How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections in Females
When compared to urinary tract infections in men, urinary tract infections in women are more common. However, as a woman you don't need to worry, because you can practice how to prevent urinary tract infections in females that we share here.
Urinary tract infection is a condition when the organs of the urinary system become infected. The organs of the urinary system include the kidneys, ureters, urethra, and bladder. Generally, urinary tract infections are caused by infection with E. coli bacteria that occurs in one of these organs.
Why Are Females More Likely To Get Urinary Tract Infections
Why are females more likely to have urinary tract infections than males? This is because women have a shorter urethra than men. The female urethra is near the anus, so bacteria from the anus and from outside will more easily enter the urethral opening.
In addition to the position and short urethra in women, there are several other factors that can increase the risk of urinary tract infections in women, including:
- Entering menopause
- Intercourse active
- Is pregnant
- Obesity or Overweight
- Often delays when you want to urinate
- Blockages in the urinary tract, for example due to kidney stones
- Weak immune system, for example due to HIV infection and diabetes
- Prolonged use of the catheter
- Since birth have abnormalities in the urinary tract
In addition, women who use diaphragmatic contraceptives may also be at a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections. Therefore, you should consult a doctor to determine the most appropriate contraceptive for your condition.
Urinary tract infections can also occur without symptoms. However, if symptoms appear, the sufferer will feel several things such as fever, chills, weakness, lower abdominal pain, painful urination, even bloody urine.
How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections in Females
To prevent urinary tract infections, there are preventive steps you can take, including:
1. Get rid of the habit of holding back urination
The habit of holding back urine can make the bacteria in the urine stay longer in the bladder. Over time, these bacteria can build up and cause urinary tract infections.
Therefore, to prevent urinary tract infections, you should not hold back urination, especially if you are pregnant.
2. Clean the genital area properly
When you urinate or defecate, wash your genitals with clean water from front to back. This is important to do to prevent the transfer of bacteria from the anus to the urinary tract.
In addition, before and after intercourse you should urinate and clean the genitals. This is important to prevent the entry of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections into various organs of the urinary system.
3. Keep genitals dry
If the genitals are too moist, the bacteria will be easier to breed. Therefore, you need to dry your genitals using a clean tissue or towel after each cleaning to prevent urinary tract infections.
In addition, also pay attention to the selection of underwear. Underwear made of cotton is considered better to use because it is easier to absorb sweat, so that the humidity level of the genitals can be maintained.
4. Avoid using genital cleaners
Female genital cleaners are often claimed to be able to clean the genitals from bacteria. However, most genital cleansers actually clean all bacteria, including the good bacteria that can protect your genitals.
In addition, several studies have shown that genital cleansing fluids can actually cause irritation and increase the risk of genital infections, including urinary tract infections. Therefore you should avoid using genital cleaners. If possible, avoid using scented pads or tampons as they can cause genital irritation.
5. Consuming probiotic foods and drinks
Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus, apart from being good for gut health, are also known to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in women. To get the benefits of probiotics, you can consume several types of foods and drinks that are rich in probiotic bacteria, such as tempeh, kimchi, and yogurt.
In addition to applying some of the methods above, prevention of urinary tract infections in women can also be done by meeting the needs of drinking water every day. By drinking enough water, urine production will increase, so that many bacteria in the urinary tract are expelled outside the body.
That's how to prevent urinary tract infections in females that you can do. However, if you feel symptoms of a urinary tract infection such as fever, pain when urinating and cloudy or dark urine, you should consult a doctor for proper treatment.
