Urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial infections that occur in any part of the urinary tract (in the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra). The most common infection of the urinary tract is cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder. Other clinical forms of infection include pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys), urethritis (inflammation of the urethra) and bacteriuria (the presence of bacteria in the urine). As a rule, IMPs are very painful and can spread to other organs if the treatment is not started on time.

Most often, UTI is diagnosed in women (approximately 15 times more often than men) from 20 to 50 years. This is due to the fact that women have a shorter urethra, which facilitates the entry of microorganisms into the urinary tract.

In most cases, the causative agent of UTI is the bacterium E.coli, but there are many other microorganisms that can cause infection. Most of these microorganisms are normally present in the large intestine and only under certain circumstances enter the urethra and other parts of the urinary system. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of infection include various disorders of the vaginal ecosystem (use of a diaphragm or spermicide, antimicrobial agents, hormonal disruption).

UTI in pregnancy

Quite often, urinary tract infections develop in pregnant women. This is due to changes in the body that make it more susceptible to bacteria. Without proper treatment, an infection can cause premature birth or a low birth weight baby.

The most common symptoms of urinary tract infections include:

• Burning during urination
• Painful urination
• Frequent urination
• Urinary incontinence
• Painful sensations during sexual intercourse
• Discharge from the urethra
• Pain in lower abdomen or lower back
• The sensitivity of the area above the pubic bone
• Pink or cloudy color of urine
• Sharp unpleasant smell of urine
• Increased temperature

Treatment of urinary tract infections is aimed at the destruction of their pathogen. For this, the doctor must first of all determine which microorganism caused the infection. When choosing a treatment, it is also necessary to take into account the duration of the disease and the patient's health (patency of the urinary tract, the presence of concomitant diseases). Based on these data, the doctor selects the most effective antibiotic for the particular patient. Particular attention is required when choosing drugs for treatment of UTI in pregnant and lactating women.

The course of treatment can last from three days to several weeks. Symptoms of infection usually occur on the second to third day after the start of treatment, however, despite this, it is very important to continue taking antibiotics for the period recommended by the doctor.

During treatment, it is necessary to drink enough fluids to cleanse the bladder, limit consumption or exclude coffee, sugar and spicy food from the diet. In some cases, doctors recommend that patients refrain from sexual intercourse during treatment.

In general, IPM, despite the prevalence and soreness, is quite successful in treatment. To prevent the recurrence of infection, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene, to consume a sufficient amount of liquid daily, to limit the consumption of alcohol, coffee and spicy foods, and also eat more fruits and vegetables. It is also believed that cranberry juice helps prevent infections of the urinary tract.