Women are at a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections than men, with UTIs accounting for a quarter of all the bacterial infections women experience. And 50-60 % of all women have at least one UTI during their lifetimes.Victor H. Cantero, MD, diagnoses UTIs and provides treatment at the Comprehensive Womens Center. To protect yourself against developing a UTI, try these tips:
Drink enough water
Drinking plenty of water each day is important not only to your overall health, but also for preventing UTIs. Water keeps urine moving through your urinary system (kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra) to aid in removing any bacteria that is present. Adequate hydration also helps dilute your urine so it’s less irritating to the body.
Stay away from irritating beverages
Water is the best beverage for UTI prevention. Drinking too much coffee or other caffeinated drinks, soda pop, alcohol, and citrus beverages can aggravate the lining of your urinary tract.
Clean your private area before sexual intercourse
In women, there’s a very small distance between the anus and the urethral opening that leads to the bladder. As a result, it’s fairly easy for bacteria from the anus and rectum to make its way into the urethra. So, it’s important to clean the skin of your perineum prior to engaging in intercourse. This helps prevent bacteria that’s sitting on the skin’s surface from being pushed into the urethra during sex.
Urinate after sexual intercourse
During sex, anal area bacteria can be deposited into the urethral area. Thus, even if your clean your skin prior to sex, during the sex act bacteria can still find its way into your urethra. If it does, the best way to get rid of it is to urinate as soon as you can after having sex to flush out any bacteria.
Wipe your private area from front to back
After urinating, wipe yourself from front to back. If you wipe from your backside forward, you risk spreading bacteria, especially Escherichia coli (also called E. coli) to your urinary tract. The urethra is the tube that leads directly to your bladder, so any bacteria that get inside can cause a UTI.
Don’t use scented feminine or bath products
Douching products, powders, and scented sprays are typically loaded with chemicals and fragrances that irritate the skin and delicate tissues of the female urinary tract, causing inflammation and itching. Using these products can cause irritation that contributes to UTIs.
Avoid irritating birth control products
Using a diaphragm, spermicide-coated condoms, or unlubricated condoms, can all play a role in harboring bacteria, causing it to build up the perineal area of women. Using water-based lubricants and other birth control methods can help reduce the chances of bacteria growing in your urinary tract.
Don’t hold it
If you have to go, then go — without delay. If you hold in your urine, it gives bacteria a chance to build up inside your bladder. Urinating frequently can help prevent bacteria from multiplying in your bladder from stagnant urine. Try to empty your bladder at least every four hours, even if you don’t feel the urge to go.
Avoid long baths
Sitting in a tub for a long time provides a pathway for bacteria in the water and from your skin, to enter your urethra. Opt for showers instead. If you must take a bath, take a short one.
Consider using tampons instead of pads
Menstrual pads create moisture near the opening to the bladder, an environment bacteria love. Tampons allow for more air to reach the urethra and help to maintain a dryer environment. Bacteria don’t thrive in dryness.
If you’re concerned you have a UTI, call Dr. Cantero at the Comprehensive Womens Center in Miramar, Florida, for an appointment. He’ll provide you with an accurate diagnosis, medical treatment to get rid of your infection, and discuss ways to prevent getting another UTI in the future.