Dr. Smita Goel Homeopathy Clinic
www.thehomeopathyclinic.co.in
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of the urinary system. Generally urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra).
Comparison a man, a woman has at greater risk of developing a UTI. If an infection is limited to the bladder, it can be painful and annoying. But serious health problems can result if a UTI spreads to the kidneys.
• A strong urge to urinate that doesn't go away
• A burning feeling when pee/ urinating
• Urinating often and passing small amounts of urine
• Urine that looks Cloudy, dark, bloody and strange-smelling pee
• Pelvic pain, in women — especially in the center of the pelvis and around the area of the pubic bone
• A frequent or intense urge to pee, even though little comes out when you do
• Pain in the penis or rectum (men)
• Mental confusion (mostly older people)
• Wetting the bed (children and older adults)
Types of urinary tract infections
Each type of UTI may result in more-specific symptoms. The symptoms depend on which part of the urinary tract is affected.
Kidney - Patient feel back or side pain, high fever, shaking & chills, nausea and vomiting;
Bladder - Pelvic pressure, Lower belly discomfort, Frequent, painful urination, Blood in Urine;
Urethra - Burning with urination, discharge.
UTIs typically occur, due to bacterial infection in urinary system. It can spread to kidney. But the defenses sometimes fail. When that happens, bacteria may take hold and grow into a full-blown infection in the urinary tract.
Women tend to get them more often because their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus than in men. Because of this, women are more likely to get an infection after sexual activity or when using a diaphragm for birth control. Menopause also increases the risk for a UTI.
The most common UTIs occur mainly in women and affect the bladder and urethra.
• Infection of the bladder. This type of UTI is usually caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). E. coli is a type of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But sometimes other bacteria are the cause.
Having sex also may lead to a bladder infection, but you don't have to be sexually active to develop one. All women are at risk of bladder infections because of their anatomy. In women, the urethra is close to the anus. And the urethral opening is close to the bladder. This makes it easier for bacteria around the anus to enter the urethra and to travel to the bladder.
• Infection of the urethra. This type of UTI can happen when GI bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra. An infection of the urethra can also be caused by sexually transmitted infections. They include herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia and mycoplasma. This can happen because women's urethras are close to the vagina.
UTIs are common in women. Many women experience more than one UTI during their lifetimes.
Risk factors for UTIs that are specific to women include:
• Female anatomy. Women have a shorter urethra than men do. As a result, there's less distance for bacteria to travel to reach the bladder.
• Sexual activity. Being sexually active tends to lead to more UTIs. Having a new sexual partner also increases risk.
• Certain types of birth control. Using diaphragms for birth control may increase the risk of UTIs. Using spermicidal agents also can increase risk.
• Menopause. After menopause, a decline in circulating estrogen causes changes in the urinary tract. The changes can increase the risk of UTIs.
Other risk factors for UTIs include:
• Urinary tract problems. Babies born with problems with their urinary tracts may have trouble urinating. Urine can back up in the urethra, which can cause UTIs.
• Blockages in the urinary tract. Kidney stones or an enlarged prostate can trap urine in the bladder. As a result, risk of UTIs is higher.
• A suppressed immune system. Diabetes and other diseases can impair the immune system — the body's defense against germs. This can increase the risk of UTIs.
• Catheter use. People who can't urinate on their own often must use a tube, called a catheter, to urinate. Using a catheter increases the risk of UTIs. Catheters may be used by people who are in the hospital. They may also be used by people who have neurological problems that make it difficult to control urination or who are paralyzed.
• A recent urinary procedure. Urinary surgery or an exam of your urinary tract that involves medical instruments can both increase the risk of developing a UTI.
When treated promptly and properly, lower urinary tract infections rarely lead to complications. But left untreated, UTIs can cause serious health problems.
Complications of a UTI may include:
• Repeated infections, which means you have two or more UTIs within six months or three or more within a year. Women are especially prone to having repeated infections.
• Permanent kidney damage from a kidney infection due to an untreated UTI.
• Delivering a low birth weight or premature infant when a UTI occurs during pregnancy.
• A narrowed urethra in men from having repeated infections of the urethra.
• Sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. This is a risk especially if the infection travels up the urinary tract to the kidneys.
With help of following little steps, we can prevent from UTIs:
• Drink plenty of liquids, especially water;
• Wipe from front to back;
• Empty your bladder soon after having sex;
• Avoid potentially irritating feminine products;
• Change your birth control method;
Homoeopathic point of view of the disease:
Considering Hahnemann’s classification of disease, UTI can be a miasmatic disease too. Miasms are psora and sycosis. Homoeopathic medicines are personalized for the person suffering with UTI based on the individual totality of symptoms few are listed below. Homoeopathic remedies which can be prescribed after detailed case study.
Some Homoeopathic medicines (Cantharis, Nux vomica, Sarsaparilla, Aconitum napellus, Apis mellifica, Belladonna, Berberis vulgaris, Borax, Chimaphila umbellate, Lycopodium, Sepia, Staphysagria etc.) are very effective in UTIs. But that should be as per symptoms and guidance of qualified homeopathy doctor.
Hence, Homeopathy is efficient in treating UTI with holistic approach and considering the patient as a whole with individualisation. UTI is not merely a local disease. In Homoeopathy we treat an individual but not just the disease which is the result of deranged vital force. Therefore, it should be treated as a constitutional problem.
