Urinary tract infections are one of the biggest problems men and even more women. Even though they are not fatal, they are very common and if they get bad enough can cause long term damage. They are the second most common type of infection in the human body that sends millions of people to their doctors every year throughout the world.
Women suffer from UTIs far more than men do due to their shorter urethra so bacteria has less distance to travel to get into the bladder. It is 50% more likely for a woman to develop a urinary tract infection during her lifetime compared to men and a fifth of the women that do develop a urinary tract infection have recurrent events and suffer from three or more UTIs per year.
It basically means that urinary tract infections are a problem for both men and women. However, they are not something that is untreatable. This article outlines the best ways to treat a UTI or prevent a urinary tract infection from happening.
The Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections
What causes a urinary tract infection is a bacteria that many people are familiar with – the Escherichia coli (E.coli) which is normally found in our intestinal tract. When E.Coli comes into contact with the urethra and starts to multiple, a UTI starts to form, usually from incorrect wiping or sexual intercourse.
The first signs of a potential UTI are burning with urination, frequent urges to urinate, lower abdominal pain or aching, blood in the urine or cloudy urine.
How To Prevent Urinary Tract Infections Or Recurrent UTIs
The best way to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections are to always keep hydrated and drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Also, you should make sure to empty your bladder soon after intercourse.
If you are using birth control and suffering from a lot of UTIs, you should change your method – only because diaphragms or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms can all contribute to the growth of bacteria in your urinary tract.
Women should make sure to wipe from front to back. That way, they can prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the urethra and vagina. In fact, a UTI happens with either bacteria getting pushed into the urethra or bacteria already being located in the bladder multiplying to unhealthy levels.
Both men and women should never hold urine in their bladder and if you want to be extra careful when it comes to UTIs, a lot of health professionals also suggest avoiding douching and choosing contraceptives wisely.
What Happens If You Already Have UTI?
The best way to effectively treat urinary tract infections can be without antibiotics. A lot of health experts advise people on using D-mannose as the best way to treat a urinary tract infection. And even though UTIs are a serious disorder, D-mannose is a safe way even for long-term use to treat the urinary tract infection.
Although D-mannose is also found in cranberry juice, peaches, berries, apples and some other plants – its levels in these fruits and drinks are significantly less which make it less effective. Pure D-mannose, on the other hand, is about 10 to 50 times stronger than cranberry, is non-toxic and completely safe to use.