About half of all women will get a bladder infection at least once in their lives and about twenty percent will get one every year. This makes a bladder infection one of the most common ailments in women. So it doesn’t sound very alarming to have a bladder infection, but it is also not something you should neglect. Does a bladder infection go away on its own? How can you prevent a bladder infection?

Which women most often get a bladder infection?

Bladder infections (cystitis) occur most often in women between the ages of 25 and 30 and in women after menopause.In women after menopause, less estrogen is produced, causing the mucous membranes of the vagina and urethra to become less moist. This moisture was/is a great help in protecting against harmful bacteria due to its acidity . Less moisture means less protection and a greater chance of a bladder infection.

What should you do to prevent a bladder infection?

• Make sure you drink enough, at least one and a half liters per day. Be careful with sweet drinks. These also make the urine sweeter in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes and bacteria love sugar.
• Always urinate after sex and before going to sleep to give bacteria as little chance as possible.
• Use good toilet hygiene, from front to back. Do this after both the large and small messages.
• During menstruation, use sanitary towels rather than tampons and change them regularly, even on lighter days. After two hours you will find at least a hundred bacteria per cubic centimeter on a sanitary towel and on a tampon this is much more. For more information see the article: Menstruation and hygiene.
• If you are prone to bladder infections, you should not sit on a cold surface and you should be careful with drafts.
• Drink cranberry juice or lemon juice as a preventive measure and take vitamin C daily. This makes the urine more acidic and thus protects you against bladder infections.
• Do not hold your urine and make sure you urinate completely empty. This way fewer bacteria are left behind.
• Observe normal hygiene and use only water and no soap or vaginal sprays for intimate hygiene. This disrupts the acidity of the vagina and can increase the risk of bacterial growth.
• Do not wear synthetic underwear and tights. These provide extra heat and therefore extra bacterial growth.
• Wearing thongs also increases the risk of a bladder infection. This is because the string moves back and forth between the buttocks and thus brings bacteria from the anus into the area around the urethra.
• Never pee hanging over a toilet. When you urinate hanging over a toilet, you do not relax your pelvic floor muscles enough. This means you do not empty your bladder properly.

Symptoms of a bladder infection

The symptoms of a bladder infection usually develop quite suddenly and may not last longer than about five days.Possible symptoms include:

• Painful urge to urinate (dysuria),
• Painful urination due to bladder spasm (stranguria)
• urinating more frequently
• urge to urinate

If there is blood in the urine, it is wise to contact your doctor immediately.

Still a bladder infection?

If the symptoms persist for more than five days, always visit a doctor if you have a bladder infection and have the urine examined. A bladder infection can easily ascend to the kidneys and affect the kidney tissue. The symptoms this causes are similar to the symptoms of a bladder infection. It is therefore wise not to take any risks in this regard. In almost all cases the doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics.Many women do not visit the doctor if they have a bladder infection, usually this does not cause any harm and the bladder infection goes away on its own. If there is fever, blood in the urine, nausea, complaints lasting more than five days and/or severe pain, it is absolutely not wise to continue with these complaints. In those cases, it is better to take the time to visit the doctor for your own health.

What to do in case of a bladder infection?

What seems to help with an early bladder infection is Care-free D-mannose. After ingestion, this drug does not end up in the metabolism, but in the kidneys. It helps to keep the urine clear. It binds E Coli and Klebsiella bacteria. The drug therefore only helps when these bacteria are the causes of the inflammation. The vast majority of bladder infections are caused by the E Coli bacteria. It is better not to use Care-free D-mannose if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant.Drinking plenty of fluids (at least two litres), lots of Cranberry juice or Cranberry capsules and vitamin C can provide quick relief for early bladder infections. Pickled cucumbers, a dash of natural vinegar in the salad and using little sweetness are also ways to make the urine more acidic and thus inhibit bacterial growth.