you and your doctor
WORKING AS A TEAM
DOCTOR’S PULSE: Urinary Tract Infections
About 50 percent of women will have a least one urinary tract infection in her lifetime.
Here’s a look at why and how to prevent this common infection.
I’ve gone through menopause
and now I’m getting urinary tract
infections. What happened?
You have less estrogen in your body after
menopause, and lack of estrogen makes
the lining of your urinary tract thinner
and less resistant to bacteria. As a result,
you might end up with more frequent
urinary tract infections. But there are
ways to treat this problem. Estrogen
cream used vaginally rebuilds the lining
of your urinary tract and may help pre-
vent urinary tract infections. Ask your
doctor if this approach is right for you.
Does cranberry juice help prevent
urinary tract infections?
It might. Cranberry juice contains pro-
anthocyanicidins, which make it dif_f_i cult
for bacteria to stick to your bladder wall.
Since the bacteria has to stick to the
bladder wall to grow and cause an infec-
tion, drinking cranberry juice or taking
cranberry tablets daily may help you
avoid urinary tract infections, especially
if you’re prone to them. However, there is
no clinically proven evidence that cran-
berry juice helps treat an active infec-
Q
tion. If you think you have a urinary tract
infection, call your doctor.
I seem to get a urinary tract infection every time
after sex. Why does this happen and what can I do?
In a woman’s body, the anus, vagina and urethra are all close INAYAT MALIK, M.D., F.A.C.S.
to each other. Plus, the distance from the urethra to the Dr. Malik is af_f_i liated with
bladder is short. What that means is bacteria can get pushed The Urology Group in
into your urethra during intercourse and it doesn’t have far Cincinnati, OH, the largest
to travel to get to the bladder where it can cause an infection. single-specialty group of
To help prevent infections, practice good hygiene: 1) Give urologists in the central
your bladder a cleansing “fl ush” by drinking a glass of water part of the United States.
before, and urinating after, intercourse. 2) Always wipe from
the front to the back when you urinate or have a bowel move-
ment. This will help keep bacteria from your colon away from
your urethra.
Next Issue
If you’re practicing good hygiene and still getting urinary
Colonoscopies, polyps and colon
tract infections after intercourse, talk to your doctor. Some health. Send your questions to
women may need to take a low-dose antibiotic nightly or after
DoctorsPulse@HealthyAdvice.com.
intercourse to prevent urinary tract infections.
20 HEALTHYADVICE.COM
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