Gruesome, painful subject!
How do you know it’s a bladder infection? You feel the need to pee a lot, but when you try not much happens and it burns! 5 out of 10 women will have a bladder infection, men can get them but its rare. It is one of the most common infections a doctor treats. Many women will have multiple infections and its not uncommon for a woman to have 1 or 2 a year.
Whats the cause? A bacteria known as E. coli that take up residence in the vagina and consequently make their way to the urethra, the tube through which urine flows. In the vagina, the bacteria are no problem. Trouble only starts when they enter the urinary tract. The bacteria is normally present in all women, and all women who get urinary tract infections are no different from any other women. For reasons no one seems to understand some women are just more susceptible to them than others. A bladder infection is really an infection of the urine itself and the effect on you is usually relatively minor. The bacteria irritate the wall of the bladder, in most cases its the bladders equivalent of a bad sunburn.
So what to do?
Drink lots of fluids! Because it burns when you pee, some will try not to drink. However this makes the problem much worse. E. coli doubles its population every 20 minutes so the more you drink the faster you flush out the bacteria and the faster you feel better. Hint: if your urine’s clear, you’re drinking enough, if it’s colored, you’re not.
Take a hot bath: hot baths seem to relieve pain associated with inflammation and it couldn’t hurt
Take aspirin or ibuprofen: these anti inflammatory can reduce the inflammation in the bladder. The less inflammation, the less pain
Take Vitamin C: about 1,000 milligrams taken throughout the day will acidify the urine enough to interfere with bacterial growth. If you’re having a problem with reinfection or have a recurrence in the middle of no where without access to medical help, try this. However some antibiotics prescribed for bladder infections dont work well in acidic urine, so tell your doctor you’re taking vitamin c and how much you’re taking.
Wipe from front to back – when using the toilet always clean yourself from the front to the back. It just keeps bacteria away from where you don’t want it
Go to the bathroom before and after intercourse - Going to the bathroom before intercourse helps to flush out the bacteria that might be pushed into the bladder during intercourse. Going to the bathroom after intercourse effectively “rinses” the bladder out. Going to the bathroom will flush most bacteria out of the bladder. It’s actually a common built in need in the womans body to feel the need to pee after intercourse, this is why!
Reconsider the diaphragm – bacteria colonize the diaphragm itself, which is then inserted deep into the vagina, and the diaphragm interferes with bladder emptying. If you’re prone to bladder infections, reconsider the diaphragm
Use pads instead of tampons – no one is certain why tampon users are more susceptible to infection, but if your infections are chronic, think pads
Practice good hygiene – wear cotton underwear, it keeps you dry. Avoid tight pants that decrease ventilation. Bathe, stay clean but don’t obsess about it. Too much bathing can be as bad as too little. Bodies have a normal, natural amount of good bacteria that keeps you healthy, let it be. However if you have odor, are not changing your underwear, repeat infections, consider bathing more.
Caution! – Here are 4 major symptoms that should send you straight to the doctor no matter if its the 1st or the 5th infection you’ve had.
Blood in the urine – Pain in the lower back or flank – Fever – Nausea or vomiting
These can be symptoms of a more serious infection and can develop into more serious problems with the kidneys. So if you have any of the above symptoms, get to your doctor.