UTI
To fill my holiday, I went to my friend’s house yesterday. Finally, we could meet again with my friends during my high school, and we talked about our new life in campus. Yes, it was very pleasant full of laughter and jokes. But there is something that makes me uncomfortable. When we were laughing merrily, I suddenly had the urge to urinate, and I ask permission to my friend to use the toilet. When I was pee suddenly I felt a pain in my urethra, it seems are like want to pee again but not out of urine. Well it was not bad, even when I get home I still feel it. My mother suggested to drink even more. I followed my mother’s advice, after that I fell asleep. When the morning, I could urinate smoothly Alhamdulillah. Umm is it because I am too often hold urine? Or because of my lack of drinking water? After browsing Google, I found this article. I can conclude that it was an infection. Here the article. Hope it helps !!!
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
A urinary tract infection(UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Although urinecontains a variety of fluids, salts, and waste products, it usually does not have bacteria in it. When bacteria get into the bladder or kidneyand multiply in the urine, they cause a UTI. The most common type of UTI is a bladder infection which is also often called cystitis. Another kind of UTI is a kidney infection, known as pyelonephritis, and is much more serious. Although they cause discomfort, urinary tract infections can usually be quickly and easily treated with a short course of antibiotics.
For bladder infections
Frequent urination along with the feeling of having to urinate even though there may be very little urine to pass.
Nocturia: Need to urinate during the night.
Urethritis: Discomfort, irritation or pain at the urethral meatus or a burning sensation throughout the urethra with urination (dysuria).
Pain in the midline suprapubic region.
Pyuria: Pus in the urine or discharge from the urethra.
Hematuria: Blood in urine (not always seen to the naked eye, but often revealed during urine tests).
Pyrexia: Mild fever
Cloudy and foul-smelling urine
Increased confusion and associated falls are common presentations to Emergency Departments for elderly patients with UTI.
Some urinary tract infections are asymptomatic.
For kidney infection
All of the above symptoms.
Emesis: Vomiting is common.
Back, side (flank) or groin pain.
Abdominal pain or pressure.
Shaking chills and high spiking fever.
Night sweats.
Extreme fatigue.
Diagnosis
A patient with dysuria(painful voiding) and urinary frequency generally has a spot mid-stream urine sample sent for urinalysis, specifically the presence of nitrites, leukocytes or leukocyte esterase. If there is a high bacterial load without the presence of leukocytes, it is most likely due to contamination. The diagnosis of UTI is confirmed by a urine culture.
If the urine culture is negative:
symptoms of urethritis may point at Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrheae infection.
symptoms of cystitis may point at interstitial cystitis.
in men, prostatitis may present with dysuria.
A negative urine test can also suggest the presence of unusual bacteria or viruses causing symptoms of UTI.
In severe infection, characterized by fever, rigors or flank pain, ureaand creatininemeasurements may be performed to assess whether renal function has been affected.
Most cases of lower urinary tract infections in females are benign and do not need exhaustive laboratory work-ups. However, UTI in young infants must receive some imaging study, typically a retrograde urethrogram, to ascertain the presence/absence of congenital urinary tract anomalies. Males too must be investigated further. Specific methods of investigation include x-ray, Nuclear Medicine, MRI and CAT scan technology.
Treatment
Uncomplicated UTIs
Most uncomplicated UTIs can be treated with oral antibiotics such as trimethoprim, cephalosporins, nitrofurantoin, or a fluoroquinolone (e.g., ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin). Trimethoprim is one widely used antibiotic for UTIs and is usually taken for seven days. It is often recommended that trimethoprim be taken at night to ensure maximal urinary concentrations to increase its effectiveness. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was previously internationally used (and continues to be used in the U.S. and Canada); the addition of the sulfonamidegave little additional benefit compared to the trimethoprim component alone. However it is responsible for a high incidence of mild allergic reactions and rare but serious complications.
Prevention
The following are measures that studies suggest may reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections. These may be appropriate for people, especially women, with recurrent infections:
Do not delay urination when it is necessary.
Cleaning the urethral meatus(the opening of the urethra).
Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of UTIs in infants.
