What is a UTI?
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that can affect your urinary system, including your:
- Bladder
- Urethra
- Kidneys
- Ureters
In most cases, UTIs typically strike the lower half of your urinary tract, which means your urethra and bladder.
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
The most common symptoms of a UTI include:
- Pain when urinating (usually a burning sensation)
- A strong and persistent urge to urinate
- Only urinating small amounts
- Cloudy or darkened urine
- Odorous urine
- Pelvic pain
These symptoms typically come on quickly and don’t go away on their own, which is why seeking the expert medical intervention of Drs. Hou and Ramirez is a good idea.
What causes a UTI?
While the exact cause of a UTI is bacteria that get into your urinary tract, there are factors that put you more at risk of developing a UTI, including:
- Having sex with a new partner
- Menopause
- Wiping back to front after urination or defecation (always wipe front to back)
- Birth control methods like diaphragms
Unfortunately for women, their anatomy — namely a short urethra — makes them more prone to UTIs because bacteria don’t have far to travel to get to the bladder.
How are UTIs treated?
After reviewing your symptoms and conducting a quick urinalysis, the doctors at Jersey Women’s Care Center get you started on antibiotics as quickly as possible for simple UTIs. The antibiotics should relieve your symptoms in a day or two, and you may only have to take them for three days or fewer.
You can help relieve your symptoms and speed up recovery with a few at-home techniques:
- Drink plenty of water to help flush out the infection
- Avoid drinks with caffeine
- Use a heating pad on your lower abdomen for pain relief
- Sit in a tub of warm water to relax your urethra
If you experience frequent UTIs, your doctor works with you to come up with a management plan that helps you avoid them in the first place. Or, she may place you on longer-term antibiotics to help control recurring infections.
Don’t wait to get your UTI treated. Call Jersey Women’s Care Center or use the online scheduling tool to get prompt relief.
