Urinary Tract Infection is an infection in any part of the entire urinary system including the urinary tract, kidney, urinary bladder, or the urethra. Urinary Tract Infection affects the urethra (the tube that drains the urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) and the bladder mostly.
UTI is more common in case of females as compared to males. Researches suggest it is four times more likely to affect females than males. This is primarily because the urethra is shorter in females. Thus the bacteria causing urinary tract infection needs to travel a shorter distance to reach their bladder and cause infection. Research also suggest that males can get UTI from females.
However, men too suffer from Urinary Tract Infection sometime. Research shows that around three per cent of men suffer from UTI each year. Urinary Tract Infection in men is considered to be far more complicated to treat. UTI in men also has higher chances of getting spread to upper urinary tract and kidneys. At times, even surgery might be required to treat urinary tract infection. Older men, above the age of 50, have a higher risk of suffering from Urinary Tract Infection.
Can Males Get UTI From Females?
Males can get Urinary Tract Infection from females. This usually can happen during sexual activity. Thus men can get urinary tract infection while having a physical relationship with a woman suffering from urinary tract infection. Though there is a chance of the male getting infected by the bacteria causing urinary tract infection, the chances of such infections are rare.
In case the male gets affected by the bacteria causing urinary tract infection, there is a possibility that the bacteria were already present in the body of the male. Some of the diagnostic tests to detect UTI include urine analysis and urine culture. Detection of yeast in such urine analysis or urine culture or any other urine test can indicate UTI.
Precautions to Prevent UTI
Prevention is better than cure. Thus men can take the following precautions in order to reduce the risk of suffering from a Urinary Tract Infection. Some of the precautions for men
- Try to empty their bladder often
- drink lots of fluids, especially water
- Carefully clean the area under the foreskin after a shower, especially if not circumcised
- Clean their genitals both before and after having sex so as to remove the presence of bacteria
- Try to clean from back to front when toileting
- Use condoms during sex
- Definitely urinate after sex in order to remove any bacteria which might have been passed during the sexual intercourse.
Urinary Tract Infection can cause penile discharge in males. Thus, males should take extra prevention in order to avoid UTI.
How To Treat A UTI?
It is difficult and complicated to treat urinary tract infection in men. The primary goal of such treatment is to prevent the infection from spreading further to the kidneys and the urinary tract. Depending on the type of infection, the course of treatment is decided.
Treatment of urinary tract infection usually includes antibiotics to bacteria causing such infection and other drugs to subside the symptoms such as pain and burning while urinating. Such treatment can range from three to six or seven days. Some of the prescription medication which might be prescribed to treat urinary tract infection includes
- Antipyretics to reduce fever
- Analgesics to reduce or eliminate pain such as phenazopyridine
- Antibiotics To Kill The Bacteria: Usually, antibiotics such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), nitrofurantoin (Macrobid), fosfomycin, fluoroquinolones, or aminoglycosides are prescribed. These are some of the over the counter medicines which can be used for treating UTI in males.
Surgery may be prescribed to those with severe complications. Such surgery might involve draining the urinary tract or removing the inflamed portions of the tissues.
Home Remedies To Treat Urinary Tract Infection
- Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water which would help in flushing out the bacteria from the body
- Drinking cranberry juice since cranberry juice is suggested to be effective against urinary tract infection
As researches suggest that MALES GET UTI FROM FEMALES, especially during sexual intercourse, it is always better to take necessary preventions and precautions to prevent such occurrences.
Medically Reviewed By
Samarpita is a dedicated freelance writer with avid experience in the space of health, she specializes in topics related to diet, nutrition, immune-related diseases, detection and prevention of diseases and taking a natural route to cure such diseases.
