There must not be something more frustrating and annoying than an infection at your urinary tract during your summer holidays. But what can cause such a problem and how are you going to be protected? We have all the answers for you.
Urinary infection is caused when germs enter and multiply in the urinary system and "attack" the urethra, bladder, prostate, ureters, and kidneys. The most "usual suspect" is coliform E. coli.
Cystitis – that is the infection of the bladder - is the most common one and, as a rule, is not dangerous.
When the germs pass into the upper urinary tract, namely the ureters and kidneys, then we have a more serious infection, pyelonephritis, which can be severe and accompanied by complications that requires aggressive antimicrobial treatment and hospitalization.
Research has shown that most women, at some point in their lives will face with a urinary infection. However, the problem occurs more in women as, due to anatomy, the female urinary system is more vulnerable than that of men.
In particular, the urethra in women is shorter in length, resulting in germs reaching the bladder more easily, while the urethra is closer to the anal area than in men.
Turbid urine, urine that smells, or pain when urinating are not symptoms linked to urinary tract infection, but usually involve other diseases or inflammations of the female vagina.
Symptoms that should alert you, are:
- Strong tingling and burning sensation during urination.
- Frequent urination. In this case, the woman feels that she wants to go to the toilet all the time, while expelling a small amount of urine.
- The feeling of heaviness and pain low in the abdomen.
- Hematuria. More serious symptom, which however may be a sign of another urinary problem.
- Fever. A symptom that indicates a more severe form of urinary tract infection as, when the germs pass into the bloodstream then the body temperature rises.
If you suffer from any or all the above symptoms, a urine culture and an antibiogram, sometimes and ultrasound of the urinary tract, will help the urologist to suggest the correct antibiotics and treatment which, depending on the case (i.e., simple cystitis) will last from 3-5 days or at least two weeks (for more severe urinary tract infection).
At the beginning of infection, it is advisable to drink plenty of fluids to help expel germs from the bladder through urination.
However, an easy and pleasant way to be in general protected against urinary tract infections, is to include cranberry juice and D – mannose in your daily routine.
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Many studies have shown that the juice of the cranberries prevents the bacteria that cause the infection from settling in the bladder, while it also has a very mild antibiotic effect.
At the same time, D – mannose is a substance produced by our own organism and reacts in a unique way to the strain of E.coli, to which 95% of urinary infections are credited. D-mannose is a simple blood sugar which, when consumed in pill form, combined with plenty of water, helps our body to easily expel the germ from the bladder.
Urinary tract infection during summer
A combination of factors which usually occurs during summer, can cause urinary tract infection. Firstly, the various microbes which we are faced at the beach, the sea or the swimming pools, are capable of attacking our organism.
Furthermore, the bad habit of not changing our wet swimsuit favors the growth of bacteria, as high temperatures and humidity weaken the body's natural defense mechanisms.
In addition, during summer we travel more, so we are more often forced to use communal toilets while the practice of delaying urination to get in a "safer" environment, ultimately works destructively for the body.
For this, it is advisable during the holidays to,
- consume plenty of fluids (at least two to three liters per day),
- avoid dirty or crowded beaches and swimming pools,
- immediately change the wet swimsuit after bathing,
- do not place your towel directly on the sand,
- to use cotton underwear,
- take care of your personal hygiene,
- not to postpone urination at all,
- to use a condom during the sexual act,
- take care of urination and cleanliness after sexual intercourse and be careful in the communal toilets.
In addition to these, however, the main rule that you must follow throughout your life is the observance of strict hygiene rules after each visit to the toilet and during the period.
Adopt the practice, when wiping, to make movements from front to back so as not to transfer germs from the anus to the urethra.
For women who are in menopause, in which case the vagina also shows atrophy and dryness that favor the development of urinary tract infection, the specialist will guide them how to avoid relapses.
