The summers have started and there is even more necessity for sanitary caution. The heat makes everyone sweat and many of us can’t be at home to take multiple showers. Cleanliness and personal hygiene is thus as important as drinking lemonades for hydration. Now, it is necessary, especially for women, to make sure that every toilet seat and every underwear that you use is clean and dry.
The reason for the caution is the non-competent sanitary conditions at many public and office toilets. Infectious diseases borne out of unsanitary conditions always affect people who have to be in the same clothes for long hours during the day and have a hectic job description that requires them to share common washrooms and toilet seats with a crowd.
Sometimes these washrooms are shared by both genders. In such cases, if the sanitary regulations are not followed even once, someone is bound to get a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and 40% of the time it is a woman. Women are more exposed to UTIs caused due to . It is thus essential to know why and how to act on it if you see the symptoms of UTI. Here’s all the information that will keep you safe in case of irritation;
Why are women most affected by UTIs?
The useful thing to know about UTIs is that they are simply a result of poor personal hygiene or toilet cleanliness. The bacteria or, in rare cases, fungi infect the urinary tract by infecting the surrounding areas of the vulva. When you use toilet seats that have been unclean or used by a person with any infections, the bacteria reaches your vulva through micro-droplets or vapour. The bacteria reach the urinary tract when the privates are not cleaned or washed off properly. Once in the urinary tract, it is easy for the bacteria to infect your bladder and in ignored cases, your kidneys.
There are multiple reasons why women are the more susceptible to such infections-
Length of the urethra
The UTIs require medical attention and may get out of control once they have infected the bladder. To do that, they have to make their way through the urethra which is a tube that releases urine from the bladder. Along with urine going out, urethra is also the way from which pathogens can invade your body. Since it takes a longer time for bacteria to travel through the urethra, flushing it out by peeing or washing can help in avoiding it. Hence, the longer your urethra, the easier it is to hold out the infection.
Men have a longer urethra thus they generally get saved from urinary infection by hydrating and peeing for next few hours. Women, however, have a much shorter urethra which makes it easy for the germs to get to the bladder after using a toilet seat. Women pee for lesser times than men during the day making it harder for them to flush out the bacteria.
Management of this factor can be done by hydrating a lot if you’re working out of your personal space or home. Hydrating and peeing regularly keeps out unhealthy bacteria from the urethra. Washing your vulva and opening of the urethra with lots of water can also keep out infections. Make sure you clean the toilet seat with tissue paper. You can also use the Silver Shield Surface Sanitizer to disinfect the seat. Make sure you flush the toilet well before leaving it for your sisters.
Skin sensitivity
It is no secret that women’s skins are generally more sensitive to weather and environment. Especially the external urethral skin, which is made out of the moist tissue present inside the vagina. It is more susceptible to rashes and irritants making it vulnerable to bacterial presence. Women have a more sensitive skin on their vulva as well which can be irritated during the summer heat, making the area moist.
The sweat and fabric in the privy parts can bring about pH changes, making it a breeding ground for infectious bacteria. The urethra thus becomes vulnerable to invasion and the bacteria reach the bladder easily.
The only way to manage this vulnerability is to wash your privates at regular intervals, especially when you are in a tropical climate. Washing the vulva with a herbal intimate hygiene wash twice a day can keep out the bacteria and give you a fresh feel.
Placement of the urethra
The placement of the urethra has a huge part to play in the vulnerability of women against UTIs. Since, in male genitals the urethra is placed at a greater distance from the anus or the toilet sink, they are more protected from UTIs. With women, the urethra is placed significantly close to the anus and directly faces the toilet sink, leaving them fully exposed to UTI causing bacteria that dwells in human faeces.
The best practice to manage this is to wipe or wash from front to back after using the toilet. Wiping from back to front gives the bacteria a higher chance of reaching your vaginal and urethral opening. Always use a hygiene wash after using the toilet, it takes only a minute or two and keeps you away from infections.
Poor sexual hygiene
Sexual hygiene is important for everyone regardless of their gender. Sex is the exchange of body fluids and for women the penetration can come with unseen germs. Hence, it is important to motivate your partner to wash their intimate areas thoroughly before and after sex. In case, you’ve been in a blissful spontaneous moment where you couldn’t stop, make sure you pee and wash yourself with an intimate wash right after.
UTI’s can be a trouble for women in multiple situations both indoors and outdoors. It is thus important to make sure that everything coming in contact with your vulva and urethra are spick and clean. Always get your toilets in order with cleanliness and enough sanitary supplies to maintain personal hygiene. Use the Namyaa range of Hygiene Products made for women to keep all your private encounters mess free.
