If you’re a girl, you’ve most likely had a urinary tract infection (UTI) once (or even twice) in your life. A UTI involves the bladder, the organ that collects and stores urine, and the urethra, the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of your body. There are two kinds of UTIs: cystitis and urethritis. Cystitis is an infection of the bladder. Urethritis is an infection of the urethra. If left untreated, either of these can spread and cause a kidney infection. Sounds pretty painful, right?

So even though UTIs are pretty common, it’s definitely important to take them seriously. They are nothing to be ashamed of, though women sometimes feel the need to explain themselves for being diagnosed with one. This article will not only tackle how to treat the pain that goes on downstairs, but it will also address the negative stigmas surrounding UTIs that women feel the need to defend and overcome.

uti cAUSES

First and foremost, people often associate UTIs with not peeing after engaging in sexual activity. This doesn’t necessarily mean just intercourse; it can be through a partner’s fingers or sex toys as well. If you’re not in a relationship with someone, we’re sure you can gather how negatively naysayers would react to this. Though UTIs can be acquired through sex in some cases, you can get them through the simplest of things like not drinking enough fluids, purposefully holding in urine for long periods of time, having a condition such as diabetes that reduce the ability of the body's immune system to fight off infection, etc.

UTIs can also be caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia and gonnorhea. Again, if a woman was in a monogamous relationship, it’s not likely she would contract chlamydia from her partner. This does make the single girls look bad. But as a society, we must begin to embrace the idea of sexual freedom and not shaming others for their preferences and actions.

UTI SYMPTOMS

Odds are, if you feel like you have a UTI, you probably have a UTI. One of the most common symptoms of a UTI is a frequent and urgent need to pee. You might feel like you need to pee all the time, even if you just went. Other UTI symptoms include:

pain or burning when you pee

bad-smelling or cloudy urine

blood in your urine

soreness, pressure or cramps in your lower belly, back, or sides

If the infection goes to your kidneys, your UTI symptoms may also include pain in your mid-back, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor right away. Kidney infections are serious and need to be treated immediately.

These symptoms aren’t always caused by a UTI. Other infections, such as STDs or vaginitis, may cause painful or frequent urination. Only a doctor or nurse can tell for sure if you have a UTI through a urine test.

UTI Treatment

Luckily, UTIs are easily treatable with antibiotics. The type, dose, and length of your urinary tract infection treatment depends on what’s causing the infection and your medical history. There are several over-the-counter pain medications you can take, such as Azo Maximum Strength. However, this is just a pain reliever and does not cure the infection. It should be taken in tandem with antibiotics.

Most symptoms go away within a day or two of taking the medicine. Be sure to finish all of your medicine, even if your symptoms go away. If you stop your UTI treatment early, the infection might still be there or could come back.

Using cranberry products such as cranberry juice and other cranberry supplements can help prevent repeated UTIs in women. That's because there are special ingredients in cranberries called A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs) that can prevent bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall.

It’s important to not only take care of yourself, but to have an awareness for others experiencing the pain of a UTI. We must recognize that it’s simply not just the physical discomfort, but the stigma that surrounds a positive diagnosis.

The Painful Realities of a UTI

uti cAUSES

UTI SYMPTOMS

UTI Treatment