Why Is It Important To Treat A Urinary Tract Infection Early?

This condition is the second most common cause of an infection transmitted outside the hospital. It usually occurs about 30-35 times more in women than in men. However, few people are aware of the complications if one does not treat a urinary tract infection in time.

Before we begin, you should know that there are different types of urinary tract infections  depending on the affected part, not just the well-known cystitis. Likewise, doctors will treat them based on the cause.

In this article, we explain the different types that exist and why it is important that you diagnose and treat them in a timely manner.

Types of urinary tract infections

We can group them into two main groups :

• Lower urinary tract infections:  These include those that occur along the path from the bladder to the end of the urethra, where the urine flows out. The infections that can occur are the following:
  • Cystitis : Inflammation of the bladder
  • Prostatitis : Inflammation of the prostate
  • Urethritis : Inflammation of the urethra

• Upper urinary tract infections:  These affect the kidneys and structures that draw urine from them and carry it to the bladder, called the ureters. These infections are as follows:
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease : Kidney infection
  • Kidney abscess

Risk factors

The urinary tract is sterile, that is, there are no microorganisms in it. This is due to three basic factors:

• The pH is very acidic
• The existence of urea
• Continuous urine flow that prevents microorganisms from spreading

Therefore, any change in these factors can cause bacteria to rise in the urinary tract, leading to infections. For example, an obstruction, either due to the growth of a prostate or a stone, causes a blockage in the continuous flow of urine and produces an overgrowth of bacteria.

The external genitalia, especially in women, have lactobacillus-type bacteria that produce lactic acid, bactericidal substances and hydrogen peroxide. These substances kill any pathogenic microorganism that wants to ascend the urinary tract.

A change in lactobacillus may occur if you take antibiotics out of control, which leads to a higher risk of infections.

In addition , bladder catheterization is an important risk factor. The catheter, which is a tube that enters the urinary tract into the bladder to allow urine to pass through, is a perfect place for bacteria to attach and cause infections.

How does a urinary tract infection affect people based on age or gender?

In childhood, you can get urinary tract infections, but they are usually related to abnormalities that children have in the urinary tract from birth. This is something that requires attention, as it may require surgical repair.

There are different incidences of urinary tract infections depending on a person’s gender:

• Men usually do not get urinary tract infections until they are around 60. They have longer urethra and the prostate fluid they excrete is acidic and kills bacteria. However, the size of the prostate increases after the age of 60. This increases the risk of infection due to obstruction in the urinary tract.
• Women are much more prone to these infections throughout their lives. This is because the female urethra is much shorter and microorganisms have faster access to the bladder. Furthermore, the amount of estrogen decreases after menopause, which reduces protection against pathogens.

Which microorganisms are involved?

The microorganisms that cause these infections usually come from the intestinal tract. In particular, most bacteria, the most common being escherichia coli , regardless of the person’s condition.

Other microorganisms are klebsiella and proteus bacteria. However, if the person has more complicated infections or has a catheter, the doctor should consider the possibility of multi-resistant microorganisms. They can also be caused by several bacteria.

Complications if you do not treat a urinary tract infection

If you started with a condition in the lower urinary tract, such as cystitis, and you did not take care of it properly, the bacteria can continue to rise and reach the kidneys. This is the problem that arises if you do not treat a urinary tract infection in a timely manner.

This kidney infection, as we explained above, is called pyelonephritis. If it is detected early, it is sometimes not complicated and can be cured with the right medication. However , it can cause complications by giving rise to kidney abscesses.

Kidney abscesses are abundant in the kidneys. In them we can find conglomerate dead microorganisms together with the defense cells, which generates a collection of pus. They must be treated with antibiotics intravenously; if they are very large they must be emptied.

On the other hand, the bacteria that caused the urinary tract infection can pass into the bloodstream and cause sepsis. If it continues to develop, it can cause septic shock and death. This happens because the passage of microorganisms in the blood activates the body’s defense response, which causes damage to the various tissues.

Treat a urinary tract infection early

To avoid complications, you should treat urinary tract infections early. If you experience these symptoms, you should see your doctor.

Some of the symptoms are as follows:

• Pollakisuri: Increased number of times you urinate during the day
• Dysuria : Pain when urinating
• Tenesmer: An urgent desire to urinate that makes you go to the bathroom several times
• Urine rate

• Color changes in the urine: May indicate the presence of blood
• Mageknip

A specialist is the one who can prescribe the treatment you need. If they give you a course of antibiotics for a certain period of time, you should follow it properly to avoid these and other complications.