Urinary tract infection (UTI) refers to the presence of a certain threshold number of bacteria in the urine. These infections can occur at different points:

- In the bladder. They are known as cystitis or bladder infection. Uncomplicated acute cystitis is the most prevalent form of uncomplicated UTI in women. Since it is one of the most common, many people speak of cystitis to refer to urine infections in general, although it is not correct as they are not synonymous.

- In the kidneys. In which case they are called pyelonephritis. It is the infection of the upper urinary tract. It is less frequent than cystitis.

- In the ureters. It is the least common of the urinary tract infections.

- In the urethra. The infection in this area is known as urethritis or cervicitis, in case it affects the cervix of women.

Urinary infections are caused by bacteria that mainly enter the urethra. Since women have the shorter urethra and closer to the anus, they are at higher risk of contracting them. It is common to have sexual intercourse or even the use of tampons.

Other causes of risk are diabetes, being immobilized in bed, faecal incontinence, the probes or kidney stones.

Bacterial cystitis (bacteria in the bladder, also called acute cystitis) can occur in men and women and the signs and symptoms include dysuria (pain on passing urine), frequency, cloudy urine, occasionally haematuria (blood in the urine), and is often associated with pyuria (high urine white blood cell count). There is an additional important distinction between complicated and uncomplicated UTI. Complicated UTIs are those associated with fever and/or back pain (indicating kidney infection), UTIs in men, UTIs associated with indwelling or intermittent urinary catheters, obstructive uropathy (any changes in the urinary tract due to obstruction), vesicoureteric reflux (urine travels from the bladder back up toward the kidneys) and other urological abnormalities. These types of infections require more intensive treatment.

It is usual to perform a urinalysis, which can be done with a test strip that detects the presence of urine in the blood. When the person does not respond to antibiotics, a urine culture can be performed to determine the type of bacteria that are causing the infection.

When a kidney infection is suspected, diagnosis can be made with a blood test, but it is common to make other assessments to rule out other problems, such as kidney stones. The doctor will determine, based on the examination and the results of the tests, the convenience of not carrying out further tests.

When a UI occurs, the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor are the treatment that must be followed to solve the problem. But in many cases these infections are frequent, so prevention is the best way to avoid these types of problems. This is especially important in the case of women, since they suffer from cystitis much more frequently than men.

The doctor can recommend changes in hygiene habits or with the underwear, recommending the use of cotton panties and avoiding thongs. He can also recommend a soap suitable for intimate hygiene with a bactericidal function.

But in addition to these recommendations there is a very natural way to prevent these infections: FLORA WOMAN is a food supplement based on probiotics designed to promote a healthy urinary tract.