What are the symptoms of urinary incontinence?

Urination during coughing, sneezing, while sleeping, painful urination, and so on.

What can I expect when I visit a Urinary Incontinence doctor near me?

Your doctor will ask for your medical history and ask to describe the symptoms. Sometimes, doctors can also ask you to fill out the bladder diary for a specified period. This provides information about urgency, frequency, urine volume, and so on.

What are the types of treatments available?

Exercises, lifestyle, diet, fluid intake modifications, medications, medical devices, and surgery are the available treatments available when your life is affected due to urinary incontinence, it is best to seek a doctor's advice to resolve your problem.

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Urinary Tract Infection

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Urinary tract infection treatment in Delhi and Gurgaon

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common condition affecting the bladder and urethra. While anyone can develop a UTI, it's more prevalent among individuals with a vulva.

What is Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)?

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is classified as an infection in any part of the urinary system that comprises the uterus, kidneys, urethra and bladder in men and women. In most of the cases, the infection occurs in the lower urinary tract which includes bladder and the urethra.

UTI is more prevalent among women. As long as a UTI is limited to the bladder area, it is not considered a very serious condition, although it may cause pain and discomfort. Once it spreads to the kidneys, it may cause serious health issues.

There are multiple ways of treating a Urinary Tract Infection, and patients are advised to see a doctor first and not self-opt any mode of treatment. There, however, are several measures you can take to prevent a UTI infection.

Anatomy of Urinary Tract in Men and Women?

The urinary tract is a vital system in the human body which is responsible for removing waste and excess fluids. It consists of several organs and structures involved in the production, storage, and elimination of urine. While the urinary tract is similar in men and women, there are some anatomical differences between the two sexes.

Urinary Tract in Women:

Kidneys:This bean-shaped organ is responsible for filtering waste products and excess fluids from the blood to produce urine.
Ureters:The ureters transport urine produced by the kidneys to the bladder through a series of muscular contractions known as peristalsis.
Bladder:The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ located in the pelvis, behind the pubic bone. It serves as a temporary reservoir for urine. In women, the bladder is located in front of the uterus and vagina.
Urethra:The urethra is a tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body. It extends from the bottom of the bladder to an external opening between the clitoris and the vaginal opening. Its primary function is to evacuate urine from the bladder during urination.

Urinary Tract in Men:

Kidneys:Just like in women, the kidneys in men are responsible for filtering waste from the blood to produce urine.
Ureters:Similar to women, men also have two ureters, each connecting a kidney to the bladder. These ureters transport urine to the bladder.
Bladder:The bladder in men is located in the pelvis, just above the pubic bone. Its purpose is to store urine, just like in women.
Prostate Gland:This walnut-sized organ is one of the main differences between the male and female urinary tract. It is located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The main purpose of this gland is to produce a fluid that mixes with sperm to form semen.
Urethra:This organ is bigger in men than in women, and has a more complex structure. It extends from the bladder through the prostate gland and the length of the penis to an external opening at the tip of the penis. In addition to expelling urine, the male urethra also serves as the conduit for semen during ejaculation

These small yet significant variances between male and female urinary tract are the main reason why UTIs are more common among women than in men.

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs do not necessarily produce any symptoms, but some of the most common symptoms include:

Always feeling a strong urge to urinate even after urinating
A burning sensation while peeing
Frequent urination, but only in small quantity
Cloudy appearance of urine
Signs of blood in urine - reddish, bright pinkish or cola-coloured urine
Strong-smelling urine
Pelvic pain, especially in women
In older adults, UTIs are generally mistaken for other health conditions

When the UTI has already spread to the kidneys, you may observe the following symptoms:

Constant pain and sense of pressure in the back or lower belly
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Chills

Types of Urinary Tract Infections

As already described, a UTI can occur in different parts of the urinary tract. Based on their location, they are named differently. You can also have a rough idea about the kind of infection you have through the symptoms they present.

Cystitis (bladder)

This type of UTI presents itself with the following symptoms:

Constant urge to pee
Pain while passing the urine
Pain in lower belly
Cloudy or bloody urine

Pyelonephritis (kidneys)

This type of UTI shows the following symptoms:

Fever
Chills
Nausea
Vomiting
Pain in your upper back or side

Urethritis (urethra)

It shows the following symptoms:

Burning sensation while peeing
Discharge

When to See a Doctor?

You should immediately get in touch with a qualified doctor as soon as you experience any of the above discussed symptoms of UTI as they may worsen over time. Self-administering the antibiotics can also lead to serious consequences.

urinary tract infection treatment in delhi

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Causes of Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections occur when the bacteria makes an entry through the urethra into the urinary tract and spreads into the bladder. The urinary tract, however, is responsible for keeping our bacteria, but sometimes, it fails to do the job properly. This results in harbouring and growth of bacteria leading to a full-blown urinary tract.

The most common type of UTI occurs in women and impacts the bladder and urethra.

Infection of the bladder

This type of UTI results because of a bacteria known as Escherichia coli (E. coli). This bacteria is generally found in our gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It, however, can also occur due to other bacteria.

Sexual intercourse may also cause bladder infection, but it is not necessary to have sex to develop it. All women are at a higher risk of developing a bladder infection because of their anatomy. In a woman's body, the urethra is very close to the anus, and the urethral opening is close to the bladder. This makes it conducive for bacteria around the anus to pass through the urethra and reach to the bladder.

Infection of the urethra

This type of UTI generally occurs because of the spread of GI bacteria from the anus to the urethra. This type of infection is also caused due to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These STIs include chlamydia, herpes, mycoplasma, and gonorrhoea. This occurs because of vagina's close proximity with the urethra in women.

Risk Factors

There are a lot of women who suffer from more than one UTI during their lifetime.

UTI in Women

Here are some of the risk factors that are specific to women:

Female anatomy: As women have a shorter urethra as compared to men, bacteria takes less time to travel to the bladder.
Sexual activity: Frequency of sexual activity also adds to the risk of developing UTIs. Taking a new sexual partner every now and then also increases the risk.
Certain types of birth control: Some women use diaphragms as a birth control measure which increases the risk of developing UTIs. Use of spermicidal agents too increases the risk.
Menopause: Women experience a steep decline in oestrogen (estrogen) production after menopause, which leads to changes in the urinary tract. These changes enhance the risk of UTIs.

Other risk factors for UTIs include:

Urinary tract problems: Babies, who are born with issues in their urinary tract, may face trouble urinating. In some babies, urine backs up back into the urethra which leads to UTIs.
Blockages in the urinary tract: Some patients suffer from kidney stones or enlarged prostate which leads to obstruction in the urinary tract, trapping the urine in the bladder. This contributes positively to the risk of UTIs.
Suppressed immune system: If a patient is suffering from an immunity suppressing disease like diabetes, it deteriorates the body's defence mechanism against germs, which leads to an increased risk of UTIs.
Catheter use: Some people who are unable to urinate on their own and use a catheter to urinate are also at a higher risk of contracting UTIs.
A recent urinary procedure: A surgery or installation of a medical instrument in the urinary tract can also enhance your risk of developing a UTI.

Complications

If taken care of in the early stages, lower urinary tract infections usually do not cause any complications. But, if UTIs are left untreated, they may lead to serious health issues.Complications of a UTI may include:

Repeated infections: It means you suffer from UTIs twice or more in six months and thrice or more in a year.
Permanent kidney damage: If a UTI is left untreated for a long time, it may cause permanent kidney damage.
Delivering a low birth weight or premature infant: If a UTI happens during pregnancy, it may lead to premature delivery or low birth weight of the patient.
A narrowed urethra: If a patient suffers from repeated UTIs in the urethra, it may lead to its shrinkage.
Sepsis: It is a potential life-threatening complication of a UTI. This complication arises when the infection reaches the kidneys.

Prevention of UTIs

There are some measures you can take to reduce the risk of developing UTIs:

Drink plenty of fluids: You should drink plenty of fluids, especially water, which helps in diluting urine, leading to increased frequency of urinating. This promotes flushing of bacteria from the urinary tract, eventually reducing the chances of an infection.
Wipe from front to back: Women are advised to wipe from front to back after urinating or passing a stool. This practice reduces the chances of spread of bacteria from anus to the vagina and urethra.
Urinate after sex: Women are also advised to evacuate their bladder soon after having sexual intercourse. Drinking a full glass of water after sex is also recommended to help empty out the bacteria.
Avoid irritating feminine products: Women are also recommended to avoid using feminine products, like deodorant sprays, douches, and powders, around the genital region which may irritate the urethra.
Change your birth control method: Using diaphragms, spermicide-treated condoms, or unlubricated condoms can also lead to UTI development.
Avoid taking a bath in the pool or bathtub: Taking a bath in a swimming pool or bathtub may aid in unwanted bacteria travel to the urethra leading to a UTI infection.
Increase Vitamin C intake: Vitamin C is known to enhance your resistance to infections.
Water-based lubricants: You are advised to only use water-based lubricants during sex to reduce your chances of developing a UTI.

Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infections

Here are some of the most common tests and procedures to diagnose urinary tract infections:

Analysing a urine sample: This is the most common test of them all to diagnose UTIs. Your urine is checked for white blood cells, red blood cells, and bacteria. You may also be asked to first wipe your genital area with an antiseptic pad and collect the urine sample midstream. This helps in collecting the uncontaminated sample.
Growing urinary tract bacteria in a lab: After the lab analysis of the urine, sometimes, the radiologist runs a urine culture, which helps in finding out which type of bacteria is causing the infection. This helps the healthcare practitioner in choosing the most effective medications.
Creating images of the urinary tract: Recurrent UTIs generally occur because of a structural problem in the urinary tract. To diagnose this, your doctor may recommend you to undergo an ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI. A contrast dye may be used to highlight structures in your urinary tract.
Using a scope to see inside the bladder: When a patient suffers from recurrent UTIs, you may have to undergo a cystoscopy. In this test, a long, thin tube with a lens at one end, known as a cystoscope, is used to see inside the urethra and bladder. The cystoscope is inserted into the urethra and passed through to the bladder.

Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections

Usually, the first mode of treatment of UTI is administering antibiotics. It, however, is better to consult a doctor and let him/her decide which mode of treatment is going to be the best for you. After analysing your condition accurately, they will decide on the course of medications and duration of treatment.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies to Manage UTIs

Urinary tract infections are usually very irritating and discomforting, Here, however, are some ways to helps you alleviate the symptoms:

Drink plenty of water: Drinking enough water helps in diluting the urine and flushing the bacteria out of your system.
Avoid bladder-irritating drinks: You should avoid consumption of alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks that contain caffeine and/or citrus juices till the time the infection is cleared out of your system. These drinks irritate your bladder and tend to increase the need to urinate.
Use a heating pad: You should apply a heating pad in a lukewarm state on your belly to alleviate bladder pressure and/or discomfort.

Takeaway

Urinary Tract Infections or UTIs are usually not life-threatening but can be very irritating and discomforting. However, if the infection spreads through to the kidneys, it can be fatal too. Hence, it is best to see a doctor at the earliest if you experience any of the symptoms.

We, at Dr Monga Clinic in Delhi and Gurgaon, have qualified and experienced doctors who have expertise in treating any type of UTI with ease. So, if you are experiencing any UTI symptoms, book a consultation with us today, and say goodbye to the discomfort forever.