urinary+tract+infections-+rebecca


 * Urinary tract infections** are a serious health problem affecting millions of people each year.
 * The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The key elements in the system are the kidneys, a pair of purplish-brown organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back.

An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply. Most infections arise from one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives in the colon.


 * sources: http://www.uti-report.com/?gclid=CKTApcTNp48CFQHgPAodXVQcRQ**


 * Usually, the act of emptying the bladder (urinating) flushes the bacteria out of the urethra. If there are too many bacteria, urinating may not stop their spread.

The bacteria can travel up the urethra to the bladder. The infection can spread more as the bacteria move up from the bladder into the ureters. If the bacteria reaches the kidney they can cause a kidney infection which can become a very serious condition if not treated p right away.
 * where they can grow and cause an infection.


 * SYMPTOMS:**
 * Dysuria - Pain or burning during urination
 * Frequency - More frequent urination or waking up at night having to go to the bathroom.
 * Urgency - The sensation of not being able to hold urine
 * Hesitancy - The sensation of not being able to urinate easily or completely (or feeling that you have to urinate but only a few drops of urine come out)
 * Cloudy, bad smelling, or bloody urine
 * Lower abdominal pain
 * Mild fever (less than 101°F), chills, and "just not feeling well"


 * How to test and see if you have an infection?**
 * You have a urine test done or a examination.
 * The single most important lab test is urinalysis. A sample of your urine will be tested for signs of infection, such as white blood cells and bacteria.


 * What you can do at home to reduce your pain or discomfort:**
 * Follow your health care provider's treatment recommendations.
 * Take a pain-relieving medication.
 * Use a hot-water bottle to ease pain.
 * Drink plenty of water.
 * Avoid coffee, alcohol, and spicy foods, all of which irritate the bladder.
 * Quit smoking. Smoking irritates the bladder and is known to cause bladder cancer.


 * PREVENTION:**
 * Women and girls should wipe from front to back (not back to front) after going to the bathroom. This helps prevent bacteria from the anus entering the urethra.

Go to the bathroom a lot throughout the day. You should go to the bathrom especially after sexual intercourse. This releves your bladder or any urine and there is no pressure on it anymore.

Drink plenty of fluids.
 * Cranberry juice has been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections. There is evidence that cranberries reduce the risk of the bacteria's getting into bladder cells.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/urinary_tract_infections/page9_em.htm

Infections may occur in infants, both boys and girls, who are born with abnormalities of the urinary tract, which sometimes need to be corrected with surgery. Infections are more rare in boys and young men. In adult women the rate of infections gradually increases with age. Scientists are not sure why women have more urinary infections than men. One factor may be that a woman's urethra is short, allowing bacteria quick access to the bladder. Also, a woman's urethral opening is near sources of bacteria from the anus and vagina. For many women sexual intercourse seems to trigger an infection.
 * Who is at risk?**
 * People with diabetes have a higher risk of an infection because of changes in the immune system. Any other disorder that harms the immune system raises the risk of a urinary infection.