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What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?
A UTI is an infection anywhere in the urinary tract.* Your urinary tract includes the
organs that collect and store urine and release it from your body. They are the
kidneys
ureters
bladder
urethra
Kidney. Your kidneys collect wastes and extra water from your blood to make urine.
Ureter. The ureters carry the urine from your kidneys to your bladder.
Bladder. Your bladder stores the urine and squeezes it out when full.
Urethra. The urethra carries the urine out of your bladder when you urinate.
Prostate. The prostate adds fluid to semen.
What causes a UTI?
Usually, a UTI is caused by bacteria that can also live in the digestive tract, in the vagina,
or around the urethra, which is at the entrance to the urinary tract. Most often these
bacteria enter the urethra and travel to the bladder and kidneys. Usually, your body
removes the bacteria, and you have no symptoms. However, some people seem to be
prone to infection, including women and older people.
Normal urine is sterile. It contains fluids, salts, and waste products, but it is free of
bacteria, viruses, and fungi. An infection occurs when microorganisms, usually bacteria
from the digestive tract, cling to the opening of the urethra and begin to multiply. Most
infections arise from one type of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), which normally lives
in the colon.
In most cases, bacteria first begin growing in the urethra. An infection limited to the
urethra is called urethritis. From there bacteria often move on to the bladder, causing a
bladder infection (cystitis). If the infection is not treated promptly, bacteria may then go
up the ureters to infect the kidneys (pyelonephritis).
Microorganisms called Chlamydia and Mycoplasma may also cause UTIs in both men
and women, but these infections tend to remain limited to the urethra and reproductive
system. Unlike E. coli, Chlamydia and Mycoplasma may be sexually transmitted, and
infections require treatment of both partners.
The urinary system is structured in a way that helps ward off infection. The ureters and
bladder normally prevent urine from backing up toward the kidneys, and the flow of
urine from the bladder helps wash bacteria out of the body. In men, the prostate gland
produces secretions that slow bacterial growth. In both sexes, immune defenses also
prevent infection. But despite these safeguards, infections still occur.
Women are more likely to get UTIs than men are.
Will UTIs come back?
Sometimes. Most healthy women don't have repeat infections. However, about one out of
every five women who get a UTI will get another one. Some women get three or more
UTIs a year. Men frequently get repeat infections. Anyone who has diabetes or a problem
that makes it difficult to urinate may get repeat infections.
If you get repeat infections, talk with your doctor about special treatment plans. Your
doctor may refer you to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in urinary problems. Your
doctor may have you take antibiotics over a longer period to help prevent repeat
infections. Some doctors give patients who get frequent UTIs a supply of antibiotics to be
taken at the first sign of infection. Make sure you understand what your doctor tells you
about taking the antibiotic and do exactly that.
Men may need to take antibiotics for a longer time. Bacteria can hide deep in prostate
tissue. Men shouldn't take their spouse's pills and think they will cure the infection. See a
doctor for treatment that fits your needs.
Is there a vaccine to prevent recurrent UTIs?
In the future, scientists may develop a vaccine that can prevent UTIs from coming back.
Researchers in different studies have found that children and women who tend to get
UTIs repeatedly are likely to lack proteins called immunoglobulins, which fight
infection. Children and women who do not get UTIs are more likely to have normal
levels of immunoglobulins in their genital and urinary tracts.
Early tests indicate that a vaccine helps patients build up their own natural infectionfighting
powers. The dead bacteria in the vaccine do not spread like an infection; instead,
they prompt the body to produce antibodies that can later fight against live organisms.
Researchers are testing injected and oral vaccines to see which works best. Another
method being considered for women is to apply the vaccine directly as a suppository in
the vagina.
If you are sick and tired of your pain and suffering from bladder infections, urinary tract
infections or cystitis please visit our website
About the Author
Marguerite Palmeri is a medical researcher that found a great cure for bladder infections please visit the website to learn more on how you can cure your bladder infections and Urinary Track Infections from home using all natural ingredients!
http://www.bladderinfectionremedy.com
http://www.aaarticles.com/article.php?id=8495