How to deal with bladder infections

The most common urine infection is cystitis, a.k.a. bladder infection. Over 50% of all women will experience at least one UTI in their lifetime, with 20 to 30% of them experiencing a recurrent condition. Nearly 85% of the infections are caused by E. Coli which is an intestinal bacterium.

Women, children and the elderly are more susceptible to this infection than young men. It can start as an acute reaction but it can also become a chronic condition that is treated with the long-term use of antibiotics.

Why women and not men?

Women’s urogenital organs are open, therefore, they may come into direct contact with bacteria on a surface, if seated. This is because they are built to give birth to a child. Men’s urogenital organs are the exact opposite, they are closed and create a sterile system, therefore, they suffer less from urine infections.

All this changes as men grow older. Older men often have prostate problems, which creates urine stasis that allows the accumulation and growth of germs in the system.

The symptoms

Common symptoms include a strong, frequent urge to urinate and a painful and burning sensation when urinating. 

How can you get a UTI?

You can get a UTI from unsanitary public toilets, sexual contact, unclean hands, clothes, incorrect intimate cleansing, sauna visits, swimming pools, borrowed swimsuits etc. All things that have direct contact with the vagina can be the cause of bladder infections.

Can you prevent getting a UTI?

There are a few things you can do to try and prevent getting one. For instance:

• Correct intimate cleansing
• Not using borrowed clothes or swimsuits
• Adhering to some basic hygiene rules when using public toilets and saunas

There are also some medicinal herbs that can be taken in the form of tea or as concentrated tinctures, depending on the infection’s stage and the type of bacteria that caused it. Both reduce the germs’ population.

Depending on the stage of infection, there are certain supplements that you can take that help treat a UTI, for instance, probiotics.

Also, make sure to drink enough water! Most people don’t drink enough, especially in the winter- they forget to drink properly. Drinking the right amount of water helps to prevent and cure the infection.