What is a UTI Infection and How to Treat a UTI at Home?

September 5, 2022

What is a UTI Infection and How to Treat a UTI at Home?

Time, tide, and nature’s call don’t stop for anyone. Stopping the pressure when nature calls can be a necessity at times but it also causes toxins to form in the body. For a healthy man without issues like diabetes, it is easier to hold back when they have to go to the washroom. For women, however, it is a pretty difficult task to keep holding urine for a long time. Because of the difference in physiology, the way men and women discharge urine is different. Men have the benefit of standing and urinating, which somewhat keeps them from coming in contact with the toilet seat unless they have to go for number two. Nonetheless, they are still at risk of getting a UTI infection.

Urinary tract infection or UTI can trouble women more since we have to sit down on the toilet seat. Since most of us are outgoing, we have to use unknown toilets at work, while travelling and in hotels, and it is easier to get UTI symptoms for female workers and travellers. Urinary tract infections are not a threat to life but can get pretty painful without treatment. So, when you get a UTI infection it is better to know what to do, to treat it at home.

What is a urinary tract infection?

UTIs are a kind of infection that causes inflammation in the urinary tract and gradually advances to more organs. UTI infections are mostly connected to the urinary system and affect organs like the urethra, kidneys and bladder. The three organs are infected most commonly and can also be inflamed individually without affecting the others. Urethritis is a condition that affects the urethra while pyelonephritis affects the kidneys, similarly, the bladder is affected by cystitis. All three of these conditions are categorized as Urinary tract infections and treatment is always found by a urologist. There is a myth about UTIs that they are caused when there are germs or toxins in the urine. Your urine doesn’t generally have germs or bacteria. Urine is actually the waste product created as a result of the body’s filtration system. Filtration in the body takes place in the kidneys where the excess water in the body is separated from the blood. This allows the kidneys to filter waste products from the blood and pass it out with urine. So, urine comes out of the body without any contamination. The contamination or germs, however, can enter your urinary tract from the outside, causing inflammation or UTI infection.

What causes urinary tract infections?

The urinary tract is fortified enough to hold off infectious germs. But unhygienic conditions or long hours between washes can cause the bacteria to invade your urethra and multiply. While urinary tract infection can happen even with wearing undergarments or pants for a long time, in most cases the reason is an unclean toilet seat. Cystitis and urethritis are the most common urinary tract infections that affect women. Here’s how they are caused:
  • Cystitis (infection of the bladder): This UTI infection is caused by the Escherichia Coli (E. coli) bacteria which is excreted from the gastrointestinal tract. Other bacteria from the GI tract can also be responsible for causing UTI symptoms in females. So, when going to unknown toilets while travelling, it is necessary for women to make sure that the toilet is used only for urination and not defecation. If you are in a dire need of using such a toilet maybe a female urination device is your safest option. Cystitis can also happen because of sexual intercourse; however, it is not the only cause. UTI symptoms are a risk to all females because of the genital anatomy. The urethra being closer to the anal opening and accidental splashes in the toilet are also some of the leading causes of UTI infections.
  • Urethritis (Infection of the urethra): Infection in the urethra is more common in women because of its short distance from the anus. While cleaning up your intimate areas is important, some busy days can cause an accumulation of bacteria between the cheeks. When the bacteria from the GI tract reaches the urethra, it turns into a full-blown infection. Since the vaginal opening is also close to the urethra, urethritis can also be caused because of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) like herpes or gonorrhoea.

How to treat UTI symptoms in females?

Urinary tract infections are left without treatment for a long time. The reason is the symptoms that actually show up too late. The first symptom, which is inflammation of the urethra, comes after a day or two. By that time, the bacteria had already multiplied immensely. The pain is often also overlooked as a period side-effect by women. So before getting to the treatment it is essential to prevent UTI infections. Here are some ways you can avoid it-
  • Staying hydrated and drinking a lot of fluids ensures that urination is more often. So that the bacteria can be flushed out of the urinary tract before it forms an infection.
  • Whenever you wipe yourself after using the toilet, go from front to back. Wiping from back to front increases the chances of GI tract bacteria reaching your urethra.
  • Drink plenty of water after sexual activities and try to urinate. It flushes the bladder and removes all the bacteria from the urinary tract.
If you’re already facing the symptoms of UTI infection, you shall start using treatment methods to eliminate it. Here’s how-
  • Visit a doctor if you have inflammation when you urinate and ask them to suggest an efficient antibiotic.
  • If the infection is only a few days old you can try alternative ayurvedic medication. Namyaa’s Mutrakriccha Syrup is a mild way to treat UTI infection in a matter of days. Natural antibiotic herbs like sonth, makoy, purnava, varun, lajwanti, gokshur, etc. make the syrup a hassle-free treatment option, which keeps the kidneys and bladder clear of any infection.
  • If you’re looking at prolonged infections where your urine has a foul smell or has turned pinkish, Namyaa’s Mutrakriccha Tablets will provide you with a higher dose of herbal antibiotics, which will ease the symptoms in a few weeks. Regular use of the syrup and tablet can help flush out a bacterial presence in the bladder and the urethra.
Preventing UTI infections is a necessity for every woman as it can be far more painful than a man’s urinary tract. The best way to avoid getting infections is to use an intimate hygiene wash regularly. Keeping your toilets clean and disinfecting the seat will always reduce the chances of getting a UTI.
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