Victoria’s Read

Known bladder irritants include caffeine and alcohol. Some people report problems with other foods, including acidic foods or fruit juices, spicy foods, sugar and milk products.                    

To begin to identify the causes of irritation, remove all bladder irritants for one week and drink only water. Keep a diary to note the changes in your urinary habits. Then, add one food item back at a time for 3 days.                                                                       

 Watch for changes in your bladder diary and slowly eliminate what you feel to be causing problems.                                            

Pelvic muscle exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, work the pelvic floor muscles, which normally tighten around the urethra to prevent leakage. To practice pelvic muscle exercises, squeeze the muscles quickly, then relax. Do this three times with a 10-second rest in between and repeat for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day. You can either sit or lie down with your knees up, to practice pelvic muscle exercises.                                                           

Prolapse and sexual activity can increase the risk of UTIs. Certain contraceptives, including spermicide, non-lubricated condoms and diaphragms may also put you at an increased risk.            

Although the following are healthy habits, it does not appear that these can significantly reduce the risk of recurrent UTIs: voiding habits (including frequent emptying and emptying after intercourse); personal hygiene habits (e.g., wiping front to back, using tampons instead of pads and wearing cotton underwear); and fluid consumption (including drinking more water, avoiding caffeine, and drinking unsweetened cranberry juice).

Factors that can put pre-menopausal women at a greater risk for recurrent UTIs include heredity, a history of childhood UTIs and sexual activity. Factors that can put postmenopausal women at greater risk include incontinence, prolapse, atrophic vaginitis and prior UTIs. For elderly or institutionalized women, catheters, incontinence, dementia, and antibiotic exposure can increase the risk.

Medication can be prescribed for women with recurrent UTIs, allowing them to start treatment themselves when they recognize symptoms to prevent them from worsening. There is also medication available that can be taken daily or immediately after intercourse.