How can I treat my Urinary tract infection?

Q: It’s almost Valentine’s Day and I have a UTI again. I seem to get them all the time. Can you give me some tips so that I don’t have to keep taking medication?

A: A urinary tract infection (UTI) has to be one of the most annoying and uncomfortable conditions around. It burns when you pee and you feel like to need to pee all the time. As I’ve seen at the clinic, some poor women even experience incontinence.

Also commonly referred to as cystitis, women are more likely to get UTIs as we age. Statistics say that while the condition affects about 10 per cent of younger women, the numbers double after menopause.

So why do we get them? The most common cause is a bacterium called E. coli. This organism is often found on the skin in the genital area, but it can also make its way up the urethra, the tube that carries the urine from the bladder to the outside. Once these bacteria are inside the urethra, they attach themselves to the inner surface of the bladder.

Conventional treatment for cystitis is based on antibiotics and since they kill the good bacteria in the body as well as the bad (remember that healthy gut bacteria that’s important for immunity?), you’re better off trying to avoid getting one in the first place. In fact, all it takes is a few basic steps.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

First up, drinking plenty of water. I know I say this a lot for a whole host of reasons, but by hydrating your body throughout the day, you’re helping to flush out organisms both in and around the urethra and bladder before they get a chance to set up camp. Aim for the usual eight glasses of water a day (two litres).

Next comes personal hygiene. Ideally, you should urinate as soon as possible after sexual intercourse. This is because sex increases the risk of the E. coli bacterium being introduced into the urethra and bladder.

You should also wash at least daily, using a mild, unscented soap (particularly important around the time of sex). Moisturisers and douches should be avoided as they can cause irritation and trap bacteria. For the same reason, you should steer clear of tight clothing and nylon underwear for long periods.

When going to the bathroom, remember to wipe from front to back, as this reduces the risk of the infection-causing organisms being brought near the urethra. Bear in mind that several sexually transmitted diseases can also contribute to UTIs.

The last cause is something you can’t do anything about: aging. It appears that as women age, the tissues of the vagina, urethra and bladder can become thinner and more fragile due to the loss of oestrogen. This in turn can set the scene for the wrong sort of bacteria to multiply.

While there is evidence to suggest that women using the oestrogen cream have significantly fewer infections, this is not a treatment I would recommend.

Some studies have suggested that oestrogen therapy can increase the risk of certain conditions, including breast and uterine cancers.
One popular natural remedy if you do succumb, however, is cranberry. Cranberries contains substances called proanthocyanidins which help to prevent the E. coli bacterium sticking to the bladder wall.

This is why a number of women swear by cranberry juice. Do make sure you buy a low sugar variety as the sugar will make the bacteria situation worse. Cranberry supplements are also available.

The writer is a clinical nutritionist and certified by the Nutritional Therapy Council in the UK. Please direct any questions about family nutrition to her on [email protected]