The relationship shared between Urinary Tract Infection and Kidney Damage has been in history for ages now. It is one of the most common infections faced by everyone irrespective of gender. The infection either does not respond to the right treatment or recurs after the treatment is given to the concerned patient.
Urinary Tract Infection is an infection to any part of the urinary system like kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra while most of the infections occur in the lower urinary tract. If UTI gets spread to the kidneys, one may suffer from serious health consequences, and may even need to be hospitalized in extreme conditions. The condition is more prevalent in women due to female anatomy. According to NCBI, around 50 to 60% of the women experience UTI at least once in their lifetime, while an estimated 3 to 4 men in every 10,000.
Sepsis and Pyelonephritis are two types of urinary tract infection where one or both the kidneys become infected by a virus or bacteria. The infection typically occurs when the bacteria enters the urinary tract through the urethra and begins to multiply in the bladder. Although the urinary system is designed to restrict the entry of such microscopic invaders, at times it fails to do so. This results in a full-grown urinary infection in the urinary tract. The possible symptoms include frequent painful urination, back pain, nausea, vomiting, high fever, abdominal discomfort, the passage of blood along with urine, and so on.
The rise in cases of UTI leads to severe complications like recurrent infections among women who experience the infection twice in a span of six months, leads to permanent kidney damage when a UTI is left untreated for a long period of time and increased risk in the health of pregnant women of delivering premature babies.
UTIs can occur frequently and are very frustrating to deal with while practicing some healthy habits and supplementing the diet with some UTI fighting ingredients, can help one lower the risk.
Here are a few tips which can be adapted to treat a UTI at the right time in order to avoid serious health concerns:
- Hydration is very important: One should take plenty of water (at least eight glasses per day) throughout the day to keep themselves hydrated enough. Any other liquid instead of water can help too except a lot of caffeine, this is because consumption of caffeine can cause unnecessary irritation to the bladder. Hydration will help one to urinate more frequently allowing the bacteria to flush out from the tract before infection begins to occur.
- Drink plenty of cranberry juice: It is often advised by the doctors to drink plenty of cranberry juice if detected with a UTI or even before the infection attacks one. It works as a natural treatment to prevent bladder infections for years now. Alongside a 2012 review, it has been stated that cranberry juice or tablets work as a potential remedy for women who get infected by bladder infections very frequently.
- Be careful when wiping: After urination or bowel movement, always remember to wipe your back properly. Try to wipe from front to back after cleaning the area with clean water. If the area is not hygienic, it might be a potential reason for a UTI. Also, proper wiping helps to prevent the bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina or urethra.
- Increase the intake of Vitamin C: Some studies show that the intake of vitamin C in the body helps to act as a potential medicine to cure tract infections. It works by increasing the acidity of the urine thereby killing the bacteria which cause the infection. Try to take fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C like red peppers, oranges, kiwifruit, and grapefruit to build immunity in the body.
Try to change the birth control methods: There are several birth control measures available in the market, but one should choose wisely when suffering from a UTI. Diaphragms, unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth which leads to the growth of a tract infection. Try consulting with a medical expert and discuss the possible options to avoid an infection.