A woman suffering from UTI. [Photo/pinterest]
Urinary Tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria that originate in the intestine and often live near the anus. It is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. UTIs can occur anywhere in the urinary tract.
UTIs are more common among women than men. In women, the anus and urethra are close together. Bacteria around the vagina can be pushed into the urethra during sex and cause a UTI. That's why it's recommended that you urinate right after sex.
Simple cystitis (bladder infection) occurs when it affects the lower urinary tract. Symptoms include painful urination (feels like a burn), frequent urination and the constant urge to urinate.
Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) occurs when it affects the upper urinary tract. This infection can be quite serious. Symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting and the symptoms the lower UTI. Infection in the urethra is called urethritis.
It's okay to keep urinating often since it flushes out the bacteria in the bladder and keeps them from multiplying. Drink lots of water to help with that.
A simple hygiene trick to avoid infection after a bowel movement is by wiping the rectal area toward the back and the urethral area separately toward the front.
In simple cases, UTIs are treated with a short course of antibiotics while in complicated cases, a long course of intravenous antibiotics is used.