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One experience with a urinary tract infection (UTI) is uncomfortable enough, as millions of women can tell you. And when we say millions, consider this—the lifetime prevalence of UTIs in women is between 50% and 60%.
More concerning is that 26% of women who develop a UTI go on to develop another one within six months.
At Express Lane Urgent Care, Dr. Stephen Wesely and our team of skilled healthcare providers routinely help women navigate urinary tract infections, including recurrent infections. Here’s what we want you to know.
Why UTIs come back
Women tend to get recurrent UTIs for several reasons, including:
Transfer of E. coli to the urinary tract
Most UTIs are caused by an E. coli bacterial infection, and E. coli is mostly found in solid waste. Because a woman’s anus is close to her urethra, E. coli can more easily transfer from the digestive tract to the urinary tract.
Menopause
When a woman transitions through menopause, the bacterial environment around her genitals can change, leaving them more vulnerable to recurrent UTIs.
Sexual activity
If a woman has sexual intercourse, especially with someone new, bacteria can easily transfer to the urethra and enter the lower urinary tract.
There are other reasons why women get UTIs so often, but the above are the primary risk factors.
Preventing UTIs from returning
If you're reading this, we’re going to assume that you’ve had some experience with UTIs that you’d rather not repeat. To that end, it’s important to follow these steps:
1. Practice good hygiene
At the head of the UTI prevention list is finding ways to avoid cross-contamination. For starters, only wipe front-to-back and never the other way around.
When it comes to sexual intercourse, urinate immediately afterward; this can flush out any invading bacteria before they reach your bladder.
2. Hydrate and urinate when you need to
It’s important to avoid letting urine sit in your bladder for long periods. So, we suggest that you continually drink water to keep your urinary tract active. We also advise against holding your urine — when you have to pee, be sure to do so.
3. Consider estrogen creams if you’re menopausal
If you’re post-menopausal, using a vaginal estrogen cream is a great way to improve your vaginal tissue health and reset the bacterial environment.
Treating recurrent UTIs
Should you still get another UTI shortly after the first, come see us right away for lab testing. Sometimes, a recurrent infection might involve different bacteria than the first, so it’s important to first figure out what we’re up against. From there, we’ll work quickly to clear the infection so you can take over with your prevention steps.
If you have more questions about recurrent UTIs, or if you have a recurrent UTI you need treated, please don’t hesitate to call Express Lane Urgent Care in Turlock, California, at 209-664-1550. You can also request an appointment online.