Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the leading health problems faced by women worldwide. It is estimated that about 40% of women (and 12% of men) will suffer at least one UTI in their lifetime and 20 to 30 percent of those who have had one will suffer recurrent bouts. Just as some people are more prone to colds than others, some people are more prone to UTIs. According to the National Institute of Health UTIs cause more than 8 million visits to health care providers each year. Clearly, this is a real problem.
What causes a urinary tract infection?
Normal urine has no bacteria in it, and the one-way flow helps prevent infections. However, large numbers of bacteria live in the rectal area and on the skin. Bacteria may get into the urine from the urethra and travel into the bladder causing a urinary tract infection. The bacteria may even travel up to the kidney. Kidney infection is much less common and much more serious than bladder infection. But no matter how far they go, bacteria in the urinary tract can cause problems.
What happens when you have a urinary tract infection?
When you have an infection the lining of the urethra and bladder become red and irritated (much like what happens to your sore throat when you get a cold). This irritation can cause pain in the belly area and also in the pelvic area. A UTI can also lead to a kidney infection which causes back pain and fever and can become a serious illness which needs to be treated at once in order to prevent a spread to the bloodstream, which can become life threatening. (To learn more refer to the Urology Care Foundation at www.urologyhealth.org).
How is a urinary tract infection treated?
Treatment for UTIs is generally with antibiotics, of which there are several choices and your medical professional will determine which type to use and the length of the treatment necessary (generally three to five days).
Some home remedies may or may not be helpful, but they include drinking plenty of water and avoiding spicy foods, coffee and alcohol, all of which can irritate the bladder. There is also some indication that drinking cranberry juice may be helpful. Use of a heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen may also ease the discomfort.
What are the pros and cons of antibiotic treatment of UTI?
The spiraling costs of antibiotic therapy, the appearance of multi-resistant bacteria and, more importantly for patients and clinicians, unsatisfactory therapeutic options in recurrent urinary tract infection (RUTI) calls for alternative and advanced medical solutions. So far, no effective means to successfully prevent painful and disabling RUTI has been found. Even though long-term oral antibiotic treatment has been used with some success as a therapeutic option, this is no longer guaranteed due to the development of bacterial resistance. And, while long-term oral antibiotic treatment may help reduce the number of UTIs, it may also increase the risk of adverse effects, including digestive problems, rashes and vaginal fungal infections.
Are there healthy alternatives to prevent or treat UTIs?
A healthy alternative to preventing or treating urinary tract infections would avoid the selective development of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains while restoring a balanced microbial flora and enhancing the defense mechanism of the human body.
The use of live microorganisms (probiotics) which are naturally hosted by the human body to prevent and treat recurrent complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) is one promising alternative. Human normal bacterial flora is increasingly recognized as an important defense to infection. Since the advent of antibiotic treatment some 50 years ago, a clear relationship between antibiotic use and reduction in bad bacteria has become established. But with the use of antibiotics the beneficial bacterial flora hosted by the human body is destroyed and bad bacteria are selectively enabled to overgrow on internal and external surfaces.
Since the benign bacterial flora is crucial for body function and overgrowth with harmful microorganisms leads to illness, the concept of supporting the human body’s normal flora with live microorganisms (probiotics) which confer a beneficial health effect is an important medical strategy. The evidence suggests that replenishing naturally occurring bacteria with probiotic products could help prevent the recurrence of urinary tract infections by keeping “bad” bacteria from growing in the vagina. These probiotic products contain colonies of “good” bacteria that help maintain a healthy balance.
Where can probiotics be found?
Probiotics are available in supplements and in fermented foods such as plain Greek yogurt, cheese, and a drink called kefir, or you can use probiotics capsules or powders. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 (previously called L. fermentum RC-14) seemed to be the most effective among the studied lactobacilli for the prevention of UTIs.
You can find Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 at Amazon.
