How to prevent and get rid of UTIs

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can happen when the wrong bacteria enter the wrong places. But how can you prevent this? It’s a matter of understanding and monitoring risk factors, which Mr Mathias Winkler will  explain along with the quickest ways to get rid of UTIs.

What is the main cause of UTIs?

E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a type of bacteria and the most common cause of UTIs. Everybody has some E. coli in their body; it’s a normal part of our bowel flora. The issue with E. coli and UTIs starts when E. coli makes its way to the wrong parts of the body. 

Are UTIs dangerous?

UTIs are generally not dangerous. In fact, the vast majority are actually very mild.

 
The body usually deals with these infections very seriously: think back to 100 years ago when we didn’t have antibiotics and our bodies could clear infections themselves. But now, we do have antibiotics which greatly speed up this process of clearing the bacteria before it migrates to other organs.

But occasionally, UTIs can affect the whole body, resulting in what we call a systemic infection. This can involve:

• A high temperature
• Shaking
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Weakness
• A drop in blood pressure

UTIs with these symptoms are more dangerous and must be treated quickly. They happen when the bacteria or infection spreads from the bladder to other organs, or if the bacteria gets into the bloodstream.

What are the different types of UTIs?

UTIs can be classified according to their complexity (simple and complex), which is linked with the location of the infection in the body e.g. if it affects the upper urinary tract or lower urinary tract.

Simple UTIs

Simple UTIs affect women much more than men. This is because simple UTIs occur at the lower urinary tract and the female urinary tract is close to the genital and anal areas. This creates a higher risk of bacteria entering the urethra… bacteria that shouldn’t be there. If the bacteria travels up to the kidneys, there is a real risk of a complex UTI.

Complex UTIs

Complex UTIs can be caused by several factors, for example:

• An anatomical structural change e.g. a person cannot empty their bladder
• They have a compromised immune system
• They have diabetes
• They’ve had a stroke

UTIs in men are always initially treated as complex because it’s very unlikely for men to have a simple UTI. This is because men have a very long urethra and E. coli does not easily access the lower urinary tract, so the most probable cause is an issue with the kidneys at the upper urinary tract.

What’s the quickest way of getting rid of a UTI?

The most efficient to get rid of a UTI is to help the body defend itself by drinking lots of water, with the goal being to empty the bladder completely and flush the bacteria out. If that doesn’t work, we’ll try antibiotics.

If a patient meets the following requirements, it’s almost always completely fine to wait a couple of days before taking antibiotics and to give the body a chance to clear the infection itself.

• They have undergone a urine test that shows they have a simple UTI
• They´re healthy
• They drink plenty of water
• They avoid constipation
• They don’t hold their urine too long
• They don’t have a fever

If symptoms get worse, you must contact a medical professional. Doctors are keen to establish the exact cause of the infection before starting antibiotics. They will perform a urine microscopy (a test to look at bugs under the microscope) and a culture test, which are two ways of detecting bacteria.

So if symptoms don’t improve after a few days or start to deteriorate, we will start with the first-line treatment: antibiotics. If we have determined the exact cause, we can target the specific type of bacteria with a specific antibiotic.

Women may be given a three-day course of treatment for simple UTIs, but this could be longer. It depends on each person’s case. Because men have a low risk for getting a simple UTI and most likely have a more serious case, they are usually treated with seven days of antibiotics because they would not respond to a three-day course.

How can people prevent UTIs?

The differences in the male and female anatomy mean that some ways of preventing UTIs differ.

Preventing UTIs in women

Drink plenty of fluid and watch for trigger factors such as:

• dehydration
• exposure to chlorinated water
• tampons
• constipation

Also, bubble baths and soaps for genital hygiene are not recommended because they can change the vagina’s PH levels, which is something your body naturally works to control. PH-affecting substances disturb the normal bacteria in your vagina, which allows other bacteria like E. coli to enter the vagina from the bowel and cause infections. We recommend washing the area with only warm water.

Preventing UTIs in men

As men have a much lower chance of bacteria (like E. coli) entering the urethra, some risk factors don’t apply to them. Typically, men can monitor the general risk factors that affect both sexes.

Preventing UTIs in both sexes

To minimise the chance of UTIs, people can also monitor:

• The health of their immune system, particularly if it’s compromised
• Diabetes, if they have it
• Their weight
• Their gut health

Probiotics are an option to improve gut health. These contain the nutrients that the good bugs need to function well. Probiotics contain complex sugars that the human body cannot digest, but the good bugs (that fight off the bad bugs) love them.

A lot of people drink cranberry juice to prevent UTIs or deal with symptoms. Evidence suggests that cranberry juice is not the best method of preventing UTIs, but it’s certainly not harmful.

Mr Mathias Winkler is at the forefront of his field and utilising the latest technologies and methods in his patients’ treatment. Arrange your first consultation with Mr Winkler via his profile.