A urinary tract infection can be painful and annoying. Most urinary tract infections affect the bladder and urethra, but it can also affect the kidneys and ureter. Women have a higher risk of suffering from this infection as compared to men. This is because women have a shorter urethra than men and hence the bacteria needs to travel a shorter distance to reach the bladder. Urinary tract infections can usually be treated easily with a course of antibiotics as long as they are detected in time. If not detected in time, it can affect the kidneys which make it a more serious problem. Hence, it becomes important to be able to recognise the signs of this infection. 

Some of the symptoms to watch out for are:

A persistent urge to urinate but low volume of urine produced
A burning sensation while urinating
Cloudy urine
Blood in the urine which makes the urine appear red, pink or blackish
Strong smell of the urine
Pelvic pain
A urinary tract infection that affects the urethra is also known as urethritis. A burning sensation when urinating and discharge along with urine are the most prominent symptoms of this type of infection. When this infection affects the bladder it comes to be known as cystitis. Cystitis patients typically suffer from frequent and painful urination along with discomfort in the lower abdomen and pressure in the pelvic area. They may also notice blood in the urine.

Acute pyelonephritis refers to a urinary infection that affects the kidneys. In such cases, along with the typical symptoms, the patient may also experience high fever, nausea, shivering and pain in the upper back and sides of the abdomen.

This infection can affect a person at any age. Most women suffer from at least one bout of urinary tract infections in their lifetime. Some of the factors that increase the risk of suffering from this infection are:
Certain types of birth control such as diaphragms and spermicidal agents

Menopause
New sexual partners
Urinary tract abnormalities
Kidney stones or other blockages in the urinary tract
Weakened immune system
Use of catheters
Recent urinary procedures that involve the use of medical instruments
Urinary tract infection can be easily prevented by living a healthy lifestyle. Drink plenty of fluids to flush bacteria and other toxins from your body. Bacteria multiplies in the bladder if urine stays for too long. Hence, urinate frequently and do not try to control your bladder. Avoid synthetic underwear and wear cotton underwear with loose fitting clothes that keep the area around the urethra dry.

How to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections
A urinary tract infection or UTI can be quite painful and uncomfortable. This infection can be described as an infection that affects the ureter, urethra, bladder or kidneys. Women have a shorter urethra than men which makes this more vulnerable to this kind of infection. It is said that most women suffer from at least one bout of this infection in a lifetime. Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria and may often recur after treatment. However, in most cases, this can easily be prevented. Here are a few tips to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections.

Drink plenty of fluids: Ideally, we should drink 8-10 glasses of water a day at regular intervals. This keeps the body hydrated and flushes toxins and bacteria from the body. Water also prevents the formation of kidney stones that could increase your risk of suffering from a urinary tract infection.
Urinate frequently: If you drink the required amount of water, you will typically need to urinate frequently. Do not try to control your bladder. Holding your urine in your bladder allows bacteria to multiply inside the bladder. This is an easy way for a UTI to begin.
Follow healthy bathroom habits: Cleanliness is the first step to preventing any infection. When using public restrooms, flush the toilet before and after urinating. In the case of women, it becomes important to ensure that the seat of the toilet is clean as well. After urinating wipe the residual urine with toilet paper in a motion that goes from front to back. Since the urethra is situated very close to the rectum, this step is very important. For uncircumcised men, it is important to wash the foreskin after urination.
Wear loose clothes: Tight fitting clothes trap moisture and aid in the multiplication of bacteria. Hence, always wear loose fitting clothes that keep the area around the urethra dry. Also, avoid synthetic underwear and only wear cotton underwear.
Urinate after intercourse: The relative closeness of the vagina to the urethra makes it easy for bacteria to enter the urethra during intercourse. Hence, make it a habit of washing your pubic region after urinating. This helps flush out any possible bacteria that may have entered your body.
Choose the correct method of birth control: Certain types of birth control such as diaphragms and spermicidal agents can promote a urinary tract infection. Hence, it is best to avoid these types of birth control and pick alternatives.

Urinary Tract Infection - Signs You are Suffering From it!

Often, early stages of kidney diseases do not come with specific signs and symptoms and most people will remain unaware of their condition. However, certain symptoms may be perceived that may indicate that a person is suffering from early stages of kidney failure. When you are diagnosed with kidney failure (also known as renal failure) in the initial stages, certain measures can be taken to retard the progression of the renal disease. This can also help reverse the condition and improve the quality of life of the patient. On the basis of a typical cause, the symptoms of kidney failure are grouped into specific categories that are given below. If you notice any of the specified renal failure symptoms, it is recommended to immediately fix up an appointment with your doctor and get your diagnostic tests done. 

Symptoms of Renal Failure from the accumulation of waste products in the body: 

Metallic taste in mouth 
Nausea and vomiting 
Facing difficulty in concentrating 
Loss of appetite 
Aversion towards meat (protein aversion) 
Itching or pruritus 
Symptoms of Renal Failure from the accumulation of fluid in the body: 

Dyspnoea or shortness of breath (this happens due to the accumulation of fluid in the lungs).
Swelling is seen in the feet, hands or face. 
Symptoms of Kidney Failure from damage to the kidneys: 

The amount of urine production changes, though it is not a reliable sign Haematuria or blood in the urine (usually in microscopic quantity). 
Frothiness or foam in the urine (usually happens when protein is present in the urine). 
Symptoms of Kidney Failure due to decreased blood production (anemia): 

Dyspnoea or shortness of breath. 
Fatigue Weakness. 
Confusion If you happen to feel cold all the time. 
The following diagnostic tests will be performed by your doctor in order to determine whether the symptoms are the manifestation of a kidney failure or not: 

Urine analysis - In this test, a sample of your urine is tested to find traces of blood, white blood cells or proteins which may indicate a problem in kidney function. 
Blood Tests - This includes tests for BUN and creatinine in the blood which are usually removed from the blood if the kidneys function properly. 
Actions must be taken when you show signs and symptoms of kidney failure: 

It is common that the symptoms of early renal failure are not always prominent, but if any of the above symptoms are witnessed, it is recommended to met a physician to determine whether they are caused by a kidney disease. You can pen-down the symptoms that you feel are related and bring it to the doctor when you fix up the next appointment. It is essential to know about your disease at the earliest as it will give you time and the ease of taking measures to retard the damage process and will decrease or delay the probability of undergoing dialysis or kidney transplant.

Kidney Failure - What Should You Know About it?

What you should know about urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is the inability to hold urine in the bladder because of loss of control of the bladder. The severity may range from temporary to chronic, depending on the cause of this disease. Urinary incontinence is more common in women than men and can be categorized into three types.

Types and symptoms of urinary incontinence

Stress incontinence: this incontinence may occur while participating in any physical activity such as a sudden cough, laugh, sneezing or exercising. The stress here refers to the sudden physical pressure that a person experiences, leading him/her to urinate involuntarily.

Urge incontinence: a sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscular wall of the bladder causes an urgency to urinate. This urgency can be formed by a sudden change in position or sex.

Overflow incontinence: this is more common in men with prostate gland problems, damaged bladder or blocked urethra. The person has an urge to urinate frequently but in small amounts.

Causes of urinary incontinence

There are a number of causes of urinary incontinence ranging from aging to cancer and physical damage to the neurological disorder.

1. Aging: with age, the bladder muscle weakens and the chances of incontinence increases.

Damage: since the pelvic muscles support the bladder any damage to it (surgery or any procedure to remove the uterus) can lead to urinary incontinence.

2. Enlarged prostate: enlargement of the prostate gland in older men may give rise to this condition.

Cancer: urinary incontinence may be associated with untreated prostate cancer, which is a side effect of treatments for it.

3. Menopause: estrogen is a hormone that keeps the lining of bladder and urethra healthy. After menopause the production of estrogen is decreased, increasing the chances of urinary incontinence.

4. Prevention: urinary incontinence is not preventable but some steps can be taken to reduce the risk of it. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking, practicing pelvic floor exercises, avoiding caffeine and acidic foods and eating more fiber to prevent constipation can help decreasing the risk of it.


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Related Tip: Common Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections Every Woman Should Know

What Makes One Lose Control of the Urinary Bladder?

At a point when our bodies process the protein we eat, the procedure creates waste products. In kidneys, millions of tiny blood vessels act as filters since they have even tinier holes in them. As blood flows through these vessels, little molecules such as waste items may press through the gaps. These waste items turn out to be a part of the urine. Helpful substances, such as protein and red blood cells are too enormous to go through the gaps in the filter and stay in the blood.

Diabetes and kidneys: Diabetes can harm the kidneys. Abnormal amounts of glucose make the kidneys filter a lot of blood. After a couple of years, they begin to spill and helpful protein is thereby, lost in urine. Having low protein levels in the urine is called micro albuminuria.

Medication: When kidney disease is analyzed on time, during micro albuminuria, a few medications may keep kidney disease from getting worse. Having elevated levels of protein in the urine is called macro albuminuria. When kidney disease is looked up some other time during macro albuminuria, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) usually follows.

Causes: Strain on the organs may cause the kidneys to lose their filtering capacity. Waste items then begin to develop in the blood. Finally, the kidneys start to fail. This failure, ESRD, is intense. A patient with ESRD needs a kidney transplant or a blood filtration by a machine (dialysis).

Other complications: Individuals with diabetes will probably have other kidney-related issues such as bladder infections and nerve damages in the bladder.

Preventing complications: Not everybody with diabetes goes through a kidney disease. Elements that can impact kidney disease improvement include genetics, blood-sugar control and blood pressure. The more a person keeps diabetes and blood pressure under control, the lower the chances of getting a kidney disease.

Keeping your glucose level high can counteract diabetic kidney problems. Research has demonstrated that blood glucose control diminishes the danger of micro albuminuria by 33%. For individuals who suffer from micro albuminuria have now a reduced danger of advancing to macro albuminuria. Different studies have recommended that blood glucose control can reverse micro albuminuria.

Treatment: Essential treatments for kidney infection include control of blood glucose and blood pressure. Blood pressure dramatically affects the rate at which the condition progresses. Indeed, even a gentle increase in blood pressure can rapidly aggravate a kidney infection. Four approaches to bring down your blood pressure are:

Shedding pounds
Eating less salt
Maintaining a strategic distance from liquor and tobacco
Exercising regularly
A low-protein diet can decrease the amount of lost protein in the urine and increase the protein levels in the blood. Never begin a low-protein diet without talking to your physician or nephrologist.

Diabetes & Kidney Problems - Know The Complications!

Kidney failure and other kidney problems are the leading causes of death nowadays. Common problems that lead to kidney failure include chronic blood pressure and chronic uncontrolled diabetes. However, there are a number of ayurvedic medications which help solve kidney failure and other kidney problems including;

1. Punarnava

Punarnava is commonly called hogweed as well but the medical name for it is boerhavia diffusa. It is extremely helpful in preventing micturition, a disorder which is characterized by unexplained fainting after urinating. However, that is not the only symptoms hogweed helps with as it also removes excess water from the body due to kidney failure.

2. Varun

Varun is commonly known as caper and is medically known as crataeva nurvala. The diseases which varun is best at dealing with are urinary tract infections and renal stones. Varun also helps in stopping the swelling and extra fluid accumulation after kidney failure.

3. Gokshura

Gokshura is known as tribulus terrestris and is an herbal tonic for the genito-urinary system. Gokshura is one of the best ways to avoid dialysis. This is because it stops infections from occurring and also clears obstructions in the urinary tract. It is also very good at regenerating the kidney cells.

4. Raktachandan

Rakt chandan is known as p. Santalinus or red sandalwood and is another excellent remedy for kidney problems. It acts as both a diuretic and an anti-infectant.

5. Palaash

Palaash, medically, is known as butea monosperma. It is a type of urinary alkalizer and it also stops micturition. A urinary alkalizer is a medication which allows the urine to pass more easily. This is yet another great remedy for kidney failure.

6. Kaasni

Kaasni is commonly known as chicory but its medical name is cichorium intybus. Kaasni gives strength to the kidneys and is also a very good alkalizer. However, its most valuable property is the fact that it helps in nephritis and nephrotic syndrome (disorder of the kidneys characterized by protein loss).

Ayurveda and Kidney Problems

Most people would panic on seeing slightly red urine being passed. A common urologic condition, this happens because blood cells are leaking into the urine. There are multiple reasons which can cause it, and not all of them are major causes for concern.

Read on to know more about some common causes, and how to manage this.

Urinary tract infections: There could be an infection of the entire urinary tract including the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and the urethra. In addition to blood in the urine, there could also be an urge to urinate, pain with urination, fever, and flank pain.
Enlarged or infected prostate: The prostate naturally enlarges with age and can obstruct the urethra, causing pain and blood in the urine. There is a constant urge to urinate and difficulty initiating the stream. Infection of the prostate also produces similar symptoms along with fever and pain.
Kidney diseases: In addition to infections, other kidney diseases including glomerulonephritis, which can also lead to hematuria. Kidney stones, which are quite common, are also another reason, and this will be characterised by the sudden sharp pain around the flank which is very diagnostic of kidney stones. Injury to the kidneys from trauma or sports is another reason for hematuria.
Cancers/tumours: Cancers in the kidney, bladder, or prostate can cause blood to appear in the urine, but this would happen once cancer has reached some advanced stage, not very early in the process.
Listed below are some risk factors for hematuria.

Age: Men older than 50 are more prone to hematuria
Sex: While men are more likely to have stones or prostate infections, UTIs are quite common in women below 50s.
Family history: though not hereditary, if kidney stones or cancers or infections are in the family, chances of developing hematuria also goes up.
Medications: Aspirin, blood thinners, NSAIDs, and some antibiotics increase the chances of hematuria.
Exercise: Long distance runners are shown to be more prone to developing hematuria.
Diagnosis: In addition to a physical exam, blood tests, imaging (CT scans and/or MRI) and cystoscopy might be required to confirm the diagnosis. Identifying the cause is extremely important as treatment would depend completely on the causative agent. Though hematuria is just one of the symptom, the underlying cause could have severe adverse effects on the whole body system.

Treatment: Whether it is an infection or enlarged prostate or kidney stone or tumour, once the cause is identified treatment is customised accordingly. Antibiotics for the infections, laser treatment for the stones, etc. are recommended.

If you see your urine turning slightly pink in colour, talk to your doctor immediately. Identifying the underlying cause and treating it will help solve the problem of hematuria.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!


Blood In Urine - Is It Actually Serious?

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