3 Major Types of Urinary Tract Infections You Should Know!

Have you ever experienced a persistent urge to urinate and a burning sensation while urinating? If these sound familiar, then you’ve experienced the symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs). While discussing types of UTI, it is important to note that UTIs affect more women than men because they have a shorter urethra. This anatomical difference makes it easier for bacteria to travel from the rectum to the urinary tract and cause infection in women.

Most UTIs are caused by bacteria, primarily the notorious and widely known Escherichia coli. This bacterium normally resides in the digestive system but can cause infection if it enters the urinary tract. In some cases, UTIs can also be caused by yeast, a type of fungus.

This information might be familiar to you, but are you aware that there are 3 major types of UTIs? These influence the symptoms experienced and will help you understand how they can be cured or prevented.

 

Types of Urinary Tract Infections

1. Cystitis:

Cystitis is an infection of the bladder. It is the most common type of UTI. It is caused by Escherichia coli, which generally resides in the bowel. This bacteria travels up the urethra to reach the bladder. In the bladder, these bacteria thrive and multiply due to the preferred acidic conditions created by urine. The risk factors of cystitis in women include pregnancy, menopause, and use of tampons.

Symptoms of cystitis

The symptoms of this infection include;

• Burning sensation while urinating
• Coca-Cola-colored urine
• Difficulty in passing urine
• Lower back pain
• fever

2. Urethritis:

Urethritis is an infection of the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of your body). This type of UTI is caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses like the herpes simplex virus. As the male urethra is longer than that of females, the male urethra is more susceptible to inflammation and infection. In other words, men are more susceptible to urethritis than women. If left untreated, urethritis can lead to prostatitis, which is an infection of the prostate gland.

 Symptoms of urethritis

Urethritis symptoms for men include;

• Pain while urinating
• Discharge from the penis
• Increase in urine frequency
• Urinary retention

3. Pyelonephritis:

This type of UTI occurs when the bacteria travels up the kidneys to cause infection. It is potentially more serious than cystitis and urethritis. If left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the kidneys. However, similar to cystitis, it occurs more frequently in women than men.

Symptoms of pyelonephritis

The symptoms associated with this condition include;

• Headache, achiness, chills, and fever
• Vomiting
• Lower back and abdominal pain

 

How Can You Differentiate These Types of UTIs?

First, it is essential to understand that all types of UTIs are broadly categorized into upper and lower urinary tract infections. A lower UTI affects the lower portion of the urinary tract (i.e. bladder and urethra) while upper UTI affects the upper part of the urinary tract (i.e. kidneys). In other words, pyelonephritis which is an upper UTI is more severe than lower UTIs (which are cystitis and urethritis). Thus, apart from the precise location of the UTI, additional symptoms can occur with upper UTIs such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Also, pyelonephritis and cystitis are more common in women than men, while urethritis is diagnosed more often in men. Thus, associated symptoms are seen in each case, which helps differentiate between these three types of UTIs.

How to Prevent Recurrent UTIs

The following are some tips that can help you prevent recurrence of urinary tract infection:

• Good hygiene practices: This involves constantly keeping the genital areas clean by wiping the area front to back to prevent bacteria from spreading to the urethra.
• Urinate Regularly: Do not hold your urine when you feel like you need to go. Empty your bladder as soon as is required.
• Take cranberry supplements, like NATURE’SFIELD CRANBERRY, and restore the health of the urinary tract. It also prevents bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract because of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) it contains.

It is not easy dealing with recurrent UTIs. In addition to causing discomforting symptoms, it can also disrupt the balance of the microorganisms that reside in your body. This can trigger a cascade of negative impacts, which includes the development of digestive problems. Therefore, the use of sugar-free cranberry supplements like NATURE’SFIELD CRANBERRY and other outlined tips will help provide relief from constantly treating UTIs.