UTI infection can spread to kidneys if not treated on time

NCOMFORTABLE urinating in public places, 17-year-old Laxmi (name changed) always held on for long hours. Her tendency to avoid taking bathroom breaks harmed her bladder and her overall health.

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT

NCOMFORTABLE urinating in public places, 17-year-old Laxmi (name changed) always held on for long hours. Her tendency to avoid taking bathroom breaks harmed her bladder and her overall health. This resulted in her getting a urinary tract infection (UTI), not once, but repeatedly.

Detailed counselling, dedicated pelvic floor physiotherapy and medicines helped the Bengaluru school girl to overcome this problem and be free of recurrent UTI, which is a prevalent type of infection in one's urinary system. UTI can involve any part of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. However, most infections affect the lower urinary tract, especially the bladder and urethra.

"Most of the time, the infection limits itself to the bladder, which can be uncomfortable and irritating. However, if UTI spreads to the kidneys, it can cause major health issues," said Dr Taruna Dua, senior consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology, Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka, Delhi. Though women are at a higher risk of contracting it, men also get infected, like in the case of 28-year-old Akash Sharma (name changed).