Urinary tract infection (UTI) is usually caused by inflammation or bacteria in the urinary tract. Pregnant mothers are most susceptible to this infection, especially after the sixth week and before the twenty fourth week of pregnancy. This usually happens due to the alterations that take place in the urinary tract during pregnancy.

Also, a growing uterus can block the urine drainage from this part of the body, leading to the accumulation of bacteria which causes infection. The symptoms are uncomfortable and even painful. These include pain and burning sensation, frequent urination, fever and chills. So how can you prevent UTI during pregnancy? we have a few tips for you!

- Hydration: The best thing you can do to both prevent and treat a urinary tract infection is to start drinking at least six to eight glasses of water in a day. Another good way to prevent and treat UTIs is with the help of cranberry juice which has powerful antioxidants that flush toxins out of your system effectively. You will, however, need to ensure that the cranberry juice is fresh and natural, without any sweeteners.

- Hygiene: Keeping yourself clean is one of the most important ways in which you can avoid UTI. It is best to clean from front to back, rather than the other way, so that you drive away bacteria and dirt. Also, make sure that you wash your private parts with warm water infused with a few drops of normal liquid antibacterial, so that you can be sure that the bacteria do not get a chance to thrive and affect your system. Also, remember to use soaps, washes and creams that have a mild formula, rather than a harsh chemical concoction. Hygiene for this area of the body includes keeping it dry.

- Diet: Your diet should have plenty of fluids and lemons or other citrus food that are rich in vitamin c, as this is a good vitamin to keep bacteria at bay. Also, you should eliminate sweet and refined products to ensure that you do not contract UTI. Other foods to avoid include caffeine and alcohol.

- Clothing: Wear airy and cotton based undergarments that are breathable and have a soft texture. This non abrasive type clothing can also help in keeping the area dry, so that bacteria does not get a chance to develop, as they typically need a damp environment for growth. Change your undergarments twice a day, if need be, and avoid wearing trousers and shorts that are too tight.

These tips and many others including urinating as soon as the urge sets in, can help in fighting the risk of contracting UTI during pregnancy.

Tips To Prevent UTI During Pregnancy

An overactive bladder is marked by problems with one s bladder storage system that results in sudden urge to urinate. Involuntary and leakage of urine is also a possibility in such a case.

The problem of an overactive bladder arises when the muscles of the bladder contract involuntarily. The conditions contributing to overactive bladder are:
1. Excessive production of urine due to diabetes, poor kidney function or excessive fluid intake
2. Medications that increase urine production by the bladder
3. Acute infections in the urinary tract
4. Abnormalities in the bladder, for instance, bladder stones or tumors
5. Factors hindering bladder outflow such as constipation, enlarged prostate or earlier treatments for incontinence (loss of bladder control)
6. Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine
7. Decline in one s cognitive abilities due to factors such as ageing, thus making it hard for the bladder to comprehend the signals it gets from the brain
8. Incomplete emptying of the bladder, leaving only a little storage space for the urine
9. Constipation
10. Neurological disorders

How it can be treated?

Behavioral interventions help to manage overactive bladder effectively and without side-effects. They include-
Exercises to strengthen one s urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles
Maintaining a healthy weight
Regulating fluid consumption
Planning a schedule for trips to the toilet
Employing a catheter to empty the bladder entirely
Medications to alleviate the symptoms of incontinence and overactive bladder are-
Fesoterodine
Mirabegron
Darifenacin
Solifenacin
Trospium
Oxybutynin gel
Oxybutynin as a skin patch
Tolterodine
Injecting small doses of Botox (Botulinum toxin), protein-bacteria, directly into the bladder tissues to partially paralyze the bladder muscles, thus delaying urination.
Surgery to magnify bladder capacity
However, it is a must that you seek the guidance of a urologist on immediate basis. 

Overactive Bladder - Can Infection in Urinary Tract Lead To it?

The bladder is a muscular sac that is seated just above the pubic bone. The organ stores urine produced by the kidneys allows us the control the frequency of urination by the expansion and contraction of its muscles. Pain in the bladder is usually caused due to one of three reasons:

Interstitial cystitis: This is a chronic condition which affects more women than men. It makes the bladder inflamed and irritated. The bladder walls turn stiff because of this which makes it difficult for the bladder to expand. Interstitial cystitis may be caused by a defect in the lining of the bladder.

Urinary tract infection: Urinary tract infections can affect a person at any age and may develop in the ureter, urethra, bladder or kidneys. However, it is most commonly seen in the bladder. This infection is caused by bacteria that enter the body through the urinary tract.

Bladder cancer: Cancer that develops in the bladder is known as bladder cancer. Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer cell. This begins in the innermost layer of the bladder lining. Pain during urination and discomfort in the lower pelvic region are common symptoms of this disease. Once the cause is diagnosed, antibiotic medication can help treat bladder pain. Along with that, there are a few things you could do at home as well.

Drink plenty of fluids: Ideally, we should drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. Water keeps the body hydrated and helps flush toxins from the body. It also helps dilute the urine. This can make urination less painful as concentrated urine may be acidic and difficult to pass. Water also helps prevent the formation of kidney stones and thus helps the kidneys function optimally.
Urinate frequently: Do not try to control your urine. Holding urine in for extended periods of time allows bacteria to multiply within the body. It is also important to urinate after intercourse as sexual activities can push the bacteria present on the skin deeper into your body. This is important for both men and women.
Dress comfortably: Avoid synthetic, tight fitting underwear and clothes. Instead wear, loose, comfortable clothes that are preferably made out of cotton. These clothes will help keep your skin dry and not allow bacteria to breed.
Pain relievers and heating pads: Sometimes, antibiotics can take a day or two before addressing bladder pain. In such cases, pain relievers can help deal with the discomfort and cramps. Heating pads can also help soothe abdominal and lower back pain that results from bladder infections.

Painful Bladder - What Should You Know About It?

It is an extremely embarrassing situation to have a bladder leakage. Social life could be altered, with reduced socialising for fear of losing control in the presence of others. Though not discussed frankly, it is an extremely common issue and about 25 million people in the United States suffer from this, with 75% of these being women.

Treatment depends on the type of incontinence, such as stress, urge, overflow, functional, or mixed. It starts with least invasive methods like lifestyle changes moving over to surgical approaches.

Ways to manage it

With trips to the toilet increasing considerably when you have urinary incontinence, simple measures can help manage leakage.

Bladder training: Train your bladder to control the urge for another 10 minutes. This happens by voluntarily contracting the muscles and holding up the urge to go to the toilet. Gradually, it will help increase the frequency of the visit to 4 to 6 hours.
Scheduled toilet trips: Whether or not there is an urge, visit the toilet every 4 to 6 hours.
Double emptying: Even after you have voided, force yourself to void one more time. The residual urine, which is almost always present in the bladder, also gets emptied.
Food/diet modifications: Stress incontinence is worsened by alcohol, spicy foods, acidic foods, and caffeine. Avoiding these can help reduce bladder leakage.
Kegel exercises: The simple repetition of contracting the pelvic floor muscles, holding it in place, and releasing it can do wonders for strengthening the pelvic floor. This can be done anywhere and any time of the day and is very effective for improving bladder control.
Catheters: These can be used if the incontinence is short-lived; the person would need to learn how to safely insert and remove it.
Absorbent pads and medical devices: The absorbent pads are helpful in preventing embarrassment during social situations. On the other hand, medical devices like pessary are inserted into the vagina to support the bladder neck and thereby prevent leakage from the bladder.
Drugs: Anticholinergics/antimuscarinics are useful to control a leaking bladder. Botox injections can help paralyse the overactive bladder muscles and provide a solution. Topical oestrogen may be used in small amounts to improve tone and reduce incontinence. Alpha blockers are also used in some people with good results. There are muscles that relax the bladder and increase the amount of urine it can contain.
Surgery: In the event that all these measures are not useful, surgical correction is possible. Sling procedure where an artificial mesh is used to support the urethra. Bladder neck suspension is where the bladder neck is given support to prevent leakage. If there is a pelvic organ prolapse, that is corrected to rectify the bladder leakage.

 Bladder Leakage - Solutions To Help You Manage It!

Bladder stones, not to be confused with kidney stones, are formed when substances such as calcium oxalate found in urine coalesce into solid lumps and form deposits in the bladder. Though usually small enough to be excreted during urination, sometimes they get trapped in the neck of the bladder. In such cases, as the residues continue to grow larger, they cause extreme pain, infections, and may need surgical attention.

What causes bladder stones?
The most common causes of bladder stones are-

A diet which is high in oxalic acid can cause bladder stones.
Dehydration and a reduced intake of water cause bladder stones.
A protracted use of a urinary catheter, infections of the urinary tract, or an injury that might have impaired bladder function can cause stones to form.
Most often, stones originate somewhere else in the urinary tract and move downwards obstructing the neck of the bladder. There are significant hereditary factors at play here.
Symptoms-

Blood in the urine usually apparent only in the last few drops.
Interruption of the stream of urine and an inability to do so except in certain positions.
Dark-coloured urine.
Diagnosis-

1.Physical Exam
The physician will physically examine to evaluate if the bladder or the rectum are enlarged.

2.Urinalysis
A sample of your urine will be tested for the presence of bacteria, blood and crystallized minerals.

3.CT scan
A CT scan to build a detailed image of the internal organs.

Treatment-

If the size of the bladder stones is small then a simple increase in water and fluid intake should be enough to excrete them out naturally.
If they are too large to flush out from the system naturally, they will either be broken down to smaller sizes using laser ray or similar other energies, or surgically removed.
In order to prevent bladder stones from recurring, here are 5 foolproof methods-

1.Increase the daily fluid intake
A sure-fire way to prevent bladder stones is to increase the amount of water you drink every day. The idea is to reduce the concentration of your urine. A minimum of 2-3 litres of water per day is absolutely necessary.

2.Urinate more often.
If you drink more water throughout the day, you are going to have to urinate more frequently anyway. Do not put it off because you are worried that you will be mocked for having an old lady s bladder.

3.Laxatives.
If you feel like you are constipated, use a laxative. There is no shame in wanting to regulate your bowel movements.

4.Regular Tests.
Get a sample of your urine tested regularly to ensure that your kidneys and bladder are functioning properly and there are no irregularities.

5.Eat fruits.
Get the essential sugar component of your diet from fresh fruits. Say no to saturated sugar and fizzy drinks. Opt for fruits with high water content like melons to add more fluids in your diet.

5 Full-Proof Methods To Prevent Bladder Stones!

The bladder is a hollow storage organ that collects urine from the kidneys and stores it until it can be passed out of the body through the urethra during the process of micturition or urination. It has a thin inner lining of cells called urothelial cells and a thick muscular wall, which exerts pressure to push the urine out of the body.

Causes of Bladder Tumors

In most cases, the bladder tumor develops on the inner layer due to a combination of some of the following factors.

1. Hereditary: A strong family history of cancer predisposes a person to cancer.
2. Gender: Men are 3 times more prone for bladder cancer than women.
3. Ethnicity: White people are more prone for bladder cancer black people.
4. Smoking: Smokers develop bladder cancer 2-6 times more frequently than non-smokers. cigarettes contain toxic, carcinogenic substances which reach the kidney and are stored in the bladder, leading to their damage.
5. Occupational hazards: Some workplaces have a higher likelihood of causing bladder cancers, especially dye and rubber industries. The effects can be damaging, and the person may develop cancers years after the exposure has happened.
6. Recurrent bladder infections: In some people, this can also lead to bladder cancer in the long run.

Types of Bladder Tumor

Depending on the extent of the cancerous spread, it can be of two types:

1. Non-muscle-invasive bladder tumors: The tumor spread is limited to the inner part of the bladder (urothelial cells)
2. Muscle-invasive bladder tumor: The tumor has spread to the thick muscular outer layer. This is more advanced and prognosis is poor compared to the noninvasive type.

The most common and diagnostic symptom of bladder cancer is the presence of blood in the urine, known as hematuria. This will be intermittent and happens whenever the tumor bleeding happens. Other symptoms include pain in the lower abdomen and frequent urination.

Diagnosis

From the most noninvasive to the most invasive diagnostic test, these include:

1. Urine microscopy to detect cancer cells in the urine
2. Cystoscopy A tube inserted into the urethra to look into the inner wall of the bladder is highly diagnostic
3. Ultrasound, CT Scan, and biopsy can also be further used to identify severity of the tumor.

Treatment

Once the tumor is diagnosed, treatment would depend on the severity of the tumor. For both invasive and noninvasive tumors, definitive therapy is surgery, known as transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT). The cancerous bladder tissue is removed through a cystoscope as done for diagnosis. The bladder is then flushed with chemotherapy agent to kill any residual cancer cells in the bladder. This is then followed by BCG vaccine, which is again done 1 to 4 weeks for several months to avoid recurrence. In some cases, radiotherapy may also be included.

Bladder Tumor and Its Common Causes

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