Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Urinary tract infection is an illness caused by harmful bacteria growing in the urinary tract.
Changing some of your daily habits may help you avoid UTIs.
- Drink lots of fluid to flush the bacteria from your system. Water is best. Try for 6 to 8 glasses a day.
- Drink cranberry juice or take vitamin C. Both increase the acid in your urine so bacteria can't grow easily. Cranberry juice also makes your bladder wall slippery, so bacteria can't stick to it.
- Urinate frequently and go when you first feel the urge. Bacteria can grow when urine stays in the bladder too long.
- Urinate shortly after sex. This can flush away bacteria that might have entered your urethra during sex.
- After using the toilet, always wipe from front to back, especially after a bowel movement.
- Wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes so that air can keep the area dry. Avoid tight-fitting jeans and nylon underwear, which trap moisture and can help bacteria grow.
- For women, using a diaphragm or spermicide for birth control can lead to UTIs by increasing bacteria growth. If you have trouble with UTIs, consider modifying your birth control method. Unlubricated condoms or spermicidal condoms increase irritation and help bacteria cause symptoms. Consider switching to lubricated condoms without spermicide or using a nonspermicidal lubricant.
Sources:
Kidney Diseases Dictionary A-Z. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 03–4359: May 2003
Excerpted from: What I need to know about Urinary Tract Infections. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 04–4807: March 2004
Page Last Revised: January 19, 2008
