Be aware of UTIs

If you use a diaphragm and frequently get UTI, it would be advisable that you switch to a different form of contraception.

What you need to know:

  • Infections that are treated earlier will cause you less discomfort and are easier to treat. writes Beatrice Nakibuuka
  • Not drinking enough water, using the diaphragm which usually exerts pressure on the bladder, having sex can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract to cause you an infection as well as using dirty toilet seats.

While at campus, Ritah Kyompiire suffered recurrent UTIs almost three times a year.
She would get treatment and the infection would clear in a week’s time but because she was using a dirty toilet seat, she kept picking the bacteria from the toilet seat.
“I used to share a toilet with my colleagues at the hostel and many of us suffered from the infections quite often. Now that I stay in my own house, I have more control and have not suffered the infection since then,” she says.
Women are more prone to UTIs than men due to the anatomically shorter distance between the female urethra and anus according to Dr Joseph Nsengiyumva, a gynaecologist at Bethany Women’s Hospital.

She says, “This shortens the distance the bacteria travel faster to reach the bladder. The bacteria can move from the anus towards the urethra through wiping or sexual activity and result in an infection. Women often experience recurrent infections characterised by very painful and frequent urination and pain during sex.”
UTI is one of the most common health concerns among adult women. Up to half of all women will experience a UTI sometime in their lives. UTIs commonly develop when bacteria multiply in the external genital area, then move up into the urinary tract.

UTIs usually occur in the bladder or urethra, but more serious infections involve the kidney.
Bladder infections are common and relatively easily treated, whereas kidney infections are less common but more serious. They require more intensive antibiotic treatment and follow-up tests. Hospitalization is sometimes necessary.

Causes
Dr Nsengiyumva says pregnant women are at a higher risk of getting a UTI because hormonal changes cause the bladder muscle to relax, thus delaying emptying.
Pregnant women worse still have a decreased ability to fight infections, so any UTI-causing bacteria are more likely to catch hold and cause an infection.
Not drinking enough water, using the diaphragm which usually exerts pressure on the bladder, having sex can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract to cause you an infection as well as using dirty toilet seats.

Symptoms
•Pain in your back or lower abdomen
•Bloody or strange-smelling urine
•A burning feeling when you urinate
•A frequent or intense urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do
•Fever or chills (a sign the infection may have reached your kidneys)
•Straining toward the end of urination
•Feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder
•Pelvic pain

Not everyone will have all these symptoms, and women may experience them to varying degrees. In some cases, symptoms will be unnoticeable.
Preventing a re-infection
Prevention of UTIs starts from keeping your genital area dry by wearing cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes. Tight jeans and nylon underwear trap moisture, creating a perfect environment for bacteria growth.
Empty your bladder frequently as soon as you feel the need to go; don’t rush, and be sure you’ve emptied your bladder completely.
Wipe from front to back after using the washroom in order to reduce movement of bacteria from the anus towards the urethra.