Urinary Tract Infections

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of the urinary system, with most infections involving the lower urinary tract - the bladder and urethra.

The severity of the UTI depends on where the infection is. The closer to the kidneys the infection is, the more severe the infection. Symptoms of UTIs include a strong persistent urge to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating and urine that appears cloudy or bloody.

UTIs occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and multiply in the bladder. These bacteria then grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract.

Women are more prone to UTIs than men. This is because a woman has a shorter urethra than a man, which shortens the distance the bacteria has to travel to reach the bladder. To prevent UTIs, one is encouraged to wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from the faeces from entering the urethra.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-tract-infection/symptoms-causes/syc-20353447

https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/210/urinarytractinfection

https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/u/urinary-tract-infections-in-adults

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/urinary-tract-health-from-bladder-to-kidney-infections/

https://www.mountelizabeth.com.sg/healthplus/article/female-urinary-tract-infections

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