Origin of urinary tract infections

They are very common in women as compared to men because of a woman's unique anatomy. DR BRIGID MONDA gives you tips on how to keep such infections at bay

Our plumbing system consists of the two kidneys, two ureters, the bladder and the urethra. The kidneys filter waste from the blood and form urine.

Running from each kidney to the bladder are the two ureters, macaroni looking slender muscular tubes with a tiny hole in the middle through which urine formed by the kidneys passes from the kidneys to the bladder.

The bladder is a hollow muscular bag that stores urine until you are ready to urinate.

The urethra is a short tube which leads from the bladder to the out side of the body and it is through it that we urinate.

It is about three to four centimetres long in women while that of a man is about 10 to15cm long and travels the length of his penis and it is because of this structural difference that urinary tract infections are much more common in women than in men.

Under normal conditions, our plumbing system and the urine are sterile because they are free of bacteria, viruses, and fungi and also, a healthy urinary tract has several natural defences against infection. Unlike urine, our stool is not sterile and it contains bacteria that live harmlessly in the large intestine but causes infection once in the urinary system.

Bacteria

The short length of a woman’s urethra and the proximity of its opening to the vagina and anus which are teaming with bacteria mean germs don’t have to travel too far up to get into the bladder.

This can happen for example during sex because it is a blind procedure and by the time one’s partner gets to where he should be, he’s helped spread the bacteria into the urethra.

There’s also the friction on the urethra during sexual intercourse, which will push bacteria directly into the urethra.

Urine contains salts and waste products that these bacteria can feed on and they multiply rapidly to large numbers and cause infection.

Nearly all bladder infections in women are caused by bacteria from themselves either from the anus or the vagina that ascend through the urethra into the bladder and are rarely sexually transmitted infections. Infection can also reach the kidneys through the blood but this isn’t very common.

Other causes of UTIs in women are condoms and contraceptive creams that cause urethral irritation, diseases such as diabetes, obstruction or defects within the urinary tract, which provide areas where bacteria can grow.

kidney failure

Also when a woman is nearing her menopause, the tissues in the genital area including the bladder and urethra become thinner because of the lack of estrogen making them more prone to infection.

Some of the symptoms of a UTI are a burning sensation when you pass urine, a frequent urge to pass urine because the bladder is irritated and constantly sends messages that it needs emptying, an urgent need to pass urine immediately making it very difficult to hold the urine and an uncomfortable pressure above the pubic bone.

Urinary tract infection can be dangerous if treated late or incompletely and if recurrences occur because the kidneys can be permanently scarred leading to diseases like high blood pressure and kidney failure.