Painful urination can put a real damper on your day. While there may be a number of causes for why you’re experiencing pain when you go to the bathroom, it may be due to a urinary tract infection. In fact, UTIs are the most common type of infection people experience. Dr. Elizabeth Kavaler at Total Urology Care of New York in Manhattan is highly skilled at diagnosing and treating UTIs. If you think you have a UTI or you have suffered with recurrent urinary tract infections, call to schedule an appointment today or book online.
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If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, we, at Total Urology Care can diagnose and treat the cause of your discomfort. A urine test is needed to diagnose a UTI and antibiotics are prescribed to clear up the infection.
Bacteria cause urinary tract infections. Most urinary tract infections, also called bladder infections or cystitis, start in the bladder. They usually remain localized but rarely, the bacteria can travel into the kidneys. The indication that the infection has moved into the kidneys is the presence of a fever over 101 degrees. Bacteria are naturally present in the vagina, around the anus, and on the skin outside of the urethra. The balance of bacteria and yeast keep our skin and genitals healthy. If those bacteria migrate into the urethra and bladder and do not flush out while urinating, an inflammatory process can occur, resulting in the symptoms associated with a bladder infection.
No one is immune to UTIs. However, women are four times more likely to get an infection than men. That’s because the urethra is shorter in women, so the bacteria doesn’t have far to go.
Women of all age groups and with all different medical conditions, as well as healthy women, can suffer from cystitis. People with diabetes and spinal cord injuries are also at greater risk of developing a UTI.
Whether you’re prone to UTIs or one infection was more than you could handle, you may wonder what you can do to prevent another occurrence. The most important thing to prevent a UTI is to follow a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, exercising, sleeping, and managing stress as well as you can. Water should be your beverage of choice. Overhydration will not prevent or cure a UTI, so drinking in moderation is wise. When it comes to urination, sitting on the toilet and relaxing to allow the bladder to completely empty will help maintain bladder health. Wiping from front to back is a good practice. Whether or not this method is actually effective at avoiding contamination of the urethra, it seems sensible. If sex is a common cause of your UTIs, make it a routine to urinate after intercourse. If you are getting frequent UTIs, we at Total Urology Care of New York are here to help you figure out how to manage them.
