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Health Tips • A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects the urinary system and is more common than you think. In Singapore, about 40 percent of women will develop UTI at least once in their lifetime, with some even having it multiple times. UTI symptoms include painful urination, bloody or cloudy urine, increased urge to pass urine, and even fever and chills. UTIs are usually easily treatable. However, it can be pretty annoying if you’re suffering from recurring infections. We share five ways you can prevent UTIs so that you can avoid the pain. Drink lots of waterDrinking plenty of water and other hydrating fluids is one of the best ways to help prevent UTIs. Staying hydrated means you’ll need to pee more frequently, which helps to flush bacteria out of your urinary tract. Similarly, try to avoid holding in your pee for too long as this allows bacteria to build up in your urinary tract, leading to infections. Keep your intimate area cleanUTIs happen when bacteria enters your urinary tract. As such, it’s important to keep your intimate area clean. This includes incorporating good hygiene habits, such as:
Stock up on the cranberriesCranberry juice doesn’t treat UTIs, but it may be effective in helping to prevent them. Some research has suggested that cranberries can make it difficult for bacteria to stick to your urinary tract, thereby preventing infections from occurring. Take a look around our in-app wellness Marketplace for healthy cranberry products to try out. Urinate after having sexSexual activity can increase the risk of contracting a UTI as bacteria can enter the urinary tract during sexual intercourse. Peeing after having sex can help to flush any bacteria out of your system, to prevent infections. Invest in some probioticsProbiotics contain large quantities of good bacteria. They can help to prevent UTI by preventing the growth of bad bacteria. Probiotics can be found in foods like Greek yoghurt, cheese and kefir products. You can also take probiotics in supplemented forms. This enables you to take larger and fixed concentrations in a single capsule. Check out our Marketplace for trusted probiotic supplements at an affordable price. Preventive methods can go a long way to stop recurrent infections from happening. However, if you suspect that you’ve contracted a UTI, do see a doctor for medical advice. Our doctors are available 24/7 over video-call, with medication delivery within 3 hours. Elizabeth, a 35-year-old working mother and graduate student, has experienced three urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the past six months. When she started to have symptoms -- including the frequent urge to urinate -- Elizabeth set up a video visit with her physician; She told the doctor that she was "99.9% sure it's another UTI." But, Elizabeth continued, she had been using prevention techniques that she found online -- like drinking cranberry juice. She wanted to know what else she could do to keep this from happening again. Recurrent UTIs are when a woman has had two or more UTIs within six months, or three or more UTIs within a year. Having repeat infections is common: More than 80% of women who have one UTI will have another during their life. And after a UTI, women can experience a relapse, which is a resurgence of the infection within two weeks of the original symptoms. More commonly, women can also experience reinfection, when a second UTI is caused by a completely new infection more than two weeks later. Why do some people get more UTIs than others? Risk factors that make UTIs more likely
Bacteria are normally found both inside and outside the human body. But a UTI can develop when bacteria from the gut or skin travel up the urethra to the bladder where they multiply, causing an infection, explained Randall Stafford, MD, PhD. E. coli, regularly found in the gut, is the most common bacteria that causes UTIs. Some women are more likely to get UTIs no matter what they do. However, some of the most powerful prevention techniques are actually very simple. What can Elizabeth do to prevent her UTIs from recurring? What to do -- to prevent UTIs
There are also things Elizabeth can avoid to reduce her chances of getting sick. What not to do -- to prevent UTIs
As Elizabeth and millions of other women like her know, UTIs can be painful and inconvenient. "The best way to deal with a UTI is to prevent it from happening in the first place," said Kim Chiang, MD, a Stanford primary care physician. In addition to incorporating the do's and don't of UTI prevention into your life, make sure to ask your doctor or health care provider about other prevention techniques, especially if you have recurrent UTIs. This is the second post in the series Understanding UTIs. The goal of this seven-part series is to provide easy-to-understand, scientifically grounded information about UTIs. Patients referenced are composites, compiled from actual patient experiences. Joanna Langner is a graduate student in Community Health and Prevention Research at Stanford who is interested in health disparities and women's health. She wrote this series with the support of Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and director of the Program on Prevention Outcomes and Practices, and Kim Chiang, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine. Image by visuals
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Can you stop a UTI once it starts?Antibiotics are effective treatments for UTIs. Sometimes, the body can resolve minor, uncomplicated UTIs on its own, without antibiotics. By some estimates, 25–42% of uncomplicated UTI infections clear on their own. In these cases, people can try a range of home remedies to speed up recovery.
What can trigger a UTI?Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs, although fungi rarely can also infect the urinary tract. E. coli bacteria, which live in the bowel, cause most UTIs. The female anatomy contributes to women's increased likelihood of contracting a UTI.
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