Master, Doctor Pham Thanh Truc, specialist in Nephrology – Urology said that urinary tract infections are very common diseases, accounting for about 25% of total infections. The disease is more common in women, with more than 50-60% of cases.
Urinary tract infections cause many dangerous complications, such as septic shock, perirenal abscess, sepsis… Notably, although the disease can be completely cured, it is still easy to recur because of lifestyle habits. , menopause or some other medical condition.
According to Dr. Truc, a urinary tract infection is an inflammation of any part of the urinary system – the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. It occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract, multiply and cause inflammation.
Urinary tract infections can cause dangerous complications (Image: BV).
Urinary tract infections cause pain and discomfort along with symptoms such as:
Painful urination, painful urination or burning sensation along the urethra; lower abdominal pain; polyuria, hematuria; cloudy and unpleasant-smelling urine; mild fever, chills; Nausea or vomiting with high fever, if kidney infection.
However, some urinary tract infections may cause no symptoms.
More than 75% of urinary tract infections are caused by E. coli bacteria. In addition, group D streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus, anaerobic Mycoplasma… can also invade the urinary system and cause bacterial infections.
Because the female urethra is close to the vagina, bacteria can easily attack the urethra causing inflammation. External urinary tract infections are common in women and are prone to recurrence, due to many risk factors.
The first is sexual habits. Having sex can push some of the bacteria around the anus or vagina up into the urethra. Also, having a new or multiple sex partners can increase your chances of getting a urinary tract infection.
Second, at menopause, women experience a decrease in estrogen, which causes changes in the urinary tract, thereby increasing the risk of urinary tract infections.
Kidney stones are a risk factor for urinary tract infections (Photo: BV).
The risk also comes from having some diseases such as spinal cord injury, kidney stones… that cause urine to stagnate and contribute to the existence of bacteria causing inflammation. Diabetes is also a risk factor for recurrent urinary tract infections, due to nerve damage in the bladder and a weakened immune system. In addition, urinary tract infections are also linked to genetic factors.
In order to prevent complications and prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, Dr. Pham Thanh Truc noted, when having symptoms and being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, patients need to be treated and strictly follow the instructions. doctor. Do not arbitrarily stop taking or buy self-medication, or use a previous prescription to use when the disease recurs.
It is important to keep clean before and after sex. After defecation or urination, women pay attention to clean from front to back to avoid bacteria from the anus that can enter the ureters. Choose the right type of feminine hygiene solution, use daily to prevent infection.
People need to drink enough water and do not hold their urine to avoid the risk of urinary tract infections (Artwork: BV).
Regarding the lifestyle and nutrition, it is necessary to drink a lot of water (about more than 2 liters / day) and do not hold urine to reduce the risk of bacteria in the urine stagnation. Avoid foods that can irritate the bladder such as soda, alcohol, coffee, lemons, oranges, etc., and add more vegetables and fruits.
If the patient still has frequent urinary tract infections, the patient should soon go to a medical facility specializing in Urology, Nephrology for doctors to examine and have a timely treatment plan. For cases of disease recurrence more than 2 times in 6 months, doctors may prescribe low-dose prophylactic antibiotics for a long time.
