Urinary Tract Infection

Signs of Urinary Tract Infection and How to Prevent One
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DrSugar on UTI Prevention

DrSugar is in the house!
by DrSugar

DrSugar is in the house! This week she's schooling us in preventing dreaded UTIs.

This week we will continue our ongoing discussion of all things gynecologic and discuss the ever awful urinary tract infection (UTI). As someone who has gotten urinary tract infections in the past, I can truly say they are one of the most unpleasant infections I’ve ever had, and given how common they are, I figured it would be a good topic to write about this week. To learn more about urinary tract infections and how to prevent them, keep reading!

Is it Harmful to Hold It When You Need to Pee?
healthy living

You Asked: Is "Holding It" Harmful?

Dear Fit, I do a lot of driving and running around for my job, which I love because I'm not one of those people who could sit at a desk all day.
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Dear Fit,
I do a lot of driving and running around for my job, which I love because I'm not one of those people who could sit at a desk all day. The only issue is that I don't have a lot of extra time to do normal things like use the bathroom. I often experience a full bladder and "hold it" if I have a deadline to meet or place I need to be. Aside from being uncomfortable, is this bad for my body? Do I have to worry about bladder infections or, worse, my bladder bursting?
—No Time to Pee

Believe it or not, you're not alone. Many people have jobs where they go, go, go and don't have much time to really "go" when they need to. To find out of you're doing your body harm read more

What Do You Know About UTIs in Children?
Health and Fitness

What Do You Know About UTIs in Children?

Any mama who's ever experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI) would not wish it on her worst enemy, let alone her littlest love.
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Any mama who's ever experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI) would not wish it on her worst enemy, let alone her littlest love. Unfortunately, children get UTIs too, and it's not fun for anyone involved. Take the quiz to see how well you know urinary tract infections in children.

Take the Quiz
How to Prevent a Urinary Tract Infection
healthy living

5 Ways to Prevent a UTI

Women are more prone to bladder infections than men, and one in five will get one in her lifetime.
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Women are more prone to bladder infections than men, and one in five will get one in her lifetime. Bladder infections, also known as urinary tract infections (UTI), account for 10 million doctor visits every year, most of which could be avoided if you knew how to prevent this problem. When bacteria makes its way into the urethra, the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body, you can end up with a UTI and symptoms that include cloudy or bloody urine, a frequent or urgent need to use the bathroom, pain or burning during urination, and pressure in the lower pelvis. Obviously, this is something you would like to avoid, so here are five ways to prevent a UTI:

  1. Drink cranberry juice. It interferes with the bacteria E. coli that is responsible for the most serious types of UTIs. The berry and its juice contain tannins, which fight the infections on the front lines by creating barriers that prevent E. coli from getting close to the urinary tract lining.
  2. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can make you more susceptible to getting a bladder infection, especially if you're prone to them. It's important to drink plenty of fluids to help flush any bacteria or germs out of the urethra.

To see what else you can do, read more