Today I awoke at 1am to find a searing pain in my urinary tract and the strong urge to pee. When I went to the toilet, it was painful (think stinging) and afterwards my whole nether region was throbbing and irritated. I went back to bed, in pain and having chills. I woke up again an hour later to pee. An hour after that, the sensation was so strong I got up out of bed, peed of course, drank some Ural and stayed up googling when I could get my next doctor's visit so I could get antibiotics... The next available appointment was next Tuesday. After that, 6 WEEKS. So I decided to sit down, write out all the information I have on preventative care, how to treat it and why it keeps happening. Before we continue, it is important to note that not all bacteria is bad for us. In fact, we live with a culture of different bacteria's on our skin and in our gut that prevents skin infections and allows digestion...
WHAT & WHY A Urinary Tract Infection is just that--a bacterial overgrowth or infection in the urinary tract, meaning in the urethra (pee canal), up to the bladder and even all the way up to kidneys if not treated right away. They occur more frequently in women as we have a shorter distance from our urethra to our vagina and anus (think: half the distance of a man's).
So why is the flora of our urinary tract so sensitive? Personally, I think it is because of the complexity of our organs. We are graced with the gift of creating life, and with great power comes great responsibility. You can contract the overgrowth of bacteria from a lack of hygiene in general, our diet, foreign substances.
DETECTION:
A UTI's most common symptoms are:
- stinging, burning, heat and throbbing before, during and after urinating
- bladder cramps
- lower back pain (not muscular, in the kidney region--it is important to go to the ER if this is bad)
- discomfort and irritability in the vulva
I am not a health care professional and encourage you to see your GP for information related to any illness or injury.
HOW TO PREVENT
If you're like me, urinary tract infections have been frequent, but not frequent enough for a doctor to refer you to a urologist. I personally don't think we should be suffering every 7 or so months and be told that's "normal." So I have changed many things about the way I live in order to still enjoy my life.
Lifestyle:
- Organic Tampons and Pads. Why? Regular pads and tampons are dyed with lots of nasty chemicals and perfumes, which can not only upset our urinary tract but our vaginal flora (side note: the first IUD's that were ever invented had a string so long that they led out of the vagina--like a tampon--and women died because bacteria from the outside world was able to travel upwards. NUTS)
- COTTON underwear. Why? Whilst beautiful lingerie may appeal to most people, they aren't always breathable. Allowing our vulva's room to breathe prevents nasty bacteria getting trapped in the underwear and breeding elsewhere...
- Get out of activewear ASAP and shower. Why? For the same reason above. Most activewear or the underwear you might wear underneath is not breathable AND, to add to this point, you have just sweated. Sweat carries bacteria. This one should explain itself.
- Check food labels. Why? Pre-mix sauces and dressings and packaged food all usually contain a higher sugar level than you'd think. When you check labels, you realise how much shit is in food that you didn't know was in there. Our diet affects our internal bacterial balance. You'll read what you should look out for below.
- Wash your hands before using a tampon and before sex. Why? I don't think I need to explain this to you. If you have any recollection of where your hands have been throughout the day, even just using your phone and where your phone has been, you'll understand why this is important.
- Use a more natural method birth control. Why? Fake hormones can affect the state of your body in many ways, including your susceptibility to urinary tract infections. Try the Fertility Awareness Method or do some research.
Sex:
- ALWAYS pee and rinse after any sexual activity. Why? There is so much bacteria involved in sexual activity, and in order to combat that, urinating allows the contents of the pee to flush out bacteria. Most times that isn't enough. Whether you choose to hop in the shower or rinse our your lady parts another way is up to you, but I recommend this each time.
- Use a neutral pH water-based lubricant. Why? It reduces your risk of infection AND feels much more like your natural wettness. Our urinary tract doesn't like anything that alters our pH balance too much.
- Avoid condoms and lubes that are flavoured or contain spermicide. Again, our body hates the disruption of the pH balances, particularly with nasty chemicals.
Diet:
- Vitamin C. Why? It does wonders for the immune system and helps fight of infection. You can source this in supplement form from the grocery story or health store, drink sugar-free cranberry juice and can even add more fruit in, but all in moderation, as the acidity in vitamin c foods and supplements can worsen symptoms if you ingest too much.
- A probiotic. Why? (NOT to be taken whilst taking antibiotics). A probiotic, one specifically for urinary tract health, will contain Lactobacillus Acidopholus. According to the National Institutes of Health, L. acidophilus' most reliable use is in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. You can find these in probiotic supplements and sometimes in natural yoghurt. Read the label.
- Avoid refined carbs, sugar and sugar enzymes (like lactose). Why? Carbohydrates cause inflammation, which our body reacts do via an immune response, cause spikes in our blood sugar and helps yeast to thrive in our body. Eating a balanced diet, mostly fresh with lots of healthy fats (think avocado, nuts) and protein.
- Switch from dairy to plant protein. Why? This is up for debate, but particularly with thrush, which is a yeast infection, the sugars in the dairy products (an enzyme called lactose) can aid the development of more bacteria associated with infections. Think: almond milk and yoghurt, macadamia milk, coconut milk (these are the best in my opinion).
TREATMENT:
- Ural. This is a sachet supplement that eases discomfort and balances the pH in your body. There is a limit to how much you can take and how long for.
- Keep up your water intake, more than usual. This helps flush out bacteria, to some degree.
- Urinate frequently. Do not hold onto your pee for long periods of time when you have a UTI, this can lead to a bladder and kidney infection.
- Antibiotics. This is the only way to truly rid of the bacteria, by fighting it with a different kind of bacteria. These need to be prescribed by a doctor, or if you can't get to a doctor, there is a site called Instant Scripts where you can pay a small fee to see a doctor, get an E-script (online prescription) or have it sent to your nearest chemist. Life-changing.
Try all of these suggestions and you're most likely to keep UTI's away as well as combat them. You can get used to antibiotics over time, so much so that they no longer work for you and getting rid of a UTI becomes harder, so be sure to adopt some lifestyle and diet changes in order to prevent a UTI.
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Remember: I am working off of experience and the knowledge I have gained through education, but I am not a doctor or health care professional. Please consult your health care professional before making any medical changes.
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