UTIs in Women: Causes, Prevention and Treatment

50% of all women and 5% of all men will get a UTI in their life. A UTI or urinary tract infection is relatively common and is a disease that usually impacts women and accounts for more than 8.1 million visits to GPs each year. Despite the stats, it is virtually impossible to get antibiotics over the counter to treat a UTI in any state other than Queensland. 

Oftentimes, going to a doctor just for a prescription you already know you need can be time-consuming and costly when you factor in the cost of missing work, arranging a babysitter, and fuel. But before you look for a doctor to give you a medical script online, it is important to know the symptoms and causes of UTIs to help your doctor make a proper diagnosis.

A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is an infection that affects any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, urethra, kidneys, or urethers. Women are at higher risk of contracting a UTI because of their naturally shorter urethra, which allows bacteria to travel to the bladder faster. 

UTIs can also be caused due to sexual intercourse when the bacteria naturally found around the vagina enters the bladder, or after menopause. After menopause, estrogen levels drop, and the lining of the vagina changes, increasing the risk of UTIs. Another major cause of UTIs in women is the use of spermicide or diaphragms as a contraceptive. UTIs can be dangerous if left untreated, as they can lead to kidney infections which can be life-threatening.

Some common symptoms of lower tract UTIs in women include:

● A burning feeling or pain when urinating

● Frequent need to urinate, but only being able to urinate a few drops at a time

● Blood in urine; this may appear as red, cola-coloured or bright pink urine

● Strong smelling or cloudy urine

● Pelvic or lower abdomen, or upper back and sides pain

● Feeling of fullness in the bladder, even after urinating

● Sudden inability to hold urine (leaking or incontinence)

Upper tract UTIs may present a few more symptoms, and are often more serious than lower tract UTIs:

● Chills

● Nausea and vomiting

● Fever

While UTIs are very common, and most women will likely experience one in their lifetime, there are a few steps that can be taken to avoid them:

● Stay hydrated; the more often you urinate, the more bacteria is flushed out of your system

● Switch from spermicide and diaphragms to a different form of contraception

● Urinate immediately after sexual intercourse

● Wipe from front to back after urinating or defecating

● Always empty your bladder fully when you need to go

● Wear cotton underwear and loose fitting pants.

Once your doctor has successfully accessed your symptoms and analysed a urine sample, he or she will recommend an antibiotic course to kill the bacteria inside the urinary tract. Depending upon whether you have an upper tract UTI or lower tract UTI, the antibiotic might be different. 

It is usually fairly easy to diagnose just by analysing the symptoms, and your doctor might start you on an antibiotic course even before you get your urinalysis results to come back. It is important to follow the antibiotic course exactly as prescribed by your doctor, as incomplete courses may not get rid of all the bacteria, putting you at risk of developing another UTI soon afterwards.

If you have any of the above symptoms and suspect you may have a UTI, immediately get in touch with an online doctor and get your medical script online so you can start your antibiotics without having to step foot inside a doctor’s office.

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