HOW TO PREVENT UTI'S [URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS]

You can take these steps to reduce your risk of urinary tract infections:

• Drink plenty of liquids, especially water. Drinking water helps dilute your urine and ensures that you'll urinate more frequently allowing bacteria to be flushed from your urinary tract before an infection can begin. 
• Hygiene. Use tampons for periods. Tampons are advised during the menstrual period rather than sanitary napkins or pads because they keep the bladder opening area drier than a sanitary pad, thereby limiting bacterial overgrowth.
• Wipe from front to back. Doing so after urinating and after a bowel movement helps prevent bacteria in the anal region from spreading to the vagina and urethra.
• Empty your bladder soon after intercourse. Also, drink a full glass of water to help flush bacteria.

• Take showers and avoid prolonged baths. Bath water may fairly quickly become contaminated by the bather's own skin florae. Sitting in a tub allows bacteria to reach the bladder opening area.
• Avoid potentially irritating feminine products. Using deodorant sprays or other feminine products, such as douches and powders, in the genital area can irritate the urethra.
• Change your birth control method. Diaphragms, or unlubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, can all contribute to bacterial growth.
• Good clothing. Do not wear tight-fitting undergarments made of non breathing materials. With such clothing, accumulating moisture builds up .This leads to maceration of the skin and bacterial overgrowth adjacent to the opening of the bladder Cotton underwear for general use is suggested.
• An estrogen vaginal cream may help increase resistance to bladder infections. An estrogen cream for the vagina is suggested for women after menopause even if an oral estrogen supplement or patch has already been prescribed. The cream helps keep the tissues around the bladder healthy and more resistant to infection.
• Take medications only as prescribed by a doctor. If a medication has been prescribed as preventive therapy, follow the physician’s instructions carefully. 

keep updated with more health tips from the Health Category