Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are very common among women and are usually easy to treat with medication.
What are the symptoms?
The most common sign of having a UTI is a frequent urge to urinate. Even if you have just relieved yourself, you could feel as if you need to urinate again.Additional symptoms include:
- Burning sensation or pain while urinating
- Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy (not clear)
- Blood in your urine
- Pain or pressure in your lower back, and pelvis region
Diagnosis & Treatment
If you have these symptoms, the first step is to consult with a doctor. To confirm whether or not you have a UTI, doctors may ask for a urine sample to test for bacteria. After confirming you have UTI, the doctor usually prescribes a course of antibiotics to treat it. With regular cases, UTIs can be treated within 2-3 days.
Along with the antibiotics, drink lots of water or other fluids to get rid of the bacteria. Putting a heating pad on the abdomen or back can sometimes help reduce pain.
How To Prevent Getting a UTI
Here are some easy tips you can follow to prevent Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs):
- Drink plenty of water/fluids (helps eliminate bacteria before an infection sets in)
- Urinate when you need to – don’t hold it in
- Wash and/or wipe from front to back after urinating or passing stool
- Keep your intimate areas clean and dry – cotton underwear can help
- Urinate after having sexual intercourse (this washes away any bacteria that may have reached your urethra)
- Avoid using diaphragm, spermicide-coated condoms, or spermicides for birth control, which may increase your chances of getting a UTI
Learn More with Veera Health
Think you might have a UTI? It’s nothing to feel ashamed about – talk to a doctor on Veera to get an initial diagnosis.
Disclaimer: Content on Veera is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice given by a physician
