5 Things You Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections

Most people have common health problems, like urinary tract infections (UTIs), that can be treated easily but may need more formal care to get rid of the problem completely. In place of or in addition to formal treatments, there are often other suggestions that claim to help people get better faster or even keep them from getting sick in the first place. Most of the time, these “quick fix” suggestions don’t have any basis in medical science and end up being medical myths.

Here are some of the most common myths about urinary tract infections (UTIs) and how to treat them.

Myth: UTI’s only occur in women

It’s a common FICTION! Both women and men can get infections in the urinary tract. But they happen more often in women. This is because the female urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder into the outside world, is short. This makes it easier for bacteria to get to the bladder, making women more likely to get UTIs

Myth: A UTI can go away on its own

Also, this is a MYTH! Once a UTI has set up in the bladder, an antibiotic is needed to get rid of it. The only way to get rid of a bladder infection or UTI is to take all of the antibiotics your doctor gives you.

If you don’t treat a UTI, it can sometimes lead to a much worse infection. Most UTIs start in the bladder, and if they aren’t treated, they can move up the urinary tract and end up in the kidneys. Kidney infections are much harder to treat and much more dangerous because they can damage the kidneys and sometimes need to be treated in the hospital.

So, knowing the signs and symptoms of a bladder infection and treating it right away can help keep a kidney infection from happening. Some of these signs and symptoms are having to go to the bathroom more often, having very strong urges to go, and burning, irritation, or other painful feelings when you urinate.

Fact: Avoiding caffeine helps cure a UTI faster

This is TRUE! If you have a UTI, drink a lot of water and other fluids. This is the most important thing you can do. Drinking a lot of fluids can help wash the bacteria out of your body, which will help you feel better faster. Second, stay away from caffeine. Caffeine should be avoided because it can make your bladder upset and make the symptoms of an infection worse.

Myth: Drinking cranberry juice cures a UTI

It’s true that drinking cranberry juice can lower your risk of getting a UTI, but it’s not true that taking cranberry pills or drinking cranberry juice can treat a UTI. If you get a UTI, you have to take an antibiotic to get rid of it. Cranberry juice makes urine more acidic, which makes it less likely that bacteria will be able to grow in the bladder. This makes it less likely that you will get a UTI.

Myth: Baths are the only factor that increases the risk of getting a UTI

MYTH! Having a urinary tract infection is more likely because of a number of things. Because the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside world, is shorter in women, it is easier for bacteria to climb up and get into the bladder.

Frequent sexual activity is also linked to a higher risk of a UTI, because sexual activity can push bacteria into the urethra. So, it’s a good idea to empty your bladder after having a sexual encounter to wash bacteria out of your urethra before it can get into your bladder.

Also, it’s important for women to wipe properly from the front to the back so that bacteria can’t get into the bladder.