Are you experiencing recurrent UTI/bladder infections? Although most women (50% by age 32 according to Cleveland Clinic) experience a urinary tract infection, for some people these become a recurring concern. Studies claim anywhere from 20% to 40% of women who get one UTI will develop another. And of course they seem to come at inopportune times- the day before a big work event, on vacation, or with a new sexual partner. So what do you do when that first stab of pain occurs or the burning starts with urination? First, give us a call to stop by for a quick appointment that same day- even on your way to work! We can check a urine sample in office and start you on a safe antibiotic that has low resistance in our area and very low chances of side effects. We can send out a sample for culture to be sure we know exactly what it is and make any necessary adjustments to treatment to be sure it doesn’t come back. We can also prescribe medication that effectively numbs the urethra and soothes the pain (although it does turn your urine bright orange… can anything be subtle?).
So maybe this is your first UTI. In that case just be sure to use best practices to avoid another one: stay hydrated, empty your bladder regularly (including after sex), and wipe front to back after elimination and/or defecation.
But what if this is your second infection in recent memory? Or even your third or fourth? What then? Well you have some options. Let’s get a culture to determine if the germ is resistant to the medications you’ve been taking and simply was never treated effectively. Depending on the severity and frequency of infections, we can start you on various types of antibiotic regimens. However, many people would prefer to try to avoid the use of antibiotics whenever possible or are looking for more natural alternatives. In this case, please consider the use of two supplements. One is D Mannose and the other is lactobacillus.
We’ll start with the D Mannose– this can be used to treat an active mild infection and to prevent future infections. In fact a controlled study showed that patients treated with D Mannose went much longer (200 days vs 52 days) between repeat infections than those treated with an antibiotic (Bactrim orTMP/SMX- a sulfa type of antibiotic). This substance naturally occurs in fruits like red berries (such as cranberries) and fruits like apples and peaches. But it’s difficult to get enough through food sources alone to have an impact on urinary health. D Mannose helps keep the bacteria from attaching to the side of the bladder and so it can then be flushed out easily.
The other preventive treatment is lactobacillus aka probiotics. We hear so much about the countless benefits of probiotics for our immune system and digestive system. In this case, the lactobacillus family of probiotics (indicated by a lower case “L.” on the ingredient list) has been shown to reduce recurrences of UTIs by half, almost as much as an antibiotic regimen. If you also suffer from vaginal yeast infections this could be a wonderful way to reduce chances of another yeast infection or bladder infection.
Click on our website Kelly Goodman Group or give us a call at any of our locations to make an appointment. Stop going to Urgent Care over and over and come to Promenade Primary for your UTI so we can try to make it your last one!