What to do if you have a urinary tract infection

In the hot summer, urinary tract infection is a common pain for many women. Urinary tract infection will not only cause discomfort, itching and pain in the private parts, but also produce odor, which is very unpleasant. Especially for women who love beauty, it is such an unspeakable secret that many women don’t know what to do, especially it will affect the couple’s life. In short, the harm of urinary tract infection is very great.

Therefore, if you have a urinary tract infection, you must treat it in time. So if you really have a urinary tract infection, how should you treat it? How can you minimize the harm of urinary tract infection to women?

(1) Pay attention to mind-body regulation. The modern medical model has shifted from the traditional biomedical model to the social psychomedical model, and psychotherapy has gradually been valued by everyone. The causes of urinary tract infections in the elderly are more complicated. Emotional fluctuations, such as anger, sadness, and irritability, can induce or aggravate urinary tract infections. For many elderly people with chronic urinary tract infections, if they can keep a good mood and relieve tension, they can often alleviate their symptoms, reduce recurrences, and eventually recover. Secondly, you should participate in more sports activities that are suitable for the elderly, such as qigong, tai chi, brisk walking, jogging, etc., to enhance your physical fitness, improve the body's defense function, and thus reduce the chance of bacteria invading the body.

(2) Keep your vagina clean. The vulva is moist and has a lot of secretions, making it the area where bacteria are most likely to grow and multiply. In addition, bacteria are the most common pathogens causing urinary tract infections. Therefore, keeping the vulva clean and hygienic is one of the most effective ways to prevent urinary tract infections. It is required to wash the vulva with warm water every day, or with 1:10000 potassium permanganate solution. Men with long foreskin are also prone to urinary tract infections and must be cleaned daily to keep them clean.

(3) Strengthen dietary adjustments. Elderly people are often physically weak and have low disease resistance, which often becomes the pathological basis for recurrent and prolonged urinary tract infections. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen dietary adjustments while giving drug treatment. During the remission period, it is advisable to eat more nourishing and kidney-benefiting foods, such as lean meat, fish, shrimp, fungus, etc., to strengthen the physical fitness and improve the body's immunity. During the attack period, eat mainly light, easily digestible and nutritious food, drink more light tea or boiled water, eat some Qi-invigorating, detoxifying and diuretic foods, such as mung bean soup, winter melon soup, pears, etc.; eat less spinach, because spinach contains more oxalic acid, oxalic acid and calcium combine to form insoluble calcium oxalate, which is easy to form stones in patients with chronic urinary tract infections. Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking, and do not eat spicy and stimulating foods such as chili peppers, garlic, spices, etc.

Why are women more susceptible to urinary tract infection? Urinary tract infection is a disease in which bacteria enter the urinary system, grow and multiply, leading to inflammation. Various survey data show that among adults, women suffer from urinary tract infections significantly more than men. Why is this so? How should we prevent various causes of disease? This is a matter of great concern to many people, especially female compatriots. Here is a point-by-point analysis, hoping it will be helpful to the readers.

First, due to the special structure of the female urinary and reproductive system, the female urethra is shorter and wider than the male urethra, making it easier for bacteria to enter. Therefore, women should enhance their awareness of self-protection.

Second, the female urethral opening is close to the vagina and anus, while the male urethral opening is far away from the perineum and there is a "spatial distance", so it is less likely to get urinary tract infection. The female urethra is very close to the vagina and anus. There are a large number of bacteria around the vagina and anus. Vaginal secretions are also a good culture medium, making it easier for bacteria to reproduce. Therefore, the way for women to prevent urinary tract infections is to clean frequently and minimize the number of bacteria. To reduce the chance of disease.

3. Menstruation and sexual activity. Menstrual blood is the best culture medium for bacteria. Menstrual hygiene, especially the cleaning and disinfection of menstrual products, is an important part of reducing bacterial invasion. Sexual intercourse can push bacteria from the anterior urethra into the posterior urethra and bladder through mechanical pushing action. There are some clinical cases where the disease occurred after sexual intercourse, which illustrates this point. Sexual activity is an important part of married life. Of course, it is impossible to "throw the baby out with the bathwater". However, in cases where the disease recurs and the cause is related to sexual activity, appropriate abstinence is appropriate. It is more important to take the following measures: drink a cup of boiled water before sex to increase urine volume; go to the toilet to urinate after sex to flush and discharge the bacteria pushed in by sexual action before it invades the mucosal tissue. If these two methods still fail to prevent urinary tract infection, you can take antibacterial drugs once after sex (the specific drugs and dosage are guided by the doctor). The prevention effect is ideal and the side effects are minimal.

Fourth, during pregnancy, the enlarged uterus will press against the bladder and ureters. Endocrine changes also cause the ureteral dilation and peristalsis to slow down, causing a slow urine flow or the formation of a mild effusion. This situation also facilitates bacterial invasion and reproduction, causing disease. In the past, some people used antibiotics for prevention, but this method is not advisable. Because the misuse of antibiotics may have certain negative effects on the mother and fetus, not to mention the long ten months of pregnancy, it is difficult to prevent. The author believes that the safest way is to observe closely, check urine regularly, and seek timely treatment once any abnormality is discovered.

5. Holding urine is a common bad habit among women. This will lead to two adverse consequences. First, urine stays in the bladder for a long time. If a small amount of bacteria invade, they have more time to multiply and invade the tissues. Second, when the bladder is full, the pressure increases, and urine will flow back up to the ureter. If bacteria have already invaded, they will be sent to a position further upstream, causing pyelonephritis. The solution is of course not to hold your urine, and you should even develop a good habit of urinating frequently.

Finally, I would like to remind all my female friends that if you have a urinary tract infection, you must seek timely treatment to avoid greater harm. Of course, daily prevention is also very important. You must maintain good personal private hygiene to better promote the health of the urinary tract.