection, there are a few precautions or steps to be taken to minimise its occurrence. These are:
- Drink plenty of fluids - water and juices - to flush out the bacteria
- Never resist the urge to urinate.
- Keep the genitals clean and dry, especially before and after sexual intercourse.
- It is good to urinate after a sexual intercourse to flush out the bacteria.
- Cotton undergarments are better then synthetic as they allow the skin to breathe and avoid moisture
- Avoid douches or scented toiletries, which can irritate the urethra.
- Always clean the genital area from front to back to prevent organisms from infecting your urinary tract.

Treatment
The treatment for UTI depends on a variety of factors. For an uncomplicated UTI, antibiotic course is recommended for a week or 10 days as per the urine culture and sensitivity report. After the initial course of antibiotics, one should again go for urine culture to check the reduction in the number of pus cells. If there are no pus cells, then the treatment is usually discontinued. But if the problems persist, or the infection is complicated, then after the initial course of antibiotics, long term antibiotics are usually recommended for the complete eradication of the bacteria. But if one gets recurrent UTI then further evaluation and correction of the abnormalities in the urinary tract with long-term antibiotics is required.

- As told to Barnalee Handique