If you’re experiencing urethritis or feeling of burning sensation and discomfort when urinating, or having increased nocturia or frequent night-time urinations, mild fever, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or if you happen to observe some pus or blood in your urine, you may have a urinary tract infection (UTI).
This happens when bacteria gets into your bladder through food ingestion or an ascending infection - which means bacteria enters into the urethra from a bacteria-infested surface like the toilet. These types of infections are most common in pregnant and sexually active women because a woman’s urethra is shorter and closer to the anus than a man’s. The term urinary tract infection is a generic coinage for infections that can happen anywhere in the urinary tract which includes the bladder, kidneys, and urethra. Such an infection has different names depending on where the infected area is. Bladder infection is known medically as cystitis.
The question now is how we can treat bladder infection. Right after urinalysis confirms the mass of bacteria in the person’s urine, treatment should immediately follow to avoid any complications. For mild cases of UTI, antibiotics are usually recommended by doctors; others may simply be advised to increase water intake. The most common antibiotics prescribed for this condition are augmentin, amoxicillin, the sulfa drugs, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and quinolones. To help relieve the pains associated with this condition, doctors also advice ascorbic acid or pyridium.
For more serious cases that can’t be handled at home, especially if you have other kidney problems, chronic UTIs or severe infections that are recurring more than twice in six months, or any earlier surgeries, hospitalization is usually advised.
It’s really important to drink plenty of water and cranberry juice during treatment of bladder infection, as this will help wash away bacteria when you urinate and will help combat bacteria in the bladder walls to make it easily flushed away.
The best way to fight bladder infections is definitely to stay away from its possible causes. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Good hygiene when using toilets can help prevent bladder infections. Just wipe your genital area clean after each toilet use and avoid any external contact with your rectal area and areas near the urethra. Avoiding prolonged contact with wet swimsuits made with nylon can also help prevent exposure to bacteria and, of course, avoid holding your urine for long periods of time.
For sexually active individuals, make it a habit to wash the genital areas after intercourse and always make it a point to urinate as well to clear out any bacteria from the urinary tract. Use only water-soluble lubricants if needed, and abstain from inserting any non-sterilized objects into the vagina or anus.
For more information about how you can avoid and treat urinary tract infections and bladder problems, visit your doctor and ask for advice - especially if you feel you have the symptoms. Remember that early detection is the key to curing bladder infections and doing it later may just make things a lot more complicated.
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