Understand Urine Infections
Urinary infection is one of the most commonly talked about infection that affects women more than men and it is quite common to one to experience pain, with burning sensation that could lead to other complications and even death. It is to be understood that this infection that arises in the urinary tract that comprises of the organs in the urinary system like the kidneys, urethra, bladders and ureter is caused by pathogenic organisms like bacteria, fungi and other parasites.
It is common therefore to give different names to the infection caused in the urinary tract like urethritis that affects the urethra, cystitis that affects the bladder, ureter infection and pyelonephritis that affects the kidney. This infection may spread to other parts also like the prostrate, epididymis and vagina that lie close to the parts of the urinary system as a cause or effect of the infection.
Understanding urine infections better, you need to know that kidneys play a very vital role in the urinary system and are responsible for the elimination of about 1.5 quarts of urine every day. This important part helps to keep electrolytes and fluids in the form of potassium, sodium and water in balance and helps in effective elimination of waste products from the body. It is the kidney that helps to also produce hormones that aid the formation of red blood cells.
This would definitely have told you enough about the importance of the kidney and what would happen with it is damaged and the essential functions are not performed.
Understanding infection in the urine better it is best to know that are Escherichia coli bacterial strains or Ecoli as it is commonly referred to that present in the colon accounts for about 4 out of 5 cases of urine infection.
The other bacteria that cause infection though not so frequently are Chlamydia, Serratia, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Staphylococcus, and Neisseria, with some other parasites like Trichomonas, Schistosoma and Neisseria and fungi like Candida and Cryptococcus also causing urine infections in the urinary bladder.
Know urine infections in men
Urine infection may seem as a common term that is used by many to refer to different types of infection in the urinary bladder, but it is best to understand that the symptoms of urinary infection may vary from person to person, people in different age groups, different sex as well as the location of the infection cannot be pinpointed in all cases to a particular point or organ.
The symptoms could also be present for a short interval or could also go on for a prolonged period of time. However the most common symptoms that is present in most people is a pain or burning sensation while passing urine that is accompanied by the embarrassing symptom of wanting to urinate very often.
In addition you may notice that the urine may be cloudy and also occasionally have blood present in it. The urine often appears cloudy and occasionally reddish if blood is present. It is quite common for the urine to have an unpleasant odor and for men to experience other symptoms like pain in the rectal, testicle and abdominal area. While many believe that urinary tract infection is not transmitted from person to person by sex, it is quite common for specialists to advice partners to abstain from sex till the infection is cleared.
It is however to be understood that infection of urine could be caused by sexually transmitted diseases, with infections like Gonorrhea and Chlamydia being easily transmitted sexually.
So it is quite common for men that suffer from urethral infection that is caused by a sexually transmitted disease to have a discharge that looks like pus during urination in the penis. It is again noteworthy to know that the location of the infection bears a very high significance to the symptoms shown, with infection in the urethra showing up as pain and discomfort while urinating, and STD infections causing fluids that look like pus to drain or drip from the urethra.
Infection in the bladder or cystitis may show symptoms like pain the suprapublic region that may be with or without fever and flank pain, while infections in the ureter and kidney may show up as flank pain and fever. However your physician would be the best person to find out the place of infection if specific symptoms are absent.
Urine infection is very rare in men unto the age of 50, with men above this age being more subject to these infections due to an enlarged prostate gland that hinders the bladder from emptying itself fully. This could cause bacteria to multiply in the urine that stagnates.
This may involve the use of catheters to empty the bladder that makes them at a risk of getting infection. Again one another condition that has been the cause of urinary infection is the presence of stones in the kidney and bladder.
These stone or other conditions that obstruct the flow of urine cause urine to pool up in the kidney without being eliminated. It is also significant to know that a poor immune system like having AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy treatment could make you more susceptible for urine infections.
All this contributes to knowing about urine infection symptoms in men.