Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections
1. It is very important to determine which bacteria has caused your infection. Therefore, urine SHOULD always be sent for culture (microbiology testing) to determine the bacteria and the antibiotic sensitivity of the bacteria. It usually takes 3 days for the results to be available and in the meantime you make take ibuprofen for any bladder discomfort.
2. Once your infection has been treated successfully then you will need to drink plenty of fluids. Make sure you get into a habit of emptying your bladder every 2-3 hours even if you do not feel that you need to go.
3. Pay attention to your personal hygiene. Make sure to wipe from front to back and not back to front. Avoid bubble baths. Shower with a gentle soap such as Dove. Incontinence products may predispose to bladder infections.
4. Make sure to urinate and shower before and particularly after sexual intercourse. Avoid the use of diaphragms and spermicides for birth control. Occasionally, infections are clearly related to sexual activity so a single dose of antibiotic at the time of intercourse may be helpful.
5. Depending on the case, I may recommend using a low dose of an antibiotic every night for a few months to prevent and break the cycle the infections.
6. Although we do not have strong clinical evidence, it may be helpful to have a cranberry capsule every day and NOT cranberry juice. It is thought that the active compounds in cranberry are the proanthocyanidins that prevent infections. Also, I have heard from several women that taking D-Mannose tablets may prevent infections. These tablets can be found in natural health food stores or online.
7. Rarely, cystoscopy (examination of the bladder with a scope) would be recommended.
2. Once your infection has been treated successfully then you will need to drink plenty of fluids. Make sure you get into a habit of emptying your bladder every 2-3 hours even if you do not feel that you need to go.
3. Pay attention to your personal hygiene. Make sure to wipe from front to back and not back to front. Avoid bubble baths. Shower with a gentle soap such as Dove. Incontinence products may predispose to bladder infections.
4. Make sure to urinate and shower before and particularly after sexual intercourse. Avoid the use of diaphragms and spermicides for birth control. Occasionally, infections are clearly related to sexual activity so a single dose of antibiotic at the time of intercourse may be helpful.
5. Depending on the case, I may recommend using a low dose of an antibiotic every night for a few months to prevent and break the cycle the infections.
6. Although we do not have strong clinical evidence, it may be helpful to have a cranberry capsule every day and NOT cranberry juice. It is thought that the active compounds in cranberry are the proanthocyanidins that prevent infections. Also, I have heard from several women that taking D-Mannose tablets may prevent infections. These tablets can be found in natural health food stores or online.
7. Rarely, cystoscopy (examination of the bladder with a scope) would be recommended.