A UTI, or urinary tract infection, is an infection that originates from your urinary system. This can include your kidneys, bladder, ureter (the tubes connecting your kidneys to the bladder), or urethra. If the symptoms are left unchecked, they can lead to serious complications that can damage your kidneys.
Symptoms of UTIs include:
- Constant urge to urinate
- Burning sensation during urination
- Red, pink, or dark-looking urine, which is a sign of blood
- Pain in the pelvic area
These symptoms can sometimes be ignored or mistaken for other conditions. The UTI is a term covering multiple types of infections that vary by location, such as your bladder, urethra, and kidneys. You may also feel pain in different parts of your body based on those areas – for example, a kidney UTI may cause upper back pain, whereas a bladder UTI may cause pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic areas instead. It’s important to visit a doctor as soon as possible once you notice these signs of a UTI to prevent further complications.
UTIs are caused by bacteria spreading from the gastrointestinal tract. Women are at higher risk of a UTI than men because of the short distance between the anus and the urethra, leading to a common risk of bacteria spreading quickly to the bladder. UTIs can be treated with antibiotics, with or without pain relief medication to temporarily reduce the pain during the course of treatment.
While treatment is possible, it’s always best to prevent UTIs before they even happen. There has been some research suggesting that cranberries may help prevent UTIs. Cranberries contain a natural ingredient known as PAC that can help prevent bacteria from binding itself to the bladder’s lining. Ellura is a natural cranberry-based supplement that extracts this ingredient and packs 36 mg of PAC into one capsule, which is the amount needed for UTI prevention. In addition to prevention, Ellura is also helpful during UTI treatment with antibiotics. It is available without a prescription.
If you have a UTI, contact us at Southern Urogynecology where our clinic will be able to diagnose the symptoms and provide you with the right treatment options for you.
