by Haly Ingram

Created on: September 15, 2009

Suffering from a bladder infection is worse than the pain of a sprained ankle. It is so painful, that we just pace with discomfort. The severe cases are accompanied by fever, or visually visible blood in the urine. In most severe cases antibiotics will have to be administered by a doctor.

Most of us who have had a bladder infection, more than once, can recognize the symptoms before it becomes severe. This includes; a dull pain in the lower part of the abdomen, when urinating, the urine feels warmer than usual, or a burning sensation with the urge to pass more urine but there is nothing left to urinate.

Although men can get a bladder infection, women are more likely to suffer from the illness, because the passage from the outside to the bladder which is called "urethra is shorter in women then men. Ninety (90) percent of urinary track infections are caused by bacteria called "Escherichia coli". If you are constantly dealing with a bladder infection, take into consideration the following points;

1- Wearing non breathable underwear, will only encourage bacteria growth because there is no air circulation to dry out the moisture. Wet and moist fabric from the vaginal secessions, is a welcoming breading ground for bacteria. Cotton breath better than any other fabric. That is why it is recommended by all physicians. At night, if you can, sleep without both underwear, and pajama bottoms. The maximum amount of air circulation will help in the recovery and prevention of the infection.

2- Wearing tight pants rubs and pushes bacteria from the outside into the urethra. So make sure to wear loose comfortable clothing.

3- Sexual intercourse could also push bacteria from the outside into the urethra as well. Keep the genital area as clean as possible, and urinate afterwards.

4- In the bathroom, women should wipe starting from the front to the back, to avoid any bacteria being pushed from the rectum into the urethra.

5- Drinking a lot of water (Eight (8) cups a day), helps to flush the bacteria out.

6- Drinking cranberry juice will help reduce the amount of bacteria in the bladder. A substance in the cranberry juice prevents the bacteria from clinging to the walls of the bladder.

7- Do not drink anything with caffeine, alcohol, or sugar filled drinks, at the time of the infection, as they are irritant to the bladder.

8- If you have a "Cystocele", which means that, the wall between the bladder and the vagina has weakened, causing the bladder to drop into the vagina. This condition occurs when giving birth, or lifting heavy objects. The result is incomplete emptying of the bladder. In this case the bacteria can never be flushed out unless the entire bladder can be emptied. To do so, use some toilet paper; place it on the vagina just behind the urethra opening press up with your four fingers, while pushing the urine out.

9- Eat natural yogurt which contains the cultural good bacteria in order to help your stomach, intestines, and bladder fight the bad bacteria. Increasing the number of the good bacteria will help reduce the number of bad bacteria.

Following these simple rules not only will help you recover fast, but will keep you healthy for a long time.

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