7 steps to a healthy bladder: How to keep UTI at bay

Anyone who has suffered a urinary tract infection (UTI) will tell you that it is a very painful, discomforting, and upsetting condition to battle.

UTI is an infection in any part of one's urinary system — the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra.

More women than men are likelier to develop a UTI. Infection limited to your bladder can be painful and annoying. Doctors warn against ignoring UTI and allowing it to take root as serious consequences can occur if the UTI spreads to the kidneys.

How do you know you have UTI?

The diagnosis should come from the qualified doctor and so should the treatment. But here is a list of signs that should make you sit up and reach a doctor if you have not as yet. According to Mayo Clinic (US), Urinary tract infections don't always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include one or several of the below:

A strong, persistent urge to urinate

A burning sensation when urinating

Passing frequent, small amounts of urine

Urine that appears turbid or cloudy

Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-coloured — a sign of blood in the urine

Strong-smelling urine

Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the centre of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone

Upper back and side (flank) pain

High fever

Shaking and chills

Nausea

Vomiting

There are potent antibiotics that doctors prescribe to typically treat urinary tract infections. But antibiotics cannot decide that there is no repeat UTI occurrence. Repeat infections can cause antibiotic resistance and in worst-case scenarios, kidney damage has been reported after several lines of medicines failed to curtail the infection.

However, you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a UTI in the first place. Prevention is better than cure and you can have a healthier system by taking steps to keep UTI at bay.

Prevention of UTI:

You can take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. This is like a rinsing action, almost bathing or flushing the urinary tract internally. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you'll urinate more frequently — flushing out bacteria from the urinary tract before an infection can begin. The lesser the concentration of bacteria and cleaner the tract, the lesser the chance of UTI.

Eat cranberries. If not available, drink cranberry juice. Although studies are not conclusive that cranberry juice prevents UTIs, it is likely not harmful. It is, after all, a liquid with antioxidants and flushes out the toxins as well as bacteria. Eating cranberries will be more helpful as it gives you the goodness of berries and fibre that you can build upon by drinking an adequate amount of water.

After a bowel movement, wipe from front to back (and not back to front) if you use toilet tissues. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra and averts the likelihood of the infection-causing bacteria reaching the urinary system.

Empty your bladder soon after intercourse. For that, stay well-hydrated all the while. Also, drink a full glass of water to help flush bacteria. Studies have shown that sexually active women tend to have more UTIs than do women who aren't sexually active. Having a new sexual partner also increases your risk. So calibrate your sexual behaviour to ensure your good health.

Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra. Do not flush out the mucous from the urinary tract by using douches or water jets. That mucous lining protects against harmful bacteria and keeps the track lubricated. Harvard medical websites warn that "Good hygiene is also important, but scrubbing away at delicate genital tissues can damage them and create portals for bacteria. Clean your genital area gently with mild soap and water."

Have gynaecological checks from time to time. Is your birth-control method the culprit? Change your birth control method. Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth. Studies have shown that women who use diaphragms for birth control may be at higher risk, as well as women who use spermicidal agents.

Ensure judicious use of antibiotics: Antibiotics can be lifesaving when needed. But when they aren’t needed, they kill good and bad bacteria alike, putting the body’s bacteria under intense pressure to survive. And, bacteria are real survivors! Do not change doctors for this one malady often. Your treating doctor should know your UTI history. All courses of medicine must be completed as prescribed and doctors should be apprised of status after treatment..