Author: Marguerite Palmeri

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 nnot 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

This entry was posted on Friday, July 8th, 2005 at 9:16 am and is filed under Home Remedies, Herbal Cures, and Alternative Medicine. Both comments and pings are currently closed.