Why Do I Keep Getting Infections?

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Female urinary tract infections (UTIs) can occur for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it must be determined if the symptoms the woman is experiencing is truly a UTI ir is it something else mimicking a UTI.

Symptoms of UTIs commonly include:

dysuria (burning w/ urination)
pressure suprapubically or bladder ache
urgency
frequency
urge incontinence
bad urine odor or color
blood in the urine
body aches/chills
back pain

low grade temperature

Some of the frequent "fake outs" mimicking UTIs are:

Overactive bladder
Interstitial Cystitis
Bladder or Kidney stone
Resolved UTI with persistent symptoms
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Endometriosis
Enlarged uterus with fibroids pushing on the bladder
Bladder polyp
STD's (urethritis)
Urethral Diverticulum

Sometimes, when women complain of recurrent UTIs, it may be that the originial UTI was undertreated with antibiotics (not long enough), or the antibiotic was not strong enough, or perhaps there are other underlying issues predisposing to UTIs (neurogenic bladder, incomplete bladder emptying, pelvic floor dysfunction, kidney stones, kidney or bladder anomalies).

What are common reasons women develop UTIs?

First sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse in general
Decreased hormone status (post-menopausal, post-hysterectomy)
Constipation
Diarrhea
Incomplete Bladder Emptying
High urine pH
Tampons

Dr. Matthew Karlovsky is a urologist that specializes in female pelvic health in Phoenix, Ariz. For more information, visit www.urodoc.net or www.femaleurologyaz.blogspot.com/

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