They say that one in two of us will develop one in a lifetime. Recognising when you have UTI symptoms is important so you can get help early to fight off and beat them well and good. Here’s what to look for.
Sex and UTIs
Having sex can increase the chance of bacteria being moved around our genital area. They then can travel up into the urethra to our bladder causing these dreaded infections.
Latest research indicates different parts of our bodies, such as our skin, gut, urinary system, and vagina have very distinct and different communities (microbiome) of bacteria/microbes that are friendly in the places where they belong…. but not so friendly when they go elsewhere.
Most UTIs are caused by E.coli bacteria, which are perfectly normal in the bowel and our poo contents but are nasty when they can reach beyond our anus to our urinary system.
Things to take note of….
That burning feeling
If you’re getting that burning feeling when you try to pee and it just feels like fire down there, you most likely have a UTI. You may even experience pain, an ache or discomfort in your lower tummy area where your bladder is when you also try to pee. It should be a relief to pee and never something to dread in any way because of burning sensations or lower tummy pain.
Just busting to go…and zilch
You get the urge like you want to go and pee but when you go……nothing comes out! Even, maybe, a little dribble…. but just zilch considering how much you feel like you need to go.
Sometimes if you’re busting, experiencing an uncontrollable urge to pee, you can accidently leak before you make it to the toilet. Unpleasant as that is, it’s a strong sign you need some help and give further thought and effort to those Pelvic Floor Exercises in building healthy awareness and control below.
Poor Pelvic Floor Muscles function can also affect how well you empty your bladder. In some cases, urine stays inside the bladder encouraging bacteria to multiply and not get flushed out, which can lead to an infection.
You just need to go…. like lots!!
Another tell-tale sign that you probably have an infection is the times you frequent the bathroom. Multiple visits to the toilet to make mostly little piddly deposits can be incredibly frustrating and even exhausting. When you’re uncomfortable and just want ease and normality in your day, especially with those liquid deposits you do every day, peeing every 5 minutes never ever makes the cut.
Cloudy with…. a smell
You may be noticing a slightly more pungent odour to your urine than usual. We’d encourage you to look at the colour of your liquid deposits too, get familiar and know what’s normal.
Check out a great tool here, it’s a Urine colour chart, which gives you a helpful visual depiction of what to look out for. When your pee is cloudy or darker than normal, then it’s a possible indication that you are really dehydrated, or you have a UTI. When you have a bacterial infection, your bladder and urethral tissue lining becomes irritated and sometimes bleeds, causing your urine to stain a little pink.
Get help
If you think you have a UTI and are experiencing any of the symptoms we’ve talked about then it’s time to make an appointment to see your GP as soon as you can. Your doctor will likely take a pee sample and send it off to the lab to confirm you have an infection. These results will also help your Doc prescribe the right medication to treat your infection when they come through.
If need a Health Professional to actually talk with, you can make the call to the National Continence Helpline. Our supportive and experienced Health Professionals know heaps about symptoms to look out for regarding infections and can advise or direct you onto further help near to where you live if you need it!
