Do you ever wonder how water and the other fluids we drink become urine?
The kidneys are organs in our body that perform many different jobs. One of its main jobs is to filter and remove water and waste materials from the blood. The collected wastes combine with water to form urine.
From the kidneys, urine goes down a tube called ureters to the bladder where it is stored. When the bladder is about half-filled, you will normally feel an urge to urinate. When you urinate, the urine from the bladder passes through another tube called urethra until is released out of the body.
This normal functioning of the urinary system can be disrupted by several illnesses and conditions. One of these conditions is urinary tract infection.
Urinary tract infection happens when bacteria enter the urinary tract and multiply. The urinary system is designed such that bacteria and other microorganisms like viruses and fungi cannot exist.
It has its natural way of protecting itself from them. However, due certain conditions like the weakening of the immune system, infection may still happen.
The most common bacteria that cause urinary tract infection are Escherichia coli or E. coli. These bacteria are not usually found in the urinary tract but rather in the digestive tract.
Holding urine for a long period of time could also lead to urinary tract infection. As mentioned above, you are supposed to feel the urge to urinate when your bladder is half full.
If you ignore this feeling always, you are actually initiating urinary tract infection because you allow bacteria to grow. Remember, urination is the natural way to flush bacteria away.
Holding urine also causes the sphincter muscle to tighten for a long period. This weakens its ability to properly relax during urination.
When this happens, the next time you urinate, you may not be able to release urine completely. Urine left in the urinary tract may contain bacteria that can multiply to cause infection.
UTI is more common in young boys than young girls. However, as they grow older, this pattern changes. The girls become more prone to having the infection.
Antibiotics are usually recommended to people to treat the infection. It is expected to work just within a few days. There are instances, though, that your doctor will ask you to extend taking the antibiotics for about a week or so.
Even if there are available medicines to treat UTI, there are people who prefer to use natural remedies. Increasing water and fluid intake helps in increasing urine volume. This aids in flushing microorganisms out of the urinary tract.
Drinking cranberry juice helps in preventing bacteria from holding on to the walls of the tract. Drinking corn silk concoction promotes regular urine elimination. This concoction is known as a diuretic.
Although urinary tract infection is not a very serious health problem, it doesn't mean that we will not take care of ourselves to be free of it. It is important that we exert effort to prevent it because it can be very discomforting.
Simple changes in our lifestyle like drinking plenty of clean water instead of soda and not holding urine could be of great help in preventing UTI.
They are easier to do than holding your urine anyway! And they are good for preventing other diseases as well.
It is important because urinary tract infection can spread to the kidneys. If not treated promptly and properly, this could lead to more serious health problems.
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