If you are prone to recurrent UTIs, you can head them off before they take hold.
Unless you're in the fortunate minority of women who have never had a urinary tract infection (UTI), you know the symptoms well. You might feel a frequent urgency to urinate yet pass little urine when you go. Your urine might be cloudy, blood-tinged, and strong-smelling. For 25% to 30% of women who've had a urinary tract infection, the infection returns within six months.
If you have repeated UTIs, you've experienced the toll they take on your life. However, you may take some comfort in knowing that they aren't likely to be the result of anything you've done. "Recurrent UTIs aren't due to poor hygiene or something else that women have brought on themselves. Some women are just prone to UTIs," says infectious diseases specialist Dr. Kalpana Gupta, a lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Why some women get recurrent UTIs
The infections are usually caused by Escherichia coli, a bacterium that lives in the intestinal system. If E. coli are carried from the rectum to the vagin*, they can enter the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder) and infect the bladder.
Risk factors for UTI vary with age. Before menopause, the most common risk factors are sexual intercourse and use of spermicides. It's thought that sex increases the number of bacteria in the bladder, and many experts advise women to urinate after sex to flush them out. Spermicides may kill off Lactobacilli, beneficial bacteria in the vagin*, making it easier for E. coli to move in.
After menopause, certain physical changes help set the stage for UTIs. The numbers of Lactobacilli in the vagin* naturally decline. The bladder also contracts less strongly than it once did, making it more difficult to empty it completely.
In both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, genes play a role as well. Having a mother or sister who has frequent UTIs is also a risk factor.
Preventing UTIs
These approaches have some evidence to support them:
- Drink plenty of fluids every day. Aim for about 2 to 3 liters.
- Use alternative contraception that does not include a spermicide.
- Empty your bladder immediately following sexual intercourse.
- Consider vagin*l estrogen therapy for post-menopausal women.
- Wipe front to back, although this has not been scientifically proven to make a difference.
Antibiotics
Taking a low dose of one of the antibiotics used to treat UTI is the most common way of dealing with recurrences. However, bacteria may become resistant to an antibiotic overtime and it may not be effective in treating subsequent infections. "This is an area in which women can experiment and find which solution works for them," Dr. Gupta says. There are several options if you have a prescription on hand:
- taking a low dose daily for six months or longer
- using only after you have sex
- waiting until you have UTI symptoms.
If you have recurrent UTIs, talk to your clinician. The two of you can come up with a plan that is likely to be effective for you.
... and it won't hurt to try these
Like many women, you may have memorized the following age-old advice for preventing UTIs:
- Wipe from front to back.
- Urinate before and after sex.
- Drink lots of water.
- Avoid tight underpants and jeans.
These suggestions are directed at flushing the bladder and keeping E. coli from spreading into the urinary tract. Although studies have failed to show that they prevent either primary or recurrent UTIs, there's no harm in trying them, Dr. Gupta says. "They can't hurt, and if they help, you're ahead of the game."
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FAQs
Taking a low dose of one of the antibiotics used to treat UTI is the most common way of dealing with recurrences. However, bacteria may become resistant to an antibiotic overtime and it may not be effective in treating subsequent infections.
Why do I keep getting urinary tract infections back to back? ›
Recurrent UTIs (RUTI) are mainly caused by reinfection by the same pathogen. Having frequent sexual intercourse is one of the greatest risk factors for RUTIs. In a subgroup of individuals with coexisting morbid conditions, complicated RUTIs can lead to upper tract infections or urosepsis.
How do you stop a recurring UTI permanently? ›
A low-dose antibiotic taken for at least six months and up to two years. Intermittent or self-directed antibiotic therapy — for instance, taking an antibiotic after sex or starting a course of antibiotics at the first sign of a UTI.
What will an urologist do for recurrent UTIs? ›
For a recurrent UTI, your doctor may prescribe a long-term course of antibiotics to be taken at a low dosage. If sexual activity is deemed to be the cause of your recurrent UTI, your doctor might recommend that you take an antibiotic after having sex.
What can doctors do about recurring UTIs? ›
Treatment for UTIs that keep coming back (recurrent UTIs)
If your UTI comes back after treatment, or you have 2 UTIs in 6 months, a GP may: prescribe a different antibiotic or prescribe a low-dose antibiotic to take for up to 6 months.
Can recurrent UTIs mean kidney problems? ›
If they're not treated, recurrent UTIs can cause kidney damage, especially in kids younger than 6. So it's important to know how to recognize the signs of these infections and get help for your child.
How do you know if a UTI has spread to your kidneys? ›
If the infection spreads to the kidneys and becomes more serious, you may also have: pain in the lower back. fever and chills. nausea and vomiting.
How many UTIs in a year is too many? ›
When a UTI occurs more than twice in six months, or three or more times in one year, it is considered to be a recurrent urinary infection, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
What is the number one cause of 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.
What vitamins help prevent UTI? ›
Vitamin C
Vitamin C prevents bacteria from growing by making urine more acidic. You can take a 500- to 1,000-milligram daily vitamin C supplement. You can add vitamin C-rich foods to your diet, like oranges, lemons, grapefruit, strawberries, and leafy green vegetables.
Chronic UTIs usually clear up with long-term antibiotics. The doctor may prescribe antibiotics for self-directed use. Getting to know the early signs of infection will help a person take their antibiotics as soon as they are needed.
What underlying conditions cause frequent UTI? ›
Risk factors for recurrent UTIs are listed below. Of these, the most significant include the use of a diaphragm with spermicide, menopause, untreated atrophic vaginitis, and frequent sexual intercourse.
What tests are done for recurrent UTIs? ›
If you have recurrent UTI s, your health care provider may perform a cystoscopy. The test involves using a long, thin tube with a lens, called a cystoscope, to see inside the urethra and bladder. The cystoscope is inserted in the urethra and passed through to the bladder.
What do you do when a UTI keeps coming back? ›
If your UTI keeps coming back, your doctor may recommend a full review of all possible risk factors you may be exposed to. A non-complicated UTI is usually treated with antibiotics for a week, but for complex cases, long -term / low-dose antibiotics may be administered for as long as 6 months to two full years.
Are bananas good for urinary tract infection? ›
Bananas can be a safe and nutritious addition to your diet during a UTI. While they are high in potassium, which can potentially aggravate bladder irritation, the overall impact of bananas on UTIs appears to be mild. To maintain good urinary health, it's also crucial to stay well hydrated and practice good hygiene.
What are the 5 warning signs of a bladder infection? ›
Symptoms of a lower UTI can include:
- feeling a strong urge to urinate (pee) and more often than usual, a constant, dull pain in the pubic region and pain when urinating (dysuria)
- cloudy urine (pee) or blood in your urine (haematuria)
- urine that smells unusually unpleasant.
- back pain.
- a general sense of feeling unwell.
(4) About 1 in 5 women will get a recurrent UTI, and women who have more than three UTIs are more likely to continue having them.
What is the main cause of UTI in females? ›
UTIs in Women
A UTI develops when microbes enter the urinary tract and cause infection. 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.
Why won't my UTI go away after two rounds of antibiotics? ›
Sometimes, persistent UTI-like symptoms may indicate another issue, such as antibiotic resistance, improper treatment, or an underlying condition. It's always important to reach out to a doctor if you're concerned about UTI symptoms that don't resolve with antibiotic treatment.
Can recurrent UTIs damage the bladder? ›
Even here in the United States, we see higher rates of bladder cancer among patients who have chronic UTIs. The two conditions probably contribute to one another because inflammation causes damage to the protective layer of cells lining the bladder.
