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Urinary
Tract Infections In Men: What Are They and Where Do They Come From?
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It
has been reported by a fact gathering research firm that over forty
million men in the United States have or has had a urinary tract
infection (UTI). It is a wide spread condition that affects about
thirteen percent of the male population in this country. Urinary tract
infections affect younger men as well as older men; however, with age
comes a noticeable difference from cause.
A large percentage of younger men or men under forty years of age who
are diagnosed with a urinary tract infection get it through a STD or
sexual transmitted disease. Urinary tract infections contracted through
sexually transmitted diseases is much more prevalent and happens more
frequently than any other mode of transmission for men under forty.
Often times the infection goes unnoticed until it starts to exhibit
symptoms that can be painful and troubling. Sexually transmitted
diseases left untreated or allowed to go untreated for extended periods
of time can do extreme damage to organs in the male urinary system as
well as other organs in the body also.
Most older men who contract a urinary tract infection do so by bacteria
entering the lower urinary tract (LUT) through the urethra in most
cases; however, it is a known fact that although far less frequently
than younger men, there are a number of older men who have acquired a
urinary tract infection through sexual intercourse and/or a sexually
transmitted disease, but it happens in a small percentage of cases.
A urinary tract infection often begins with bacteria entering the
urinary tract through the urethra but not exclusively, bacteria can
also enter the urinary tract via the rectum or anus. Although in almost
all cases the causes of a urinary tract infection can be attributed to
bacteria, in particular Escherichia coli or e coli; fungi and viruses
like herpes simplex also cause their fair share of urinary tract
infections in both men and women.
In many cases a urinary tract infection will attack and attach
itself
to an organ in the urinary system; specifically an organ in the lower
urinary tract close to the point of entrance where it made its debut.
The lower urinary tract consists of the urethra, bladder, and the
prostate gland. The
prostate gland is not a part of the male urinary
system; instead, it plays a pivotal role in the male reproductive
system which will be discussed in another article. A urinary tract
infection will disrupt smooth operation of the urinary system, it
depends on the severity of the infection and of course the time lapse
between the invasion of the bacteria and the time medical help is
acquired and effective treatments are initiated.
The prostate gland can become inflamed by an infection; an inflamed
prostate will become swollen or enlarged. An enlarged prostate is known
as prostatitis and as mention earlier it can become inflamed due to
STDs or sexually transmitted diseases, bacteria such as Escherichia
coli or e coli and viruses as well. An enlarged prostate can be
successfully treated and in many cases completely cured; however, it is
not uncommon at all for many cases of prostatitis to appear to be
successfully treated and cured, only for it to reappear months or even
years later more viral than ever. Annual checkups should help negate
any and all reoccurring episodes of prostatitis.
When the prostate gland becomes infected it can become enlarged to the
point it cut off or block the urethra from allowing urine to pass
through it. The urethra is a duct or tube that is attached to the lower
bladder or at the bottleneck and extends through the prostate which is
also located at the base of the bladder and runs through the male
sexual organ where it dispels the urine from the body; however, if an
enlarged prostate has all but squeezed it shut the urine will have no
route to take to exit from the bladder. When the bladder becomes full
and is unable to empty its content or urine the urine will begin to
leak out of the bladder at the bladders’ bottleneck or base.
This leakage is a classic case of a type of urinary incontinence that
is known as “overflow” incontinence.
Urine (bacteria laden) that is stagnant in the bladder will infect the
bladder unless it is allowed to pass in a timely fashion and the
bladder is flushed with fresh water. An infected bladder will not
operate properly; instead, it will begin to act out in a very
irrational manner; for instance, an infected bladder will cause the
detrusor muscle located inside the bladder or the interior walls of the
bladder to begin squeezing spastically to rid the bladder of urine on
its own. When this occurs it will force the person to rush directly to
the bathroom to urinate---in most cases he’ll never make it
before he starts urinating on himself. This type of urinary
incontinence is referred to as “urge” or
“urgency” incontinence. It is virtually impossible
to impede the flow of urine and it is just as impossible to make it to
the bathroom in time to relieve himself. Urge incontinence can for all
intent and purposes be attributed to a dysfunctional bladder.
However, if the urine passageway, or urethra is blocked or closed due
to urethritis or prostatitis the urine that has been flushed out of the
bladder by the detrusor muscle will have no place to go and this
situation almost always end in surgery. It is a situation that must be
immediately corrected to avoid irreversible damage that could prove to
be life threatening to say the least.
Urinary tract infections are not relegated to the lower tract only; in
fact, the ureter tubes and the kidneys (upper urinary
track) can come
under attack and if not treated early enough it could lead to some
serious complications that could end in kidney failure. When the
kidneys are successfully treated in a timely manner kidney infection
can be and often are corrected with antibiotics. The ureter tubes are
seldom infected but when they are usually they are also successfully
treated with antibiotics too.
In closing, male urinary tract infections usually attack organs of the
urinary system located in the lower urinary tract (LUT) that consist of
the prostate gland, bladder, urethra, lymph nodes and nerves, and in
many cases proceed to travel up the urinary system to the upper urinary
tract where the kidneys and ureter tubes are located. If urinary tract
infections, regardless of origin (sexual transmitted diseases, viruses,
bacteria) are not addressed and successfully treated in a timely
fashion they could severely damage vital organs that could end in death.
Keeping a close relationship with your primary care giver and/or
urologist is the key to reducing your chances of coming under attack
from a urinary tract infection, and if you do become infected you will
be able to immediately begin treatments before the problem is elevated
to the point where surgery is the only option...and even then
good results
cannot be guaranteed.
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