5 Steps To Prevent UTI In Men

Having a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) implies that the harmful bacteria have already entered your urinary tract, and have started spreading through the urethra, bladder and, sometimes, even the kidneys. Well, women might be the ones more commonly suffering from UTIs, but it's just as common in men, too!

It's undoubtedly a painful experience and can lead to serious health issues, if not treated in time. Men with UTIs generally feel the urge to urinate more frequently than normal. Sometimes they even experience mild to severe pain while urinating. If you feel you're being prey to UTIs, you must see a urologist at the earliest to get it diagnosed and treated.

However, whether you've had UTIs previously or not, you can still regulate your lifestyle to an extent, in order to prevent even the chances of UTI. Looking for some guidance on how to prevent getting UTIs in the future? Here are five rules, compiled by our health experts, that you need to follow to keep UTI at bay. Read on to understand why these rules are so crucial to follow.

1. Don't Hold It In- We've been told this since childhood, either by our parents or friends: how holding it does not do any good to our system. By holding pee in for too long, your body exposes itself to harmful bacteria that cause bladder infections. Normally, your urinary bladder can hold up to 400-500 cc of urine. It sends signals to the brain when it reaches 200cc volumes of urine as the first urge to urinate. The uncontrolled urge to urinate hits you when you're holding beyond 500 cc urine. Although there is no hard and fast rule to urinate compulsorily at a given volume, but it's always better to take the first chance to void in a socially acceptable environment.
2. Give Your Body Enough Fluids- Standing up to your requisite daily water intake has benefits more than one. For any normal adult, it is recommended to have at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water in a day. Besides improving the functionalities of your digestive system and metabolism, drinking enough water certainly prevents UTIs too. That said, also note that plain clean drinking water is good enough as science has not yet documented the advantages of barley water, fruit juices or beer yet.
3. Genitals Be Better Kept Clean And Dry- Randomly using shower gel is not enough. Your male organ must be thoroughly cleaned every time while bathing. It should be done by taking back the prepuce, cleaning the glans properly yet gently and returning back the prepuce to its actual position. Infections generally start as local irritation and itching, but gradually leads up to the entire urinary passage. Paying minor attention to hygiene indeed goes a long way in helping you lead a healthy life.
4. Go For A General Health Checkup- Did you know that certain conditions like kidney stones, diabetes and prostate enlargement also increase the chances of getting UTIs in men? Getting a general health checkup that includes routine blood tests, urine tests, heart checkups, etc., on a bi-annual or yearly basis helps in detecting such conditions before it's too late. Men over 50, you're advised to undergo a prostate health checkup including PSA (prostate-specific antigen).
5. Be Careful During Sex- Escherichia coli (abbreviated as E.coli) is the main culprit behind most cases of UTIs. And they are capable of travelling from one person to another. So if you're having unprotected sex, you are welcoming E.coli in your urethra. Therefore using protection (condoms) is always a good idea. However, note that even condoms are not absolutely effective against all diseases transmitted sexually. But maintaining hygiene yourself and also being aware of your partner's hygiene habits before engaging in sexual intercourse will prevent you from developing UTIs.

Abide by these five helpful tips to keep urinary tract infections at bay. For questions and suggestions, feel free to reach us via comments.