What in the v@gina?! A naked guide to UTIs
Reading time: 8 Minutes 26 Seconds
We’ve all been there, right? The burning sensation, the pelvic pain, the sudden urge to urinate but nothing escapes, except for a few drops of urine straight from hell. If you have no idea what I am talking about - thank your body for being kind - as for the rest of us, welcome back to the world of dreadful UTIs.
For those of you who are new to this fiery phenomenon, let me share some insight. A UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) is an infection in any part of the urinary tract, i.e., kidneys, bladder, urethra, etc., prominently caused by the bacteria E.coli travelling up the urethra to the bladder and kidneys. Yes, ladies, that is the bacteria found in your faeces. It’s also important to note that E.coli is not the only reason for urinary tract infections, as it’s typically classified as an uropathogenic strain that causes 80% - 95% of uncomplicated UTIs.
Looking at the female anatomy, this doesn’t really come as a shock. We all know how dangerously close that little brown hole is located to the urethra. Hopefully, as I am starting to paint this delicate picture, you can start to see how fast all these factors can lead to a problem. Let me put this in layman's terms: Bacteria in your urethra will cause an infection, if this infection goes untreated, it can develop into a kidney infection or sepsis. Something as simple as a wipe in the wrong direction can end up in a life-threatening blood infection. But let us not get carried away - UTIs are a very common infection and can easily be treated with antibiotics. Only 1% - 3% of urinary tract infections turn into sepsis. Research shows that women have a 50% chance of acquiring a UTI in their lifetime - 10x higher than the known rate for men. We also run a 20% - 30% risk of recurrence after an initial infection. This an obvious statement, but UTIs can be costly, not just financially but it's also to your body - I mean, it is by definition, a bacterial infection.
Your body is not the same as your Aunt’s
Thank goodness for Google! Through hours of reading, researching, and trying things, I developed a sort of unique arsenal suited to the needs of my body that helps me navigate my UTIs before they reach a point of a medical emergency.
Not that I am a medical professional here, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: Every woman's body is unique and responds differently to any type of medication, stimuli, sex, food, and sensations. As much as your Aunt Linda only wants what's best for you, Citro-Soda (a gastric antacid and urinary alkalinizing agent) can only do that much to relieve your symptoms. This does not help with the actual bacterial infection. You need to listen to your body and realise when something is not helping or working for you.
We tend to gaslight our bodies as women, we push through the discomfort and pain regardless of what it is. If your body is screaming at you, be kind and listen to it; it will save you loads of pain and effort in the future. I am a part of that half of women who will get an infection. I’m also part of the statistic stating that 20% - 30% of women will experience recurring infections - having a vagina is such fun! One time I smashed the recurrence stat and ended up hospitalised with a kidney infection...I’m beginning to think it’s my body that’s the overachiever in this equation and not my drive to succeed! Inevitably, the kidney infection’s aftermath led to a series of UTIs coming and going. My health took a wild turn because I was misinformed. I neglected to listen to my own body. Out of desperation, I took advice from people who didn’t necessarily understand the severity of my case - this list even included a number of licensed medical professionals.
The all-natural remedy route
After recovering from my kidney infection and a few rounds of serious antibiotics, I delved into finding more ‘natural’ remedies. It’s no secret that the more antibiotics you take, the more your body builds up some resistance to it, in turn influencing your immune system. So here are some of the things I tried as soon as a flare-up arrived:
Cranberry juice: To my surprise, cranberry juice only works if you take it in large amounts. And if juiced, it should be pure cranberries sans any added sweetener/sugar - try finding that in a store without spending your rent money. Alternatively, if you are unable to source pure cranberry juice, you can use Cranberry Extract capsules available at your nearest pharmacy. Even though cranberries haven’t been scientifically proven to help consistently, they aid in fighting off the infection - kind of like a cheerleader.
Citro-Soda, which I mentioned earlier, was of no use to me except the sensation of bubbling up through my nose whenever I tried to down the gaseous liquid trickery.
Buchu is a herb that aids in multiple ailments. This was an Aunt Linda situation for me, Bless her, she really wanted to help, but it tasted just like it sounded. A complete No-go in providing any relief.
Herbex Bladder Support Drops: The dosage is 16 drops a day, and besides losing your entire morning standing counting out drops, it tasted worse than drinking warm Jagermeister on a vicious hangover from the night before.
After a diligent sample through several remedies, I settled on a Herbal UTI support tablet. I religiously used the supplement for four months as prescribed. You’ll find that natural medications tend to take longer than others, but alas, it worked and felt relieved at not needing to try yet another terrible-tasting concoction. My advice would be to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince - and even then, he might not be everything you dreamed of.
More remedies I tried that didn’t really work for me, but useful to know
Some pieces of advice I received weren’t half bad, like “change all your underwear to cotton and don’t wear thongs either“ or “never sleep with your undies on, she needs to breathe,” along with “wipe front to back always”. Others were along the lines of “pee immediately after sex, and don’t grind, rub, push or bump too hard during sex! Wash before and after sex, and make sure your partner practises good hygiene too.” What I was getting out of all of this was to basically just abstain from sex. I was also told to cap my caffeine, alcohol, and sugar intake, which was when I started to become really down. But it didn’t end there, I was also told to avoid any tight jeans or pants and to hold off on sitting for too long periods at a time when working or driving, as all of those things apparently cause added pressure to the bladder. One woman spoke with so much disdain when she told me with three dots of spit escaping in the process, “Never hold in your pee! Always pee immediately whenever the need strikes.” I was beyond down at this point of my journey, and I completely stopped living the moment too, feeling fear and cold sweats strike at the mere whisper of a single UTI symptom. It’s safe to say I was completely overwhelmed, but I was also desperate. So, naturally, I tried all of the remedies - some were more logical to follow, while others proved to be more of a punishment than actually bringing any relief at all - like forgoing my morning cup of coffee, not wearing my favourite “Sleigh All Day” Christmas thong, and not being able to have spontaneous, dirty sex when the urge arises.
My UTI artillery, i.e., things that actually worked
Everything that I’ve mentioned above is a great help in the prevention of UTIs, and depending on your situation, you can introduce some of these practices into your routine - by trial and error - mostly error. I’ve found a combination that works for my lifestyle and body, and I’ve gotten better at listening to my body. I've also gotten better at being able to pinpoint when a solution isn’t working versus when I need to seek out a medical professional for a stronger solution. I’ve curated a list of my most used tactics to prevent and avoid UTIs:
Drink more than enough water! We all know the benefits of drinking water consistently, but during a flare-up having a little more water than usual helps flush out the bacteria in your urethra, minimising the bacterial load.
Urine Test Strips. These have been absolute lifesavers for me. Having the knowledge of what is going on in my body helps me make educated decisions. Depending on the type of urine test, it can provide information about blood, urobilinogen, bilirubin, protein, nitrite, ketones, glucose, pH, gravity, and leukocytes in the urine. Do some research on how nitrates, leukocytes, protein, and pH levels affect UTIs.
Urinary Tract Health Support. Use supplements for UTI support and prevention. Personally, I use ‘UTI-X support’ as it prevents E. coli from adhering to uroepithelial cells, multiplying and colonising the urinary tract, and has an immediate reduction in the E. coli load.
Practise sexual hygiene. Urinate after sex, this helps with flushing out any bacteria that were pushed into the urethra. Also, if necessary, take a shower after a long day before sexy time. We never know what our bodies have picked up during the day.
Try to Avoid - Caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. Overconsumption of these can cause irritation, inflammation, and a disruption of pH levels. These are sometimes responsible for that stinging sensation we feel. And finally, know when it’s time to see a doctor - If your UTI symptoms don’t get better after a day or a few hours after self-medicating, go see your doctor for medication or antibiotics. Certain antibiotics are specifically created to treat UTIs, acting fast to eliminate bacteria and relieve symptoms.
If I feel any UTI symptoms, I pull out a urine test strip, and depending on the result, I’ll usually self-medicate first. If any nitrate and leukocytes are present, I bulk up on my UTI-X support supplement, drink more water to flush my system and scale up on my avoidables. My partner and I are in a long-distance relationship, so before a visit, I always double down on my supplements to avoid a UTI. At one stage, I always got a UTI whenever we saw each other, and it really messed with our already scaled sex life. Sometimes when my pH levels are off, I’ll ramp up with a vitamin C immune booster to help my body become more levelled out and to boost my immune system in case of any infection present. If my symptoms are present for longer than 48 hours, I usually see a doctor as I know my body is past the stage of self-medication.
Side Note - Be aware, ladies, UTIs present can with the same symptoms as an STI/STD, If there is any uncertainty, speak to a medical professional.
Create your own artillery of sorts
There are multiple more ways to prevent and treat UTI symptoms, from professional advice to mothers, grannies, and aunts (in my case, my Dad) that handout bits of advice along the way to help us when we are feeling the burn. As women, we need to start listening to the soft mumbles of our bodies and act before we get past the point of redemption. All I can do is encourage you to create your own collection of tips and tricks that work for your body. Regardless of the lack of medical support, publicly available information, and understanding, women are desperate for advice on shared experiences. So read, share, and advise others on what you have lived through. What are some of the things you would add to your arsenal?
References:
Cleveland Clinic, 2021. Health Essentials. Why UTIs Happen Differently in Men and Women. The ins and outs of urinary tract infections. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/said-said-worse-urinary-tract-infections-infographic/
Doctor Healthcare, 2022. Urosepsis (Sepsis from UTI): Symptoms, and Treatment. https://doctorhealthcare.org/sepsis-from-uti/.html
