Urinary Tract Infection - Reasons behind It

Urinary Tract Infections are a group of diseases that affect one’s urinary system such as the urethra, bladder, ureters or kidneys. Women are more prone to contracting UTIs than men. They may be accompanied by symptoms such as a constant urge to urinate frequently along with a burning sensation in the concerned parts and pelvic pain. The urine may have traces of blood in it. These infections are usually treated with antibiotics.

Causes behind Urinary Tract Infection:

Urinary Tract infection generally occurs when the bacteria enter the urinary tract via the urethra and begin to proliferate in the bladder. Although the urinary system is structured to ward off such invaders, at times, the defense mechanism fails. In that case, the bacteria may evolve into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract.

Few risk factors are:

1. Female anatomy: A woman’s urethra is shorter as compared to a man’s, thus lessening the distance the bacteria need to travel to the bladder. This increases the chances of UTIs in women.

2. Using diaphragms and spermicidal agents for birth controls

3. A dip in the levels of estrogen post menopause

4. Abnormalities in the urinary tract that hinder the discharge of urine or cause the urine to travel back into the urethra.

5. Enlarged prostate or kidney stones that cause the urine to be trapped in the bladder.

6. An impaired immune system because of diabetes and other ailments

7. Using catheters (tube) to urinate is one of the common risk factors because of the chances of infections. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult an urologist.