Explainer: Why You Have A UTI
This is the written version of an episode of the The Introvert Archive podcast. You can find the pod version wherever you get your podcasts from.
*I am not a health professional, just someone who knows how to Google shit.
On the weekend I posted a social media post about WA pharmacists now being able to diagnose and treat urinary tract infections. And then, in some cruel irony I got a UTI that night and posted about it on TikTok and Reels because as you know, nothing is off limits on The Introvert Archive.
Now, this podcast has not come from the news of pharmacists being able to give you UTI medication (which BTW is INCREDIBLE considering I don’t want to wait four plus days to see my GP in order to get a script), and it hasn’t come from me getting another UTI, it has come from a comment I received on the video.
The comment was simply “Hygiene..” as in implying that my poor hygiene choices were to blame for my having a UTI. And let me tell you, that made me ANNOYED. The comment came from a male, and it annoyed me because you should educate yourself before you post dumb comments like that one.
Enter this podcast. And educational episodes on why urinary tract infections occur.
Let’s start with what a UTI actually is, because if you have never had one you should pray it stays that way. They are horrible. As the name would suggest, a urinary tract infection is an infection in any part of the urinary tract including the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. They are most common in the bladder. Anyone can get a UTI, but those with female genitalia are up to 30 times more likely than someone with male genitalia. This is because the urethra in female genitalia is shorter than in males, making it easier for bacteria to enter the bladder. The urethral opening for a female is also closer to the anus, which is a source of germs that can cause a UTI.
Signs and symptoms of UTIs include pain or burning when you pee, needing to urinate often but not getting much out when you do. Urine that smells bad or looks milky or cloudy, or even blood in your urine. You might get pressure in your lower abdomen, or if you are an older woman you might get shaky, tired, confused or feel weak. Usually, when you start to have a fever and severe back pain the UTI has reached your kidneys.
Before we get into why people get urinary tract infections (because there are many reasons that are not poor hygiene), I’ll tell you a little bit about my experience with these infections.
I actually get recurrent urinary tract infections and I have done so since I was probably sixteen. To be classified as recurrent or chronic you need to have two or more infections in six months, or three in a year. I have a lower immune system and some health issues that have compromised the urinary bladder cell barrier, meaning I am highly susceptible to a UTI. Because of how often I get them I have been given a script by the GP that I keep on hand should I feel a UTI coming on.
A couple of years ago, probably seven years ago I ended up in hospital because an untreated UTI travelled to my kidneys and made me quite unwell. I look back now and seriously wonder how I let the symptoms get that bad.
Now, let’s get into the causes of a UTI. Can someone tag the guy that commented on that Reel, he obviously needs this section of the podcast. These are the ten most common causes of a urinary tract infection, according to the internet.
You’re wiping the wrong way. Always wipe from the front to the back so that you aren’t bringing that bacteria from your anal area to the vaginal area.
There are certain health conditions that can influence the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract and bladder. Spinal cord injuries and nerve damage around the bladder can prevent the bladder from emptying fully and this allows bacteria to grow in the urine left behind. Other conditions like kidney stones, enlarged prostates and diabetes can also make you more prone to a UTI.
Sex is a huge reason for UTIs, and is the reason you should always pee after intercourse! Things like vaginal discharge, lube and semen can reach your urethra and cause bacterial overgrowth and infection. If you’re having sex with someone for the first time your body also might have a negative reaction to this new bacteria.
Your vagina needs to breathe and wearing tight underwear, pants and jeans is hindering that ability to breathe. Your vagina needs enough air to remain clean and dry.
When you’re dehydrated you are using the bathroom less frequently, meaning you are washing less harmful bacteria out of your urinary tract.
Certain birth control methods can also lead to a UTI. Diaphragms are coated with spermicides and can cause an infection.
If you’re going through menopause your estrogen levels are falling, as well as changes in the vaginal wall and the urethra and some dryness down there. These could lead to a UTI.
The use of a catheter is also a known cause of a urinary tract infection - both through insertion and prolonged use.
A weak immune system can also lead to a UTI. When your immune system is weakened bacteria can overgrow and affect not only the urethra but the whole body.
And finally, as we touched on before, your anatomy can simply be the reason for a UTI.
There are measures you can put in place and things you can do in order to help prevent a urinary tract infection from occurring but sometimes you are still going to end up with one. Believe me on this one. But here are some of the common things you might like to try if you want to decrease the risk of getting a UTI.
Drinking lots of fluids to help flush out bacteria. As soon as I feel a UTI coming on I drink copious amounts of water and start on the Ural straight away.
Don’t hold your wee. As soon as you feel that urge to go, you should go.
Always pee after sex.
When you wipe after using the bathroom you should wipe from front to back so you don’t bring any of those germs from the back, to the front.
Especially when you have a UTI, cotton underwear and loose-fitting pants are your friends.
If you are using spermicides as your chosen method of birth control, you might want to reconsider that.
Do not use things around the vagina that should not be there. Talcum powders, perfumes, scented soaps, you know what I mean.
There is also some conflicting advice about cranberry for UTIs, I mean you might want to try it, but you might not, it’s up to you. But it cannot treat a UTI once you already have one.
So, no, “hygiene” is not the reason I had a UTI, and it is not the reason people everywhere get UTIs, but thanks for your comment anyway. (Not really)
