Tips for Managing a Urinary Tract Infection with Your Gynecologist
Posted on: 5 September 2017
Urinary tract infections are fairly common, and you can find home remedies for them. However, the infections can be quite painful and they can lead to serious kidney infections, so it is best to be seen by a doctor. Another reason to visit your doctor is because a urinary tract infection has similar symptoms as other diseases such as a sexually transmitted disease. Your gynecologist can diagnose your condition and provide appropriate treatment.
Your gynecologist is also a big help in helping you manage chronic urinary tract infections that are linked to sexual intercourse. Here are some things you can do to help and prevent urinary infections.
Drink More Water
Be sure you drink plenty of water when you have a urinary tract infection since the water helps flush bacteria out of your urinary tract. Drinking plenty of water on a daily basis may even help you ward off future infections if you tend to get them easily. Your gynecologist may even recommend that you drink extra water after having sex to flush out your urinary tract.
Wear Cotton Underwear
While cotton panties may not be as pretty as nylon or panties made from other synthetic materials, cotton might help with a urinary tract infection. Cotton absorbs moisture and wicks it away from your skin. Synthetic material and tight clothing hold in moisture which breeds bacteria. Your urinary tract doesn't usually harbor bacteria so you want to keep the area dry and clean to keep bacteria and fungus that can cause infections at bay.
Wipe Front to Back
One big cause of urinary tract infections is from E. coli that are normally present in your colon. While E. coli bacteria don't harm your colon, they can cause a painful infection if they enter your urinary tract. For that reason, you should always clean yourself from front to back. If you get urinary tract infections often, you should routinely clean yourself in this manner and especially when you are pregnant so you can avoid infections.
Take Antibiotics
Antibiotics are often given for urinary tract infections. Be sure to take the entire course of medication to keep the infection from flaring back up. If you get frequent urinary tract infections due to your unique anatomy, then your gynecologist can help you manage them with an antibiotic regimen or other treatment that will allow you to maintain an active sex life while keeping infections to a minimum.
Anyone can get a UIT at any time. However, women tend to get them more often than men. Women also tend to get them more when first becoming sexually active and again at menopause. A urinary tract infection can be extremely painful, so you want relief fast and the best way to do that is to seek medical help at the first sign of pain or pressure when you urinate. To learn more about how a gynecologist can help, visit resources like http://www.centraliowaobgyn.com.
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