How to treat urinary tract infection (UTI)?
Urinary tract infections are very common in the world today especially among the age group of young people who are sexually active or in the age group of elderly people majorly in the post-menopausal women or other people who are at risk of kidney diseases like diabetes and people who are on medicines related to kidney disease. All these people have relatively increase in incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI).
Urinary tract infection involves infection either in the upper urinary tract including the kidney or the ureter or the lower urinary tract which are more common including the bladder and the urethra.
Best available Treatment for Urinary Tract Infection.
You will need to treat a urinary tract infection. Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria and fight an infection. Antibiotics are typically used to treat urinary tract infections. Your healthcare provider will pick a drug that best treats the particular bacteria that’s causing your infection. Some commonly used antibiotics can include:
- Nitrofurantoin.
- Sulphonamides (sulpha drugs).
- Amoxicillin.
- Cephalosporins.
- Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim).
- Doxycycline.
- Quinolones (such as ciprofloxacin [Cipro]).
It’s very important that you follow your healthcare provider’s directions for taking the medicine. Don’t stop taking the antibiotic because your symptoms go away and you start feeling better. If the infection is not treated completely with the full course of antibiotics, it can return.
If you have a history of frequent urinary tract infections, you may be given a prescription for antibiotics that you would take at the first onset of symptoms. Other patients may be given antibiotics to take every day, every other day, or after sexual intercourse to prevent the infection.
At-home urine tests, which you can get without a prescription, can help you decide whether you need to call your doctor. If you’re taking antibiotics for a UTI, you can test to see whether they’ve cured the infection (although you still need to finish your prescription).
How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infection Re-Infection
Following some tips can help you avoid getting another UTI:
- Empty your bladder often as soon as you feel the need to pee; don’t rush, and be sure you’ve emptied your bladder completely.
- Wipe from front to back after you use the toilet.
- Drink lots of water.
- Choose showers over baths.
- Stay away from feminine hygiene sprays, scented douches, and scented bath products; they’ll only increase irritation.
- Cleanse your genital area before sex.
- Pee after sex to flush out any bacteria that may have entered your urethra.
- If you use a diaphragm, unlubricated condoms, or spermicidal jelly for birth control, you may want to switch to another method. Diaphragms can increase bacteria growth, while unlubricated condoms and spermicides can irritate your urinary tract. All can make UTI symptoms more likely.
- Keep your genital area dry by wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes. Don’t wear tight jeans and nylon underwear; they can trap moisture, creating the perfect environment for bacteria growth.
You may want to know whether you have symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection. Read our article on Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection.
If you find any symptoms of Infection, do Consult Dr. Soumyan Dey, Best Urologist in Mumbai.
