UTI Prevention

UTI Prevention

Anyone who has ever had a urinary tract infection (UTI) knows full well how frustrating and uncomfortable they can be. Even a mild case can cause pain when urinating, an increased urge to urinate, and blood or pus in the urine. Most UTIs go away after treatment. Chronic or recurrent UTIs either don’t go away after treatment or keep recurring and are also very common among women.  Recurrent UTIs, defined as at least two UTIs in 6 months or three UTIs in 1 year, are a significant burden for the patient and result in high costs to the health system.

 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is very true when it comes to UTIs. There are many ways to prevent a UTI that don’t take much effort and don’t rely on antibiotics.

 

Prevention is always the best way to avoid UTIs.

Although UTIs can be treated with antibiotics, if you use antibiotics too frequently, it can lead to an immune resistance, making it more difficult to treat the next UTI. Furthermore, the growing concern over the risk of antibiotic resistance is the primary reason most healthcare practitioners are now turning towards non-antibiotic approaches to treating recurrent cases of UTIs and trying to prevent them before they even begin.

 

Following preventative tips and using effective prevention products, like URIEXO® will help you stay ahead of the problem, enabling you to avoid treatment with antibiotics.

 

Getting ahead of UTIs with these UTI prevention tips can help your body boost its natural defences against urinary tract infections and more importantly, help you avoid this painful infection and the complications associated with antimicrobial resistance.

UTI Prevention Tips: 

• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of liquids, especially water (recommended 6-8 glasses of water daily), however avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages.  Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you’ll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
• Urinate immediately and fully — don’t hold it in: Go to the bathroom regularly and flush bad bacteria out of your urinary tract.
• Wipe from front to back: Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps keep bacteria around the anus from getting into the vagina or urethra.
• Take showers instead of baths.
• Choose breathable garments: Wear underpants with a cotton crotch. Don’t wear tight-fitting pants, which can trap in moisture.
• Cleanse your genital area before sex.
• Urinate before and promptly after sex: This may lower the risk of UTI by flushing out bacteria that may have gotten into the urinary tract during intercourse.
• 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.
• Revaluate your birth control methods: Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.
• If you are post-menopausal, consider hormone therapy: Speak with your physician about how your hormonal changes could be impacting your risk of UTIs. Some physicians recommend estrogen supplements to help.
• Use tampons for your period: Tampons are advised during the menstrual period rather than sanitary napkins or pads because they keep the bladder opening area drier than a sanitary pad, thereby limiting bacterial overgrowth.
• Use URIEXO® daily: Taken daily, URIEXO® will help flush out bacteria and help maintain a healthy urinary tract & bladder.

For most people, the right UTI prevention habits and solutions can really help break the cycle of recurring UTIs.

 

 

 

What should you avoid if you have a UTI?

Here’s what to avoid when you have a UTI:

• Avoid sexual intercourse: Sex during a UTI will probably be uncomfortable, but you could also make the infection worse by adding new bacteria to your system. You may want to wait up to two weeks after the infection is cleared up before sexual activity.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners: Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners make your symptoms worse.
• Avoid alcohol: Alcohol irritates the bladder, intensifying the infection.
• Avoid caffeine: Caffeine also irritates the bladder.

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