Urinary tract infections are not pleasant to experience. However, you’re not the only one suffering. UTIs are the second most common infection in the body accounting for more than eight million doctor’s visits a year.

So while not every UTI is avoidable, there are some ways to help prevent a UTI from taking hold:

1. Stay Hydrated: UTIs do not occur when bacteria gets into the bladder, they occur when it does not get out.  Drinking at least eight glasses of water per day promotes regular urination which helps flush out bacteria in one’s urinary tract.
2. Protect Your Back: Lower back stress can affect the flow of urine, which can lead to abnormal voiding (urination) and UTIs.  If you suspect a back problem may be contributing to your UTIs, ask your doctor for a “uroflow” exam to assess whether or not you are voiding effectively.
3. Take a Vitamin C Supplement: Take about 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C throughout the day to help inhibit the growth of some bacteria by acidifying the urine.
4. Avoid Feminine Hygiene Sprays and Scented Douches: They can irritate the urethra causing an inflammation that can promote urinary bacteria
5. Respond to “Nature’s Call”: Urinate as soon as you feel the need to in order to eliminate unwanted bacteria. While “holding it in” does not directly cause an infection, it can cause overdistension that can damage the lining of the bladder, making it more vulnerable to bacteria.
6. Wear Cotton Undies: Opt for panties with a cotton crotch since cotton fabric allows moisture to escape while other fabrics trap moisture (which bacteria thrives on).
7. Wipe From Front to Back: After a bowel movement or voiding, wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from the anus from entering the vagina or urethra.
8. Take Showers Instead of Baths: Avoid exposing your urethra to stagnant water which predisposes you to a urinary tract infection.
9. Proper Washing: Wash your genital area before and after sexual intercourse to help prevent transferring bacteria to the urethra or vaginal area which can create a breeding ground for a UTI.
10. Take an Antibacterial: Women who have recurrent UTIs might consider taking Cystex® as a preventative as it contains methenamine, an antibacterial agent that helps prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract.  Cystex® can be taken before activities or situations that you believe have contributed to urinary tract infections. Speak to your physician.

For more information on UTIs and other useful tips on preventing one, Check out the Cystex Web site at www.cystex.com

A lesser known symptom of menopause, caused by the extreme decline in estrogen, is the increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs). The bladder becomes less elastic, triggering an inability to fully empty, therefore creating a breeding ground for bacteria to multiply. Additionally, the lack of estrogen makes the bladder lining and vaginal tissues more prone to bacterial adherence since there is less protection. These situations set the stage for developing UTIs.

According to Larrian Gillespie, retired urologist and author of the popular book, You Don’t Have to Live with Cystitis (HarperCollins), there are ways to control or prevent the recurrence of UTIs associated with menopause:

• Stay Hydrated: It is imperative to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water which promotes regular urination. This flushes out bacteria from the urinary tract.
• Watch your back: Lower back stress that affects the lower muscles of the back can interfere with the flow of urine, which can lead to abnormal voiding (urination) and UTIs. When exercising, try to maintain good form while lifting weights or on exercise machines to avoid back injury. If you suspect a back problem may be contributing to your UTIs, ask your doctor to give you a “uroflow” exam to assess whether or not you are voiding efficiently.
• Strengthen your core: Often, a lazy bladder (unable to empty urine properly) occurs due to lower back problem, so consider doing exercises to help strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Ask your physician or fitness trainer about which exercises are beneficial to your abs and back.
• Respond to “nature’s call”: It’s always a good idea to urinate as soon as you feel the need in order to eliminate unwanted bacteria. While “holding it in” does not directly cause an infection, it can cause overdistension that can damage the lining of the bladder, making it more vulnerable to bacteria and over time, it may not contract or relax at will.
• Take a vitamin C supplement: Take about 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C throughout the day to help inhibit the growth of some bacteria by acidifying the urine.
• Lubricate: As estrogen declines, vaginal dryness increases.  Make sure to be properly lubricated during sexual activity (use a water-based vaginal lubricant) to decrease friction in the vagina/urethral areas.
• Take an antibacterial: If you are menopausal and prone to UTIs, Gillespie recommends taking Cystex® as a preventative, as it is the only OTC urinary tract medication that contains methenamine, an antibacterial agent that attacks bacteria and helps prevent it from adhering to the cell wall lining of the bladder. Cystex® can be taken before activities or situations that you believe have contributed to urinary tract infections, such as sexual intercourse. If you do develop a UTI, taking Cystex® until you can see the doctor will help keep the infection from progressing and also help with the pain.

At last, you’ve arrived at your vacation destination only to be welcomed by a urinary tract infection (UTI). Although there’s never an ideal time to have a painful and annoying UTI, vacation time is at the top of the list, since its symptoms - painful urination and frequency - among others - is sure to put a damper on your fun in the sun.

Have no fear and listen up! The Cystex Experts are here with a few tips to help minimize your risk of getting a UTI while you’re away and guide you through this common infection, should you get one:

• When packing your bikini and sunscreen, make sure to also pack vitamin C, which  helps acidify the urine and inhibit the growth of some UTI-causing bacteria. Take 1,000 mg. daily while on vacation.
• In between sipping frozen cocktails on the beach, make sure to drink plenty of water and limit your consumption of alcohol to keep from becoming dehydrated. Eight glasses of water a day isn’t necessary for everyone: the amount of water you need depends on what makes you feel comfortable, your level of activity, your diet and the climate. On average, 32 ounces of fluid a day is enough to remove bacteria out of the bladder. Also, urinate regularly and empty your bladder completely (each time) to eliminate any unwanted bacteria.
• Unfortunately, while you’re away from home, you’ll have to use public restrooms more frequently than you might like,   so before you leave home, check out The Bathroom Diaries at Cystex.com, which rates and reviews public restrooms, including hours of availability, details about cleanliness, and safety from a personal perspective. If you follow this advice and still get a UTI while you’re away, try Cystex®, the over-the-counter urinary pain relief and prevention product that will help with the pain of a UTI and also slow the progression of the infection with an extra ingredient –  methenamine — that helps stop bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. (Other UTI products sold over-the-counter do not have this bacteria-fighting ingredient,) When used as a preventative treatment, Cystex® should be taken before any situation or activity that might cause the infection. Always follow the instructions on the package.

Ultra high heeled shoes may be sexy, but did you know that they may not only be bad for your feet, but bad for your bladder? If you regularly wear high heels and also are experiencing UTIs, you might want to consider blaming your stilettos, says our expert, Larrian Gillespie, a retired urogynecologist and author of the book, You Don’t Have to Live with Cystitis, The Groundbreaking Guide to the Prevention and Cure of One of Women’s Most Stubborn Ailments (Quill, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)..

She says that wearing high-heeled shoes that are too high for your hip and leg structure can cause your torso to tilt forward, which forces your hips and spine out of alignment. If this occurs often, you could develop a “swayback,” also known as lordosis, which is a painful condition that creates pressure on the nerves in the lower back.

Okay, so how does this cause an infection in your bladder? Well, Gillespie says that this pressure contributes to “inefficient urination,” which is the precursor for urinary tract infections.

This is how it works: The back contains many fine nerves, which can become strained by lifting/carrying heavy items, exercising, wearing high heels, from altered position, etc. The discs in the lower back can also become damaged, compressing the nerves and signaling the bladder to empty – even when it isn’t full. The injuries also can disrupt or inhibit urine flow, which causes bacteria to become trapped in the bladder causing a UTI. And, as you may have read on this blog or seen elsewhere on Cystex.com, good urine flow is necessary for flushing all the “bad” bacteria out of the bladder.

High heels aren’t the only culprit of lower back problems. Back strain can also be caused by overexerting yourself while exercising. (no, this is not a good reason to stop exercising!) Just make sure to use proper workout techniques by participating in aerobic activities that give you a natural, fluid motion, such as walking, and use weight machines instead of free weights – and ask someone to show you the proper way to use the equipment. If you currently suffer from back injuries, try swimming, which creates the least pressure on the injured area.

Also, lighten the load you carry around. Carrying a heavy backpack, tote or large, filled-to-the-brim pocketbook, no matter how chic and gorgeous it is, can contribute to the development of lordosis. (According to Time magazine’s special Style issue in 2007, the average weight of a woman’s purse was 5.2 pounds.) So ligten the load by getting rid of that hard-covered novel you keep saying you’re going to read on your lunch hour (but don’t) and only carry what you need to help avoid unnecessary back strain.

If you are prone to lower back problems and find you continue to get recurring UTIs help is out there. Make an appointment with your doctor and in the meantime, try Cystex®, which is an over-the-counter urinary medication that not only helps with the pain of a UTI, it also contains the natural antiseptic methenamine that helps stop bacteria from adhering to the wall of the urinary tract, thereby helping to prevent the infection from occurring in the first place. For more information, visit www.Cystex.com.

Cystex was recommended for women who have recurrent UTIs in the June/July issue of Health Wise Magazine. The article recommends Cystex as part of a healthy routine to prevent UTIs.

You may have heard that cranberries (in juice or supplement form) play some role in helping urinary tract infections (UTIs). Some swear by it to help prevent UTIs, while others say it is a great treatment. While no conclusive evidence exists, we wanted to help sort through fact and fiction to get to the bottom of this “berry” interesting topic.

We asked one of our experts, Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D., urologist and author, for her thoughts.  According to Dr. Kavaler, the first thing to keep in mind is that treating and preventing urinary tract infections are two very different subjects. Cranberries are filled with antioxidants and have long been considered a very valuable ally for our health.  In addition to these antioxidants, cranberries contain hippuronic acid. This compound has been shown in some studies to make it much more difficult for the bacteria that causes urinary tract infections to attach to the bladder wall (because this acid works to acidify the urine). This lowers the risk of getting a UTI in some cases.  An important note however, is to make sure that you are drinking 100% cranberry juice because most of the sweetened versions with added sugar do not contain hippuronic acid.

However, once you have a UTI, cranberries in any form will do little to help treat it, and can actually exacerbate painful urination, one of the main symptoms associated with a UTI. This pain is caused by irritation and inflammation of the urethra and urethral opening. Once you have a UTI, the same acid in the cranberry juice that acidifies the urine to help keep bacteria at bay can actually increase the irritation and cause more pain when urinating. The best thing to do is to go to your doctor for proper antibiotic treatment (he or she will take a culture to confirm the UTI), and, in the meantime, take an over-the-counter urinary pain relief medication like Cystex® to help calm the symptoms.

Cystex® Urinary Pain Relief Tablets is the only over-the-counter (OTC) medication that has a dual-action formula, with both a pain reliever to help with the discomfort and burning, as well as an antiseptic to help keep the bacteria in check and the infection from worsening before you can get into your doctor’s office.

So, bottom line…..by all means drink 100% cranberry juice to help ward off UTIs and to add antioxidants to your body, but once you have a UTI, it is best to stick to proper medication and forgo the berries.

For more information on UTIs, visit http://www.cystex.com.

Since this blog is about all things “urinary,” let’s talk color. When growing up, you learn that certain objects are distinct colors, such as the sky is blue, grass is green and urine is yellow. However, what does it mean when one day you find your urine to be green, brown, or even blood-tinged? Changes in your urine color can be the first indicator of possible medical issues. Your “pee” can foresee problems that you may have been unaware you have.

Healthy urine should be clear, which is a sign that you’ve been drinking a good amount of liquids and are hydrated and healthy. However, the color of urine is often affected by medication, vitamins, diet, or diseases, such as kidney or liver disorders.

Dark yellow urine is often due to dehydration and not enough liquid consumption, which can be fixed by drinking more liquids. On an average day, we need at least 32 ounces of fluids per day.

Fluorescent yellow or orange urine signifies the consumption of darker colored foods, such as beets and carrots, or too much vitamin C. This can be an early sign of liver dysfunction if the urine consistently stays dark yellow/orange or brownish in color and you are experiencing other symptoms.  (Brown urine, along with other symptoms, can be a sign of a serious condition, such as liver or kidney diseases.)

Green or blue urine is often caused by artificial coloring in foods or drugs (e.g. dyes). Urine that is a brighter green color, however, can also be an indication of an excess of B vitamins.

Murky, cloudy urine can be related to either bacterial vaginosis (BV) or a yeast infection, a bad case of a UTI, kidney stones, or other urinary tract diseases. Other complaints associated with cloudy urine are painful urination, reduced urine outflow and increased urinary frequency.

Blood-tinged or rust-colored urine that is accompanied by pain, burning and frequent urination is most likely a bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). The urine may also be cloudy and/or have an odor. If this is the case, contact your healthcare provider for a urine culture; if you do have a UTI you’ll need a prescription antibiotic medication to clear up the infection. While waiting to see your doctor or for your culture results, which can sometimes take a few days, try Cystex® Urinary Pain Relief Tablets, available over-the-counter at drug stores.

Cystex® is unique in that it not only helps relieve the pain and discomfort of a UTI, but it also contains an antibacterial agent  that helps stop the progression of the infection until your physician puts you on a course of antibiotic medication.

Larrian Gillespie says that any changes in urine color that don’t go away in a few days should be addressed with your healthcare provider.
She also says that the strength of your urine flow is important to pay attention to.

More on that later.

I think that I might have a urinary tract infection (UTI). What are the symptoms?

The telltale signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI) include frequent urination, urgency to urinate (yet often releasing just a few drops of urine at a time), pain/discomfort in the back or lower abdomen, a burning feeling when urinating or even blood in the urine. If these classic urinary tract infection (UTI) signs are present, it is important to act fast to help alleviate the pain and slow down the progression of the infection until you can set up a doctor appointment. Cystex® Urinary Pain Relief Tablets is a unique over-the-counter urinary tract infection (UTI) medication that is the only one with a dual-action formula that combines pain/burning relief with an antibacterial to help stop the progression of the infection.

If it seems like you’re getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) whenever you have sex, you’re not alone in thinking this. Truth is, while many women may find themselves in this “boat”, it’s not the size of the wave or the motion of the ocean that causes the UTI. According to urologist Elizabeth Kavaler, MD, size and frequency won’t cause a UTI, but the very nature of sexual intercourse makes it one of the more common causes of bacteria from the anal-vaginal areas getting into the urethra and possibly causing a UTI.

As awful as it might sound, it is perfectly normal for E-coli bacteria to make its way from the anal area to the vaginal area and up the urethra – ending up in your bladder – happens to all women, regardless of how careful you might be. However, normal urination is usually able to purge unwanted bacteria from the bladder. Problems arise when you are dehydrated or have a “weak flow” for some other reason. Sexual activity just ups the anty that more bacteria will make its way into the bladder, causing an infection, if you are not flushing it out the normal way.

So, while it’s not really fact or fiction, if you believe that you are getting UTIs after sexual activity, listen up: a UTI-free sex life is possible, it just takes some planning and preventative measures. And no, it won’t take all the fun out of it! Here are Dr. Kavaler’s tips on how to reduce the risk of getting a UTI after sex:

• Position Matters: It is possible that the missionary position – man on top, woman on bottom – can be causing a problem with excessive rubbing and friction near the urethral opening (that’s because the male partner is riding high on the woman’s pelvis). This awkward alignment might be forcing bacteria into the urethra and resulting in an infection. (Again, if you are urinating properly, any excessive bacteria should be flushed out.)
• Be Aware of Barrier Methods: Some barrier methods of birth control, such as diaphragms, and sponges and spermicidal jellies containing nonoxynol-9, have been implicated in the development of UTIs. Dr. Kavaler suggests using condoms and the birth control pill.
• Get With the Flow: Keep yourself hydrated by drinking four glasses of water a day to improve your “flow.” If you stay hydrated and empty your bladder after sex, you will purge the bladder of any new and unwanted bacteria that made its way into the urethra (and bladder) from sexual activity.
• Preventative Pills: For recurrent UTI sufferers (more than three in one year), Dr. Kavaler recommends talking to your doctor about using prophylactic antibiotics that you take after sexual relations. However, for those who would prefer to not take antibiotics preventatively, she suggests taking the over-the-counter urinary medication Cystex® a few hours before sex. Cystex contains a natural antiseptic ingredient, methenamine, which helps keep bacteria from clinging to the walls of the urinary tract to prevent a UTI from actually occurring. Cystex also contains an analgesic (pain reliever) and can be taken if you do get a UTI. It is the only OTC urinary product that contains this antibacterial agent that helps stop the progression of the infection (while you wait to see your healthcare provider) and possibly act as a preventative.

If you wish to learn more information about the sex and UTI connection, please click here - Burning Love

The Cystex Team has just learned about a Uristat recall. Seems that the product has been voluntarily recalled from major retail chains by the manufacturer. Some retailers are even offering refunds.

For those of you looking for a reliable over-the-counter UTI relief product, we’d like to recommend Cystex® urinary pain tablets for several reasons. First, unlike other brands, Cystex doesn’t turn your urine orange! But even better, while Cystex is an effective analgesic (pain reliever), it has an additional ingredient – methenamine – which is an effective antiseptic, or antibacterial agent, that can help keep a UTI from progressing while you wait to see your healthcare provider (who will treat your infection with a prescription antibiotic, which is necessary to eliminate the urinary tract infection completely). Cystex is the only medication over the counter to do BOTH these things – reduce/relieve pain and stop the progression of the infection.

For more information about how Cystex can be taken to help prevent UTIs, please visit our Web site’s “About Cystex”.