UTIs– ALL YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

You know the feeling: needing to run to the loo every half hour (even though your bladder is empty) and the burning sensation once you get there. There’s nothing quite like the discomfort of a urinary tract infection (UTI). But what exactly are UTIs and, more importantly, is there anything we can do to avoid them? Clinical nutritionist Ruth Marcus fills us in.

- RUTH MARCUS

Q What exactly is a UTI?

A: It is an infection that occurs in any part of your urinary system: your kidneys, ureter, bladder and urethra. Most infections occur in the lower urinary tract (the bladder and the urethra). The bacteria responsible for UTIs are E.coli, klebsiella pneumonia or staphylococcus saprophyticus.

Q: What causes UTIs?

A: There are many factors, including being exposed to bacteria in public bathrooms, not urinating frequently enough, being dehydrated or using certain types of birth control such as a diaphragm.Women tend to get UTIs more often than men. This is because bacteria can reach the bladder more easily in women – a woman’s urethra (the opening to your urinary tract) is shorter than a man’s, so bacteria have a shorter distance to travel.

Q: How is a UTI diagnosed?

A: Through a urine sample test to look for bacteria and leucocytes (white blood cells) that indicate the presence of an infection. If positive, the bacteria may be grown in a laboratory to determine which type of bacteria is causing the infection.

Q: I suffer from thrush every so often – is this the same as a UTI?