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!

Urinary incontinence, commonly known as loss of bladder control can really cause embarrassment. The severity of this condition may range from once in a while leaky urine to the sudden and forceful urge to urinate, due to which you end up urinating before reaching the toilet.

Types of urinary incontinence-

Stress incontinence- when you feel the urge to urinate due to sneezing, coughing, laughing or while doing physical exercise
Urge incontinence- when you feel the urge to urinate, suddenly. This may occur during the day and even at night.
Functional incontinence- when you cannot reach the toilet on time because of a physical or mental impairment.
Mixed incontinence- when you involuntarily urinate due to more than one incontinence
Stress incontinence is the most common type in women. The activities which increase your risk, are:

You have had more than one pregnancy and vaginal delivery.
You have pelvic prolapse. This is when your bladder, urethra, or rectum slide into the vagina. Delivering a baby can cause nerve or tissue damage in the pelvic area. This can lead to pelvic prolapse months or years after delivery.
Female urinary stress incontinence is the involuntary release of urine during any physical activity that puts pressure on your bladder. This potentially embarrassing condition differs from general incontinence in that it happens when the body is under immediate physical stress. Activities that can put stress on your bladder include coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting heavy objects, or bending over. This condition is particular to women, many of whom experience symptoms after muscles have been weakened due to a vaginal childbirth, following menopause, or during pregnancy.

Ensure that you consult a doctor-

If this condition hinders your day to day activities
If the urinary incontinence is the result of a serious underlying problem
Causes of urinary incontinence-

Urinary incontinence may be temporary or permanent. Causes for temporary incontinence are-

Alcohol
Caffeine and caffeinated drinks
Decaffeinated tea or coffee
Spicy and sugary foods
High intake of vitamin b or c
Urinary tract infection (uti)
Constipation
Causes for permanent incontinence are:

Pregnancy
Childbirth
Old age
Menopause
Hysterectomy
Prostate cancer
Enlarged prostate
Neurological disorders
Complications-

Chronic urinary incontinence can lead to certain complications like.

Skin problems- skin rashes and infections can develop around the vaginal area, because of the constant wetness one feels. It may also cause sores.
Urinary tract infections- urinary incontinence can also result in uti
Impact on personal and social life- urinary incontinence can lead to great embarrassment, thus affecting the social and personal life of an individual.
Treatment for female stress urinary incontinence-

There are several types of treatment available. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, medications, nonsurgical treatments, and surgeries.

Lifestyle changes: make regular trips to the restroom to reduce the chance of urine leakage. Drink fewer fluids and avoid activities such as jumping and running.
Medications: medications that reduce bladder contractions.
Nonsurgical treatments: kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic muscles. Done regularly, these exercises can strengthen your muscles, allowing you to control when urine is released from your body.
Surgery:

If other treatments fail, you will have to go for surgical treatment. Types of surgery include:

Injectable therapy, in which collagen is injected into your urethra to reduce incontinence
Tension-free vaginal tape (tvt) surgery, in which mesh is placed around the urethra to give it support
Vaginal sling surgery, in which a sling is placed around the urethra to support it
Anterior or para-vaginal vaginal repair surgery to repair a bladder that is bulging into the vaginal canal
Retropubic suspension surgery to move the bladder and urethra back into their normal positions
Some doctors even try electrical stimulation and medication. When the condition is highly advanced interventional therapies and surgery is recommended.

Some interventional therapies are-

1. Bulking material injections
2. Botulinum toxin type-a
3. Nerve stimulators.

All About Urinary Incontinence

Urinary Incontinence is the sudden urine loss that occurs involuntarily in women. Some of the factors which cause urinary incontinence are pregnancy, menopause and childbirth. It should be noted that urinary incontinence by itself is not a disease, but is a symptom of other underlying disorders such as diabetes, infections and other conditions.

Causes of temporary cases of urinary incontinence include:
1. Constipation
2. Urinary tract infections
3. Excess consumption of alcohol and caffeine
4. Consuming carbonated drinks
5. Use of artificial sweeteners
6. High doses of vitamin B and vitamin C
7. Being on sedatives, muscle relaxants, blood pressure and heart medications
8. Eatables which are too spicy, acidic or sugary

However, persistence of incontinence might be due to a more serious condition. Some of the causes are stated below:

Age: The bladder muscles tend to weaken with age. This affects the bladder s urine holding capacity.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes and increase in weight during pregnancy can cause incontinence.
Menopause: Oestrogen is responsible for the healthy maintenance of the lining of the urethra and bladder. The onset of menopause causes the oestrogen hormone levels to drop. The gradual damage of the bladder tissues causes incontinence.
Childbirth: The bladder control muscles are weakened during normal vaginal delivery, thus leading to incontinence.
Obstruction: Occurrence of tumours in the urinary tract can block the normal flow of urine which can cause incontinence.
Hysterectomy: The same ligaments and muscles support both the bladder as well as the urethra. With removal of the uterus by hysterectomy, the pelvic floor muscles are deteriorated. This leads to urinary incontinence.
Neurological disorders: Conditions such as multiple sclerosis (autoimmune disorder in which the immune system destroys the protective sheath of the nerves), Parkinson s disease (disorder affecting motor functioning of the body), brain tumours, spinal injury or strokes are capable of causing incontinence.

Different forms of urinary incontinence are classified on the basis of their symptoms:

Urge incontinence: Urge or urgency incontinence occurs when there is a leak before the person reaches the toilet.
Stress incontinence: Small amounts of urine leak out during normal physical movements such as sneezing, coughing and exercising. This happens because of the minimum stress exerted on the body, and hence, the name.
Functional incontinence: Sudden leakage of urine occurs due to external deterrents or physical disabilities such as not being able to find a toilet.
Overactive Bladder: This is characterized by frequent and urgent urination.
Overflow incontinence: A full bladder, at times, leads to unexpected leakage.
Transient incontinence: If urine leakage occurs due to temporary situations such as infections, or new medications.

Did You Know - Constipation Can Also be a Sign of Urinary Incontinence

Urine is normally pale yellow or straw coloured. However, for various reasons, this can change. In fact, the change in the colour of urine is one of the first indications of a deeper underlying problem. This would also be one of the questions that the doctor would ask when suspecting any problem with the urinary tract, starting from infection to stones to cancer.

Hematuria is, therefore, a symptom and not a problem in itself. Some of the reasons for hematuria   presence of blood cells in the urine, producing a light pinkish urine, are listed below.

Urinary tract infections   starting from urethra all the way up to the kidneys

Glomerulonephritis

Kidney Stones-

Prostate enlargement

Tumours/cancers in the kidney, bladder, or prostate

Heavy exercises causing trauma to any of the internal urinary tract organs

Bleeding disorders

Certain medications

Appendicitis

Tuberculosis

As the disease progresses higher in the urinary tract, the severity of hematuria also increases. Though hematuria is a symptom in itself, there are some associated symptoms which are listed below-

Fever

Fatigue

Abdominal pain

Reduced appetite

Urge to urinate

Dysuria

Painful/burning urination

Feeling of incomplete emptying

Nocturnal urination (if prostate is enlarged)

Cloudy urine

Nausea, vomiting

Kidney pain (with stones especially)

Homeopathy believes in treating the person as a whole and not just the presenting symptoms. The doctor will ask a number of questions, some pertaining to unrelated organs, which will help them identify the reason for the hematuria. The treatment prescribed will be customised to the patient in question, but some of the common ingredients used in hematuria management are given below.

Hematuria from all causes can be managed with Terebinthina.

Bladder hematuria is better managed with Erigeron Canadense at 80% concentration while renal hematuria responds better to the same at 60% dilution.

Inflammatory hematuria can be reduced with Cantharis (80%)

Renal hematuria is better managed with Gossypium herbaceous (60%).

Renal colic with pain in the glans, groyne, and thighs responds well to Pereira brava.

Cocus cacti thrice a day is useful where there is itching of the urinary meatus along with the passing of red-coloured urine.

When there are small stones or sand particles in the urine along with pain at the end of the micturition process, Sarsaparilla thrice a day is known to be beneficial.

In some other people, Arnica Montana, Cantharis, phosphorus, and Hepar Sulphur are also used to relieve symptoms of hematuria.

As with any homeopathic treatment, the actual ingredient chosen would depend on the actual symptom that the patient presents with. Though these compounds are used, self-medication is not advisable. Talk to a specialized homeopath who will identify the right ingredient for a given clinical presentation.

Hematuria - Symptoms and Treatment

Many people are embarrassed to talk about their urine colour or urine problem with anybody, including their doctor. But, what people always forget is that strong smelling urine and the change in the colour of the urine is a serious issue. Your urine colour directly tells you about your health, especially your inner body. So, without being embarrassed you should consult a doctor, if and when, you find foul odour in your urine. Following are some of the reasons for the causes of strong smelling urine.

You are dehydrated: Urine is not supposed to leave odour. It should be odourless, but if you find strong smell in your urine, you should consult a doctor immediately. The most common reason of foul odour in your urine is dehydration. If the amount of water needed in your body is not enough then, there will be less water in your body as a result the waste products will not be diluted in water being more concentrated making the urine darker and more odour. But once you start drinking water, it should go normal. Normally, this kind of situations occur in early morning when your water intake is less or not at all. But drinking lot of water will solve this issue immediately.
More alcohol or caffeine intake: If you are habituated to drink a lot of coffee then it may happen that you find strong smell of coffee in your urine. Although it is not very problematic yet it is healthy if you reduce the intake of coffee in your daily life in order to have a healthy digestive system. Not just coffee but even alcohol could be the reason of irregular or need to urinate a lot more than usual.
Bacterial Infection: There could be bacterial infection or kidney infection which could lead to strong smell of urine. In order to ensure you should go to a doctor and get important tests done. Then the doctor can suggest treatment according to your results and if all the results are normal then you could be suggested to maintain a balanced diet on regular basis.
Imbalanced Diet: The problem can sometimes come from the use of certain vitamins from imbalances in your diet. There are substances like nitrates and phosphates in the urine which can give dark colour and odour. You should always have a proper diet and follow it in order to have a healthy digestive system. Eating lot of garlic and onion can also bring odour in your urine.
Diabetes: If you are diabetic, it may be possible that you find dark urine and odour in your urine. It indicates that your sugar level is not normal and gone much high than normal. If you are not diabetic then it may be a sign of diabetes so you should get diagnosed immediately with your doctor.
There are multiple causes of strong smelling urine but most of them could be cured easily if diagnosed immediately. But in order to avoid this issue it is better to be careful with your diet and drink a lot of water. At least three litres of water a day is an absolute necessity!

Strong Smelling Urine - 5 Common Reasons Behind it!

Polycystic kidney disease is a disorder that is inherited; it is characterized by development of cysts in the kidneys. These cysts are round sacs that contain a water like fluid. Initially, the size of the cysts are small, they tend to increase in size after the fluid accumulation. This disorder can also cause cysts to develop in the liver and other parts of the body.

Symptoms and Complications
The most common symptoms of this disorder are back pain, headache, high blood pressure and kidney failure. It can also lead to formation of stones in the kidney, presence of blood in the urine and an urge to urinate frequently. It also make your kidney prone to various bacterial infections.

Causes
The disease is caused because of the presence of defective genes in the body, implying that this disorder is primarily hereditary. In some cases, the disease is caused by a genetic mutation. Based on the causes, it is classified into two types:

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease: This disorder causes the symptoms to appear immediately after birth, although the symptoms are delayed until adolescence. This disorder only occurs when both the parents carry the defective gene which is passed to the offspring.
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: This disorder usually tends to occur only after the age of 30. Unlike the previous type, here only one parent needs to carry the defective gene that is passed on to the offspring.
Treatment
The treatment of polycystic kidney disease generally involves dealing with the following signs:

Pain: Chronic pain, usually in the sides of the body or the back, is a common symptom of this disorder. You can opt for pain reliving medication such as ibuprofen. If the cysts are large, then surgery is required to ease the pain.
High blood pressure: High blood pressure is best controlled by a following a healthy diet and lifestyle. High blood pressure can damage the kidneys severely. Medications may also be required to control blood pressure, if it rises abnormally.

Frequent Urination - Can it be a Sign of Kidney Disease?

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