Urinary Tract Infections or UTIs are said to be one of the most common types of infection among both men and women. Women make up a large majority of these visits as they are more predisposed to developing UTIs in their lifetime. In fact, in India, nearly 1 in 2 women develop UTIs in their lifetime. Therefore, this article will not only contain a comprehensive rundown of the causes of UTIs but also a guide to preventing them.
 
How Do UTIs Develop?
 
The organism responsible for UTIs is usually a bacterium known as Escherichia coli, commonly known as E.coli. Although UTIs can also be caused by other bacteria, 90% of all UTIs are a result of E.coli proliferating.
 
UTIs can develop in one of three regions. The infections that occur in the bladder are known as Cystitis. Of these three, cystitis is most common.
 
Factors That Increase the Risk of UTIs in Women
 
As mentioned before, UTIs are more common in women than men. The reason for this drastic increase in risk is usually attributed to the anatomy of the female reproductive system. The urethra of women is comparatively shorter than a man’s.
 
In addition to this, the distance between the anus and the urethral opening is fairly small as well. Therefore, the chances of bacteria entering the urethra are increased subsequently leading to the development of an infection.
 
Risks Factors That Contribute to UTIs
 
In particular, women who are expecting or suffer from diabetes are also known to have an increased risk of contracting this infection. Other UTI risk factors include forms of contraception like spermicides and diaphragms can irritate and allow bacteria to proliferate.
 
In addition to this, dirty toilets can also indirectly be the cause for a UTI. This is because women that only have access to dirty toilets are more likely to refrain from relieving themselves when they need to. Therefore, the bacteria has more than enough time to cause an infection. However, a woman is unlikely to get UTIs from a dirty toilet as the urethra is generally far from the toilet.



School children are also known to contract UTIs as a result of poor hygiene and toilet conditions. The risks of infection increase if children choose to hold in their urine instead of relieving themselves or wear unwashed or wet undergarments for a long period. In fact, UTIs are more common in girls under five with 8% of girls becoming infected. However, only 1-2% of boys in the same age group contracted the infection.
 
Therefore, parents need to instill practices that promote good hygiene in their children. In addition to this, parents and guardians will have to ensure that the toilet which the children use is clean at all times.
 
When Should You Visit A Doctor?
 
A woman should look to visit a doctor as soon as she experiences the following UTI symptoms:

 
10 Remedies That Prevent UTIs
 
One can turn to more natural practices or lifestyle changes to prevent the chances of this infection from developing. These practices include:

One of the most frequently advocated practices to prevent UTIs includes increasing one’s intake of fluid. This is because drinking more fluids will mean that one will have to make more trips to the bathroom. By doing so, the bacteria will be flushed out as it does not have too much time to thrive and increase in number. A study also showed that increasing one’s intake of water to 2.2 litres daily will help to decrease the chances of recurrent UTIs.
 

A woman should look to wear clothes that are not very restricting in the abdominal region for a long period. This is because these clothes will retain more moisture creating the perfect atmosphere for bacteria to grow. It is also advisable to wear undergarments made from cotton as it is a more breathable fabric.
 

One of the most common reasons why UTIs develop can be attributed to the fact that urine is being held in the bladder for longer than it should be. Healthcare professionals state that one should urinate every 2-3 hours. Waiting longer than that would increase the risk of getting an infection. In addition to this, one should urinate completely so that there is no residual urine.
 

Cranberry juice is a famous home remedy that almost every woman has heard of and ingested in order to eradicate UTIs. Although it cannot be used in treatment of UTIs, it can drastically reduce the risk of infection. This is because of the PACs or proanthocyanidins that are present inside the juice or supplements.
 

Vitamin C can increase the effectiveness of the immune system which would help to fight off bacteria. Therefore, one can eat foods like broccoli and citrus fruits which are rich in vitamin C. One can also take Vitamin C supplements in the form of tablets.

In order to avoid UTIs, women may also be required to make some dietary changes. These include beverages like coffee, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and excessively spicy foods which may interfere with normal bladder functioning. One should look to increase their intake of plant-based foods as they have bactericidal antioxidants.

In addition to vitamins, several other natural supplements can be taken like Garlic extracts, D-mannose, probiotics and more which can help to create a healthy balance of gut bacteria. These supplements also have innate anti-microbial capabilities.

Kegel exercises focus on increasing the strength of the muscles under one’s uterus, bladder and bowel. This series of exercises will help to prevent urine leakage, commonly known as urine incontinence, which is a common problem that pregnant women face

Women can also opt to use hygiene products that do not disturb the immunity of the vagina and the urethral opening. Using harsh soaps can disturb the mucus lining of the vagina and irritate the urethral opening allowing foreign microbes to invade.

Menstruating women are also at an increased risk of developing this infection because of the increased moisture that is found in and around the urethral opening. To mitigate this risk, one should change their menstrual pads regularly and wash between changes as well.
 
Through these 10 remedies, women can improve the probability of keeping painful UTIs away. By mitigating the risk of contracting UTIs, one will be able to live a more pain-free life with minimal health problems, especially during pregnancy.