Jilly88 said:
Can I ask what brings on these infections and how it can be avoided? What are the symptoms? What is the cure?
Thanks a lot.
Jilly
UTI is an infection of the urinary tract. It happens when bacteria get into the urine and multiply. The most common one is infection in the bladder, which is also called cystitis. You can also get infection in the kidneys, which is more serious, and is called pyelonephritis.
Because of their "plumbing arrangements" women are much more likely to get UTI's than men, because the route to the bladder is much shorter.
Anyone can get them. Poor hygiene technique can contribute (always wipe up, not down, to avoid contamination with faecal matter). Staying generally healthy, if you get run down, stressed etc, you're more likely to get it. Drinking cranberry juice every day (or cranberry extract pills) can help, it's thought that a type of tannin in it stops bacteria adhering to the walls of the bladder. Drinking plenty of fluids will help keep things flushed clear. Resisting an urge to urinate is unhealthy because stale urine is left in the bladder.
The symptoms are usually frequent urination, which may be painful or have a burning sensation, having to get up in the night to urinate, pain in the urethra, cloudy/foul smelling urine, fever. But some people have a UTI and have no symptoms at all. In people with dementia, it will make the dementia symptoms worse whether or not the physical symptoms show.
The kidney infection has the same, but will be accompanied by things like high fever, chills, abdominal pain, night sweats and fatigue (you will know you're seriously ill!).
It is usually diagnosed by stick-testing a urine sample. The treatment is usually an anti-bacterial drug or antibiotic.
As ever, it's important to see your GP right away, not least because other things have similar symptoms.
Being male I suprised my GP by getting a UTI a year ago, the main symptom was having to go to the loo about every half-hour. Cleared up quickly, though. In men trouble with urination is often an indicator of prostate problems, so whilst women have UTI's to contend with at least they don't have to think about that one
I couldn't find a convenient NHS page, although I'm sure there is one, but there's a factsheet on Bupa
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/Mosby_factsheets/Urinary_tract_infection.html