Chronic Bladder Infections

The urinary system of our body consists of the urethra, kidneys, bladders and ureters. After the lungs and intestines absorb the required nutrients from the food and fluids, they leave behind the waste products in the blood. These wastes are excreted from the body by the help of the urinary system. The urinary system maintains the balance of water, chemicals and food in the body. Hence, for the proper functioning of the body, urinary system must be healthy and free of infections. However, microscopic organisms like bacteria cause infections in the chronic bladder and affect the urinary system.

Causes
Bladder infections affect millions of Americans each year. One in every five women is believed to have develop these infections sometime during their lifetime. Bladder infections initially affect only a certain part of the urinary system but with time they may spread in the entire urinary system. If the bladder infections persist for a long time then these are termed as infections in the urinary bladder. The bacteria enters into the body through the urethra and multiplies at a very fast rate. Escherichia coli (E.coli) is a bacterium found in the urinary tracts that causes such infections. Also, chlamydia, mycoplasma and microorganisms like fungi may be responsible for bladder infections. According to scientists, women are more prone to such infections than men as they have a smaller urethra. The smaller urethra helps the bacteria to reach easily into the upper parts of the urinary system. Sexual intercourse is the major cause of such infections in women as the bacteria finds an easy path to enter into the urinary bladder through the urethra. Kidney stones, bladder stones, sexually transmitted diseases and hormone imbalance during menopause are other reasons for infections of the chronic bladder. Holding back the urge to urinate is also considered to be a plausible cause of urinary tract infections. In men enlarged prostate and kidney stones may be a cause of such infections. Even people suffering from diabetes are vulnerable to urinary infections.

The bladder infections have various names. For instance, an infection in the urethra is called urethritis and an infection in urinary bladder is called is known as cystitis. Pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidney that occurs when the urinary tract infection reaches the pelvis portion of the kidney.

Symptoms
The initial signs of urinary tract infections include burning sensation during urination, urgency to urinate frequently and discharge of less amounts of urine. Blood in the urine is also observed in many cases. The person may feel pain in the pubic region, which is accompanied by fever. Children suffering from chronic bladder infection show symptoms of vomiting, fever and irritability.

Treatment
The treatment depends on various factors such as the duration of infection, urine test reports and medical history of the patient. Medicines that are effective in the treatment of chronic urinary infections are antibiotics like nitrofurantoin, cephalosporins and amoxicillin. Doctor's prescription is a must before going for any antibiotic medicines. Medicines are not always the best solution for treating chronic urinary infections. There are a lot of home remedies that can be very effective in controlling and treating chronic urinary bladder infections. For example, drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily is considered to be very fruitful. Water helps in flushing out the bacteria from the body during urination. Vitamin C controls bacterial growth in chronic urinary tract infections. Cranberry juice, apple juice and oranges are a good source of vitamin C. Various fibrous vegetables like green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, salad and green leafy vegetables also prove to be very effective.

These infections can be quite painful at times and cause severe irritation in the urinary system. A person suffering from them should avoid tea, coffee and other high acid containing drinks. Following a healthy lifestyle helps in reducing the risk factors of urinary tract infections.