Overview
Female urinary system
Female urinary system
Your urinary system — which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — is creditworthy for removing waste from your body through urine. Your kidneys, located toward the back in your upper abdomen, produce urine by filtering waste and fluent from your rake. That urine then travels through your ureters to your bladder, where the urine is stored until you can eliminate it at an allow time .
Male urinary system
Male urinary system
Your urinary system — which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra — is responsible for removing waste from your body through urine. Your kidneys, located toward the bet on in your upper berth abdomen, produce urine by filtering consume and fluid from your blood. That urine then travels through your ureters to your bladder, where the urine is stored until you can eliminate it at an appropriate clock time.
A urinary tract infection ( UTI ) is an contagion in any separate of your urinary system — your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract — the bladder and the urethra .
Women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. infection limited to your bladder can be irritating and annoying. however, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys .
Doctors typically treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics. But you can take steps to reduce your chances of getting a UTI in the first seat .
Symptoms
urinary tract infections do n’t always cause signs and symptoms, but when they do they may include :
- A strong, persistent urge to urinate
- A burning sensation when urinating
- Passing frequent, small amounts of urine
- Urine that appears cloudy
- Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine
- Strong-smelling urine
- Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone
UTIs may be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions in older adults .
Types of urinary tract infection
Each type of UTI may result in more-specific signs and symptoms, depending on which part of your urinary tract is infected .
| Part of urinary tract affected | Signs and symptoms |
|---|---|
| Kidneys (acute pyelonephritis) |
|
| Bladder (cystitis) |
|
| Urethra (urethritis) |
|
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor if you have signs and symptoms of a UTI .
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Causes
urinary tract infections typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. Although the urinary arrangement is designed to keep out such microscopic invaders, these defenses sometimes fail. When that happens, bacteria may take hold and grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract .
The most coarse UTIs occur chiefly in women and affect the bladder and urethra .
-
Infection of the bladder (cystitis). This type of UTI is normally caused by Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), a character of bacteria normally found in the gastrointestinal ( GI ) tract. however, sometimes other bacteria are responsible .
sexual sexual intercourse may lead to cystitis, but you do n’t have to be sexually active to develop it. All women are at risk of cystitis because of their anatomy — specifically, the short circuit distance from the urethra to the anus and the urethral opening to the bladder . - Infection of the urethra (urethritis). This type of UTI can occur when GI bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra. Also, because the female urethra is close to the vagina, sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia and mycoplasma, can cause urethritis.
Risk factors
urinary nerve pathway infections are coarse in women, and many women experience more than one infection during their lifetimes. risk factors specific to women for UTIs include :
- Female anatomy. A woman has a shorter urethra than a man does, which shortens the distance that bacteria must travel to reach the bladder.
- Sexual activity. Sexually active women tend to have more UTIs than do women who aren’t sexually active. Having a new sexual partner also increases your risk.
- Certain types of birth control. Women who use diaphragms for birth control may be at higher risk, as well as women who use spermicidal agents.
- Menopause. After menopause, a decline in circulating estrogen causes changes in the urinary tract that make you more vulnerable to infection.
other gamble factors for UTIs include :
- Urinary tract abnormalities. Babies born with urinary tract abnormalities that don’t allow urine to leave the body normally or cause urine to back up in the urethra have an increased risk of UTIs.
- Blockages in the urinary tract. Kidney stones or an enlarged prostate can trap urine in the bladder and increase the risk of UTIs.
- A suppressed immune system. Diabetes and other diseases that impair the immune system — the body’s defense against germs — can increase the risk of UTIs.
- Catheter use. People who can’t urinate on their own and use a tube (catheter) to urinate have an increased risk of UTIs. This may include people who are hospitalized, people with neurological problems that make it difficult to control their ability to urinate and people who are paralyzed.
- A recent urinary procedure. Urinary surgery or an exam of your urinary tract that involves medical instruments can both increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infection.
Complications
When treated promptly and by rights, lower urinary nerve pathway infections rarely lead to complications. But left untreated, a urinary tract infection can have serious consequences .
Complications of a UTI may include :
- Recurrent infections, especially in women who experience two or more UTIs in a six-month period or four or more within a year.
- Permanent kidney damage from an acute or chronic kidney infection (pyelonephritis) due to an untreated UTI.
- Increased risk in pregnant women of delivering low birth weight or premature infants.
- Urethral narrowing (stricture) in men from recurrent urethritis, previously seen with gonococcal urethritis.
- Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection, especially if the infection works its way up your urinary tract to your kidneys.
Prevention
You can take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary nerve pathway infections :
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you’ll urinate more frequently — allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin.
- Drink cranberry juice. Although studies are not conclusive that cranberry juice prevents UTIs, it is likely not harmful.
- Wipe from front to back. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra.
- Empty your bladder soon after intercourse. Also, drink a full glass of water to help flush bacteria.
- Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra.
- Change your birth control method. Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.
