Who is at Risk of Developing a UTIs?
Even though it is quite challenging to point out who is suffering from what, but some people are more likely to have a few conditions different as compared to the others. We are going to discuss about Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). UTI can be treated with mild medication, if diagnosed at early stages.
Let’s understand what factors cause an individual to suffer from UTI.
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Holding pee for long duration
Holding pee for a long time puts at the risk of UTI. The same holds true for People having spinal cord injuries; and certain other damaged nerves around the bladder may find it difficult to empty the bladder entirely. The residual amount of urine in the bladder promotes bacterial growth and enhance the chances of getting a UTI.
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Enlarged prostate or Kidney Stone
Any abnormality in the flow of the urine can cause a UTI to onset. Enlarged prostate and kidney stones are some of the reasons contributing to the same. The people having diabetes belong to this very category and thus are advised to take special care of their kidneys.
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Sex
Sex is yet another major factor for the same. People who are sexually active are at more risk of having a UTI as compared to a person who is not. Having sex increases the number of bacteria developing in the urinary bladder, especially in case of women. But thankfully, the body, usually cleans these pathogens within next 24 hours.
The problems begin when the bacteria manage to stick to the lining of the urinary tract and it becomes more difficult for the body to perform its function.
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Certain birth controls
Using a birth control is advised to keep STDs at bay, but some birth control means can actually promote UTIs. It is true especially while using certain spermicides and condoms, which creates irritation in skin and allows the bacteria to spread into the surrounding regions as well.
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Catheters or tubes
Some reasons of UTI originate from the medical facilities itself. Certain conditions make an individual unable to urinate normally. Usually these patients are helped with catheters and tubes to facilitate urination. Use of catheter for more than a day can elevate the chances of UTIs greatly as these probes promote the growth of bacteria within the ureter and the bladder.
Hospitals often recommend to limit the usage of catheters until it is absolutely necessary.
What Is UTI And How Serious Can It Get If Not Treated On Right Time?
Each of the organs plays an important role in the overall functioning of the body. One of such organ system is the Urinary System. It removes the toxic fluid from the body. It comprises of kidneys, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra. Almost every individual suffers from some kind of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) at least once in their lifetime. The same can be treated in hospitals.
What is UTI?
UTI is any infection related to the urinary system. The primary pathogen for most of the UTI is E. coli. It resides in the bowel. Other major pathogens are Chlamydia and Mycoplasma. Non-pathogenic factors could be responsible for the same as well. This includes the use of catheter for a long duration.
Most of the UTIs affect the reproductive system and urethra, but spares the bladder. Since several of the UTIs are sexually transmitted, it is usually treated to couple in hospitals.
How serious can it get?
Usually UTIs are not very threatening. The immune system of the body deals with it on its own. Most of the infecting bacteria are flushed out of the system within 24 hours. But sometimes, these pathogens latch itself onto the inner lining of the uterus.
If effective treatment is not availed on time from a good and experienced urologist in Kolkata, it gets transformed into something more serious. Chronic kidney infection is most likely to occur for most of the UTI. Chronic kidney infection for a prolong period can ultimately cause permanent damage such as poor kidney function, kidney scar and high pressure in the kidney.
The most fatal condition that may arise is when the pathogens enter the bloodstream. This condition is called septicemia. Only an effective treatment from an experienced doctor, in the initial curable stage can save the life of the patient. It mostly comes down from oral medication to surgery.
Curing UTIs may sometimes get tricky; mainly due to the fact that often the primary source of infection remains out of treatment and the infection keeps recurring along with the treatment. Also, a person with a history of UTI is often more prone to develop UTI in the future. In this regard, several precautions and measures must be taken at the same time to ensure effective recovery.