Are You At Risk For A Uti
UTIs are more frequent in older adults. If the following applies to you, you are at a higher risk of having UTIS:
- Urinary retention or neurogenic bladder
- Disposable incontinence products that arent changed regularly
- Alzheimers disease
- A history of UTIs
- Use of a catheter
- Regular incontinence
- Bladder prolapse
Older females who are postmenopausal are at a higher risk of UTIs, because they experience an estrogen deficiency after menopause . In older males, bladder stones, kidney stones, prostate issues, and a history of prostate infections increase the risk of UTIs.
Finding The Cause Of Cystitis
It is important for doctors to find the cause of cystitis in several different groups. The cause should be found in
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Children
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Analgesics as needed
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Sometimes surgery
Cystitis is usually treated with antibiotics. Before prescribing antibiotics, the doctor determines whether the person has a condition that would make cystitis more severe, such as diabetes or a weakened immune system , or more difficult to eliminate, such as a structural abnormality. Such conditions may require more potent antibiotics taken for a longer period of time, particularly because the infection is likely to return as soon as the person stops taking antibiotics. People with such conditions may also have infections caused by fungi or unusual bacteria and may thus require something other than the most commonly used antibiotics.
For women, taking an antibiotic by mouth for 3 days is usually effective if the infection has not led to any complications, although some doctors prefer to give a single dose. For more stubborn infections, an antibiotic is usually taken for 7 to 10 days. For men, cystitis usually is caused by prostatitis Prostatitis Prostatitis is pain and swelling, inflammation, or both of the prostate gland. The cause is sometimes a bacterial infection. Pain can occur in the area between the scrotum and anus or in the… read more , and antibiotic treatment is usually required for weeks.
How To Prevent Utis In The Elderly
Sometimes urinary tract infections are impossible to prevent, but many steps can be taken to greatly reduce your chance of infection. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids daily and, if youre at a higher risk of UTIs, avoid diuretics like caffeine or alcohol. Make sure you upgrade to a more absorbent incontinence product and that it is changed frequently. Every time you use the bathroom, make sure you wipe from front to back and keep the area clean.
UTIs are often a regular part of life for older adults with incontinence, but with some baseline knowledge and the right preventative measures, can be easily avoided and managed.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Incontinence
The main symptom of incontinence is a leakage of urine. This could be a constant dripping of urine or an occasional experience of leakage. If you have incontinence, you might have large amounts or small amounts of leaked urine. You might experience leakage for a wide variety of reasons often depending on the type of incontinence you have.
You might leak urine when you:
- Exercise.
- Have an urge to urinate, but cant make it to the toilet on time.
- Have to get up in the middle of night to urinate .
Will I Have Incontinence For My Entire Life
Sometimes incontinence is a short-term issue that will go away once the cause ends. This is often the case when you have a condition like a urinary tract infection . Once treated, frequent urination and leakage problems caused by a UTI typically end. This is also true for some women who experience bladder control issues during pregnancy. For many, the issues end in the weeks after delivery. However, other causes of incontinence are long-term and related to conditions that are managed throughout your life. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes or multiple sclerosis, you may have incontinence for a long period of time. In those cases, its important to talk to your provider about the best ways to manage your incontinence so that it doesnt interfere with your life.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
It can be embarrassing to talk about bathroom habits with your healthcare provider. This embarrassment shouldnt stop you from treating incontinence, though. Often, your healthcare provider can help figure out the cause of your bladder control issue and help make it better. You dont need to deal with it alone. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best ways to treat incontinence so that you can lead a full and active life without worrying about leakage.
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What Are Potential Complications Of A Bladder Infection
Complications of a bladder infection can occur without appropriate diagnosis or treatment. An untreated or poorly treated bladder infection can ascend the urinary system and lead to kidney infection and enter the bloodstream, leading to , which can be life-threatening. In children, particularly, kidney infections can cause permanent damage to the kidney. In pregnant women, complications of bladder infections include an increased risk of delivering low birth weight or premature infants. Urethral narrowing in men from recurrent urethral infections can occur, more commonly with sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea.
Urinary Tract Infections Can Interfere With Daily Life Intimacy And Even Land You In Hospital What Exactly Are They And How Can You Try And Avoid The Nasty Symptoms
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection in the urinary system. Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, usually from the bowel. These bacteria are perfectly normal in the bowel but when they move across to the urinary system can result in an infection.
Symptoms to look out for:
- Pain, discomfort or a burning feeling when urinating
- Needing to urinate more often, or urgently
- Pain in the lower abdomen or back
- Urine that looks cloudy or has an unpleasant smell
- Only being able to urinate a few drops at a time
- Fever, feeling like vomiting, vomiting, feeling shaky .
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What Causes Urinary Incontinence
The causes of urinary incontinence depend on the type.
Stress incontinence is usually the result of the weakening or damaging of the muscles used to prevent urination, such as the pelvic floor muscles and the urethral sphincter.
Urge incontinence is usually the result of overactivity of the detrusor muscle, which controls the bladder.
Certain things can increase the chances of urinary incontinence developing, including:
- pregnancy and vaginal birth
- a family history of incontinence
- increasing age although incontinence is not an inevitable part of ageing
Read more about the causes of urinary incontinence
What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
UTI or urinary tract infection occurs when the bladder or urethra becomes infected with bacteria. It is also known as cystitis.
This generally happens due to lack of cleanliness but can be very painful and inconvenient, even causing death in some cases!
Painful urination is the first sign of a urinary tract infection.
Symptoms may include:
- Need to pee more frequently
- Urgent or burning or painful need to urinate
- Fever, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting, etc.
Difficulties with bladder training are common in those who have had an extended period of time with untreated incontinence.
It is important that you understand how bladder training works, in order to get the most out of your treatment plan with your doctor.
You can read about UTI and Bladder Leakage
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Top Tips To Prevent Further Bladder Infections
When you chat with you doctor, he may suggest you make a few lifestyle changes including:
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Reduce your intake of alcohol, tea and coffee as these can all irritate the bladder
- Take urinary alkalinisers
- Take mild painkillers for pain relief
- Avoid eating any foods that can irritate the bladder while the infection is present, including foods with high acid content and amino acids
- Drink cranberry juice everyday
When Should I See A Health Care Professional
See a health care professional if you have symptoms of a bladder problem, such as trouble urinating, a loss of bladder control, waking to use the bathroom, pelvic pain, or leaking urine.
Bladder problems can affect your quality of life and cause other health problems. Your health care professional may be able to treat your UI by recommending lifestyle changes or a change in medicine.
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Can A Urinary Tract Infection Cause Incontinence
Yes, it is possible that the UTI has caused damage to your pelvic floor muscles. This can make it difficult to hold in urine or stool. Damage to your pelvic floor muscles may also cause urinary incontinence.
The pelvic floor muscles are responsible for the ability to control the bladder, bowel, and sexual organs.
There can be many causes of incontinence which you should discuss with your doctor. Bladder infections are one possible cause. Both bladder infections and urinary incontinence have similar symptoms that may not always be obvious.
Causes Of Stress Incontinence
Stress incontinence is when the pressure inside your bladder as it fills with urine becomes greater than the strength of your urethra to stay closed. Your urethra is the tube that urine passes through to leave the body.
Any sudden extra pressure on your bladder, such as laughing or sneezing, can cause urine to leak out of your urethra if you have stress incontinence.
Your urethra may not be able to stay closed if the muscles in your pelvis are weak or damaged, or if your urethral sphincter the ring of muscle that keeps the urethra closed is damaged.
Problems with these muscles may be caused by:
- damage during childbirth particularly if your baby was born vaginally, rather than by caesarean section
- increased pressure on your tummy for example, because you are pregnant or obese
- damage to the bladder or nearby area during surgery such as the removal of the womb , or removal of the prostate gland
- neurological conditions that affect the brain and spinal cord, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
- certain connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- certain medicines
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Products To Help Manage Incontinence
Many people find the following products useful for dealing with incontinence symptoms:
- Pads and undergarments Absorbent, non-bulky pads and underwear are worn discreetly under clothing and are available in different sizes for both men and women. For those with mild or moderate leakage, panty liners are sometimes all that’s required.
- Patches and plugs Many women are able to manage light leakage from stress incontinence by using products that block the flow of urine, such as a small, disposable adhesive patch that fits over the urethral opening, a tampon-like urethral plug, or a vaginal insert called a pessary.
- Catheters For otherwise unmanageable incontinence, a physician can place a catheter in the urethra to continually drain the bladder. Due to a higher risk of developing infections and kidney stones, catheters are usually a last resort and used only for severely ill patients.
Relieving The Symptoms Of A Uti
- Make sure the person you care for drink enough to help flush out bacteria
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs can ease symptoms of a UTI like pain, fever and inflammation.
- Use a heating pad on the lower back or stomach to relieve pain or discomfort
* Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs is a class of analgesic medication that reduces pain, fever and inflammation.
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How To Deal With Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence can be painful, embarrassing, and even debilitating. Whether it is you, a member of your family, or even a close friend, this is an issue many will have to deal with.
Often people assume that urinary incontinence will only affect the elderly, but in fact, individuals of any age can suffer. Due to the diversity of people affected, potential causes and their treatments are highly varied.
Care and nursing at home specialists, Helping Hands says, No two people are going to have exactly the same need, which is why its extremely important the care you or your loved one receive is tailored to the individual. If the symptoms listed below seem familiar, it may be time to see your doctor.
Alternative And Complementary Therapies
The treatment of urinary incontinence varies depending on the cause of the bladder control problem. In most cases, a physician will try the simplest treatment approach before resorting to medication or surgery.
Bladder habit training This is the first approach for treating most incontinence issues. The goal is to establish a regular urination schedule with set intervals between urination. A doctor will usually recommend urinating at one-hour intervals and gradually increasing the intervals between urination over time.
Pelvic muscle exercises Also called Kegel exercises , this exercise routine helps strengthen weak pelvic muscles and improve bladder control.
The person contracts the muscles used to keep in urine, holds the contraction for 4 to 10 seconds, then relaxes the muscles for the same amount of time.
It may take weeks or months of regular pelvic exercise to show improvement.
Another way to perform Kegel exercises is to interrupt the flow of urine for several seconds while urinating.
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The Physical Impact Of Incontinence
While many people see incontinence as embarrassing, until youve experienced it yourself you may not realize the true physical impact that it can have on your life.
Of course theres the obvious problem of having to change clothes or bedding often, or running to the bathroom, but incontinence can impact your physical health in other ways too. Many people with regular incontinence suffer from skin infections, due to over-exposure to moisture.
Additionally, many people report reducing their physical activity when they have incontinence. For those who were once active, activities such as running or other high impact exercises are often avoided or stopped completely as the practice may lead to unexpected and involuntary leakage of urine.
Finally, incontinence presents a much greater risk for falls and fractures, especially in older adults.
An elderly person who is focused on getting to the restroom quickly may become unaware of the potential hazards that lie in their path to get to the bathroom , or may become inattentive to controlling their posture or body movements, which increases the risk of falling.
What Else Causes Bladder Control Problems In Women
Certain life events and health problems can lead to stress incontinence in women by weakening the pelvic floor muscles
- pregnancy and childbirth
- menopause
Weak pelvic floor muscles can make it hard for your bladder to hold urine in during stress incontinence. Stress incontinence occurs when an actioncoughing, sneezing, laughing, or physical activityputs pressure on your bladder and causes urine to leak. A weak pelvic floor can also cause fecal incontinence, or bowel control problems.
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How Long Does It Take To Flush Out A Uti
Most UTIs are curable. Symptoms of a bladder infection generally disappear after 24 to 48 hours following the commencement of treatment. If you have a kidney infection, symptoms may take anywhere from one week to one month to cease.
Kidney infections are more serious and can lead to severe complications.
Symptoms Of Urinary Incontinence
Having urinary incontinence means you pass urine unintentionally.
When and how this happens varies depending on the type of urinary incontinence you have.
Although you may feel embarrassed about seeking help, it’s a good idea to see your GP if you have any type of urinary incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is a common problem and seeing your GP can be the first step towards finding a way to effectively manage the problem.
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How Is Urinary Incontinence Linked To Utis
If youve ever had a urinary tract infection you may know that a common symptom is urine leakage. This can be true even for those who dont normally experience urinary incontinence.
Infections and bacteria within the bladder and urinary tract can cause you to have strong, sudden urges to urinate, which sometimes can result in an accident.
But one thing you may not know is that urinary tract infections are actually more common in people who already experience some types of incontinence. This can be due to several factors:
- Urinary retention
- Nerve damage
- Constipation due to compromised pelvic floor
Will These Tips Work For Everyone
No, there are some people who are simply more likely to have UTIs. It is not fully understood why this may be.
Some people experience repeated UTIs. These cases are called recurrent UTIs and are diagnosed by a medical practitioner. Lifestyle changes such as those listed above may be useful for some people but not others.
Some people will have bacteria in their urine if it is tested but experience no symptoms of an infection. This is called asymptomatic bacteriuria and is a common finding, particularly in older people. It does not usually need antibiotic treatment.
Speak to your GP about a referral to a specialist urogynaecologist or urologist to make sure nothing has been missed.
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