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Urinary tract infection

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Bladder infection; Cystitis; UTI

Prevention:

• Do NOT douche or use similar feminine hygiene products.
• Do NOT drink fluids that irritate the bladder, like alcohol and caffeine.
• Drink cranberry juice or use cranberry tablets, but NOT if you have a personal or family history of kidney stones.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Keep your genital area clean.
• Urinate after sexual intercourse.
• Wear cloth undergarments.
• Wipe from front to back.

Use of low-dose antibiotics on a daily basis may be recommended to prevent UTIs if you get frequent infections.

References:

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Evidence-based care guideline for medical management of first urinary tract infection in children 12 years of age or less. Cincinnati (OH): Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; 2006 Nov. 23 p.

Walsh, PC, ed. Campbell’s Urology . 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2002.

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002.

• Review Date: 7/23/2007
• Reviewed By: Marc Greenstein, DO, Urologist, North Jersey Center for Urologic Care, Denville, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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