Chronic Urinary Tract Infections

You’re in agony most of the time and you know it’s a urinary tract infection (UTI), but why won’t it go away?

A UTI is defined as being “chronic” if the patient has had 3 or more UTIs within a given year. Research conducted by Brand Prescriptives in May 2020 among 800 women across the US showed that among UTI sufferers, 33% of all women were chronic.

There are many reasons that women have seen a simple case of cystitis turn into what appears to be a continuous cycle of UTIs.

Some of the causes may be easily addressed, but many others are impossible to diagnose and treat accurately. Here’s a partial list which will continue to expand as we find out more every day on this topic.

  1. Lack of hydration: a urologist will explain that the bladder should be constantly replenished with water in order to remain healthy. They explain that if old urine remains in the bladder too long, it can develop bacteria and a UTI sets in. The rule of thumb is to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day.
  2. Inaccurate testing: the testing done at an OB/GYN office has been shown to be highly inaccurate, as the equipment that they use to diagnose your UTI in the office is very basic. The urine cultures done at a urologist’s office will be more sophisticated but are limited to looking at the results in a traditional manner. New tests have been developed which use genetic sequencing (DNA) and are much more precise, but they are not yet widely available to doctors or consumers.
  3. The wrong antibiotic: as we all know, the typical response to discovering that you have a UTI is to prescribe an antibiotic. However, it’s possible that the antibiotic that is prescribed is not the correct one. Certain antibiotics have been proven in clinical trials to be more effective than others in getting rid of certain types of UTI bacteria. It’s really important to know which bacteria your doctor is treating you for, so just ask and then read Tip #5.
  4. Antibiotic resistance: this is the most common cause of chronic UTI’s. Over the years, many women have probably taken 7 of the 10 most popular antibiotic brand names (Cipro, Bactrim and Keflex to name a few). This over-prescribing has led to “antibiotic resistance”, which means that the bacteria have learned how to hide and mutate in your system. So as soon as the course of antibiotics has been completed, they begin to grow all over again. This problem has caused scientists to work on new types of antibiotics, but development has been slow and underfunded.
  5. Biofilms: these are slimy “sacs” that the bacteria surround themselves with after burrowing into the lining of the bladder. This protects them against the threat of antibiotics. It is very difficult to diagnose the presence of biofilms today, but researchers and scientists are working on this aggressively because they have identified that this is a significant cause of chronic UTIs. Read more about biofilms at Biomedcentral.
  6. ESBL’s: the two bacteria which are most often the cause of UTIs are Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Both are part of a family of germs known as Enterobacteriaceae. These germs can produce enzymes called extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). ESBL enzymes break down and destroy some commonly used antibiotics, including penicillin and cephalosporins, and make these drugs ineffective for treating infections. More in-depth research on ESBL’s is available at this National Institutes of Health site.

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Treatment Tips for Chronic UTIs

So, what can be done if the doctor has diagnosed you with an E-Coli UTI for the third time in six months and it’s clear that antibiotics are not working?

A natural supplement known as D-Mannose is now widely recognized by doctors as a suitable alternative for older patients.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website: A clinical trial was conducted among 308 women which compared D-Mannose to the antibiotic Nitrofurantoin for effectiveness. D-Mannose had the lowest percentage of recurrence, and significantly lowered the risk of side effects compared to the antibiotic.

Sold under the brand name Goodbye UTI, this 100% pure D-Mannose powder provides fast relief for an active E-Coli UTI and, if taken daily, will protect the urinary tract against recurring infections. Formulated under the strict supervision of a Doctor of Pharmacy in GA, Caregivers can trust the quality and safety of this product.