You have this painful, aching sensation in your abdominal area, kind of like menstrual cramps. You feel the almost constant need to urinate. You go to pee and OOUUUUCCCHH! About four drops come out and it burns like hell! Your urine may even look like there is "stuff" floating in it, and may even be bloody. Chances are you have a Urinary Tract Infection, also known as a UTI. They SUCK, but luckily they are fairly easy to prevent and get rid of. Generally, UTIs are much more common for women, so this commentary will be aimed at them. Sorry, guys!
There are some over the counter medications that may help you (Cystex is one brand) but I have found in my own personal experience that a prescription antibiotic is the only really effective approach to getting rid of them. So, if you get one of these infections or suspect you may have one, see your doctor. It is especially important because the infection can spread to your bladder and kidneys, which is more serious. If you establish a pattern of UTI's, he or she may get to the point that when you think you have one, you can just call your doctor and he or she will phone a prescription for antibiotics to a pharmacy for you, without an office visit. There are also medications, prescription and over the counter, specially made to ease the pain and burning of UTI's - they turn your pee bright orange but work miraculously!
To prevent UTI's, peeing soon after you have sex can really work wonders. By peeing, you vacate your urinary tract of any foreign bacteria that may have entered it (this bacteria is what causes the infection). Another suggestion - wipe front to back after you go to the bathroom. If you wipe from back to front then you are pushing bacteria from your anal and vaginal areas toward the opening of your urethra - bacteria that can cause infection. Also, including cranberry in your diet can help in prevention and sometimes in treatment. The cranberry changes the pH of your urine, which can prevent infection. Drinking a glass a day of cranberry juice (try to get 100% cranberry juice, or at least something that is 100% juice) will help, or if you HATE cranberry juice there are dietary supplements available in most vitamin stores and many drug stores that are labeled "cranberry" or "cranberry extract" which you can take daily instead of the juice.
. Thank you!
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