Tips on how to prevent urinary tract infection

A urinary tract infection is an infection that begins in your urinary system. Your urinary system is composed of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a simple cystitis (a bladder infection) and when it affects the upper urinary tract it is known as pyelonephritis (a kidney infection).

The most common causes of UTI infections (about 80%) are
E. coli bacterial strains that usually inhabit the colon. However, many other bacteria can occasionally cause an infection (for example, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Proteus, Staphylococcus, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Serratia and Neisseria spp.), but are far less frequent causes than E. coli. In addition, fungi (Candida and Cryptococcus spp.) and some parasites (Trichomonas and Schistosoma) also may cause UTIs; Schistosoma causes other problems, with bladder infections as only a part of its complicated infectious process.
Once these bacteria enter the urethra, they travel upward, causing infection in the bladder and sometimes other parts of the urinary tract.

Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections because the female anatomy can make women more prone to urinary tract infections. During sexual activity, bacteria in the vaginal area are sometimes massaged into the urethra.
Women who change sexual partners or begin having sexual intercourse more frequently may experience bladder or urinary tract infections more often than women who are celibate or in monogamous relationships. Although it is rare, some women get a urinary tract infection every time they have sex.
Another cause of bladder infections or UTI is waiting too long to urinate. The bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. Waiting too long past the time you first feel the need to urinate can cause the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity. Over time, this can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened, it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder. This may increase the risk of urinary tract infections or bladder infections.

 Symptoms from a lower urinary tract include painful urination and either frequent urination or urge to urinate (or both), Nausea & Vomiting, your belly feel tender and heavy, you have pain on one side of your back under your ribs. This is where your kidneys are,while those of pyelonephritis include fever and flank pain in addition to the symptoms of a lower UTI. In the elderly and the very young, symptoms may be vague or non specific.

Tips:

•Adequate fluid intake to ensure the passage of 1½ to 2 litres of urine per day. There is no benefit in excessive fluid intake. 
•Women should always wipe from front to back after passing stool. 
•Women should empty the bladder after sexual intercourse. 
•Avoid spermicidal creams and diaphragm contraceptives as both these are associated with a higher incidence of urinary tract infections. 
•Regular intake of cranberry juice appears to have a protective effect. A substance in cranberries prevents the adhesion of bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract. 
•Daily low dose prophylactic antibiotics reduce the rate of infection in patients suffering from recurrent infections. However, this does not alter the underlying propensity to develop infections once the prophylaxis is stopped.

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