Urinary tract infection or UTI is the population of microorganisms in the urinary tract in such amounts and in a way that damages or symptoms are produced. When only the urethra and bladder are affected, it is called lower urinary tract infection. When the ureter and kidney are affected, the name used is “upper urinary tract infection.

What causes urinary tract infection

UTI is usually caused by bacteria that are present in normal flora in and around openings in the body’s digestive system, such as the bacterium Escherichia coli. Most often the bacteria enter the urinary tract in urethral opening. Women more easily get urinary tract infection because they have a shorter urethra, so bacteria have a shorter path to reach the bladder.

Disease Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis are normally not called UTI, even though often affect the urinary tract infection.

Defects in the urinary tract can be a person susceptible to UTI, such as stenosis or valve-like structures in the urethra and defects causing reflux from the bladder to the clock. Physical damage in the urinary tract can also be easier to colonize bacteria and infections.

Use of catheters or other instruments in the urinary tract can introduce bacteria and also cause damage, which gives opportunity to easily infect bacteria.

Urinary infection symptoms

ITU acute symptoms can occur with very different. UTI may be slow, and only a small chronic symptoms for a long time.

Symptoms that are lower UTI are:

- Itching in urination.
- Pain in the region of the bladder.
- Urge to urinate, although there is little urine in the bladder.
- The need to urinate during the night.
- Increased body temperature, usually mild.
- Cloudy with a smell of urine.
- Pus discharged from the urethra or blended with the urine.
- Sometimes blood in the urine.

At the upper urinary tract infection the same symptoms occur frequently and, in addition, these symptoms will be felt:

- Nausea and vomiting.
- Pain in the sides on the back of the stomach and the amount of kidney function, often to the bladder region.
- A feeling of pressure in the abdominal region.
- High fever with chills and shivering.
- Strong fatigue.

Symptoms of UTI must always be investigated, especially blood in urine, while the cause may be a more serious disease.

Complications caused by urinary tract infection

The upper UTI, the infection is spreading deep into the tissues of the kidneys and destroy the structures that excrete urine. This process can gradually lead to renal dysfunction. The infection can cause growth of scar tissue in the urinary tract, eg the urethra, causing problems with urination and obstacles.

In men, the infection may spread to the prostate and reproductive organs and destroy the function of the reproductive system.

When a pregnant woman suffering from UTI, the child was born with low birthweight.

DIAGNOSIS urinary tract infection

UTI was diagnosed with a urine sample. The sample is analyzed for the substance that caused the disease, such as nitrites, leukocytes or leukocyte esterase. One also performs urine culture to confirm the presence of bacteria.

When children have been diagnosed with UTI in the study is useful to make the flow of urine, and radiological investigations of urinary later to see if it is urine reflux up to the bladder or other abnormalities of the urinary tract. It is sometimes done also by adults if UTI often again.

Standard urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection is often treated with antibiotics such as trimethoprim, cephalosporins, nitrofurantoin or fluorokinolon (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin).

Children who were diagnosed with a urinary tract often lack long-term treatment with low doses of antibiotics, but recent studies have doubts about the validity of this scheme.

Alternative treatment of urinary tract infection

Although the standard treatment is usually effective, but not always able to overcome the chronic UTI. Treatment with low doses of antibiotics to prevent new outbreaks of UTI can be side effects and are not always effective.

Alternative measures for treatment can therefore be a useful supplement to the solid and the same alternatives may be useful to prevent new outbreaks of UTI.

Cranberries and blueberries can help against UTI by eliminating the bacteria causing UTI. These herbs can be taken as juice or tea made from dried fruit and is also available as concentrates in capsules.

The sugar type D-mannose also seems to remove infectious bacteria in urinary tract.

Cranberries, blueberries, and D-mannose appears to be adhering to the bacteria or the lining of the urinary tract and make it more difficult for bacteria to adhere to the inside walls and infect the tissues. Instead, the bacteria washed with urine.

Goldenseal root and UVA Ursi effect against bacteria, a urinary tract infection.

Medications that alter the pH of the urine, which is more acid or more alkaline also seem to prevent the infectious bacteria. It seems that the bacteria thrive only in a very narrow range of pH. Mineral supplements that contain citrate alkaline pH, in direction, and can be used for this purpose. Cranberry appears that a more acidic urine and helps also this way.

Some studies suggest that acupuncture may help prevent further outbreaks of urinary tract infections.

Lifestyle ENVISAGED urinary tract infection

Many lifestyle measures can be used to prevent the outbreak of UTI and help to treat UTI.

- Wearing clothes that prevents the lower body to cold, it is useful to many people are experiencing.

- Drink lots of water causes the infectious bacteria that wash much easier.

- To urinate after intercourse and cleaning the urethral opening eliminates infectious bacteria transmitted by the sexual act before they can invade the urinary tract.

- Use of condoms by anal intercourse can hinder infectious bacteria in the rectum to enter a mans urethra.

- After anal intercourse, vaginal regard should be avoided without a good wash first.

- Having a good intimate hygiene, and clean front and back of the toilet visits can hinder bacteria from entering the urinary tract.

- Thermae meeting without soap that can irritate the pain can be improved between UTI and may enhance the healing process.