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What is douching?

The word "douche" means to wash or soak in French. Douching is washing or cleaning out the vagina (birth canal) with water or other mixtures of fluids. Most douches are prepackaged mixes of water and vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. You can buy these products at drug and grocery stores. The mixtures usually come in a bottle and can be squirted into the vagina through a tube or nozzle.

Why do women douche?

Women douche because they mistakenly believe it gives many benefits. Women who douche say they do it to:
  • Clean the vagina
  • Rinse away blood after monthly periods
  • Get rid of odor
  • Avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Prevent pregnancy

How common is douching?

Douching is common among women in the United States. It's estimated that 20 to 40 percent of American women 15 to 44 years old douche regularly. About half of these women douche each week. Higher rates of douching are seen in teens, African-American women, and Hispanic women.

Is douching safe?

Most doctors and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that women don't douche. Douching can change the delicate balance of vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) and acidity in a healthy vagina. One way to look at it is in a healthy vagina there are both good and bad bacteria. The balance of the good and bad bacteria help maintain an acidic environment. Any changes can cause an over growth of bad bacteria which can lead to a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis. Plus, if you have a vaginal infection, douching can push the bacteria causing the infection up into the uterus, fallopian (fuh-LOH-pee-uhn) tubes, and ovaries.

What is the treatment for a urinary tract infection?


Treatment for a UTI should be designed for each patient individually and is usually based on how sick the patient is, what pathogen(s) are causing the infection, and the susceptibility of the pathogen(s) to treatments. Patients who are very ill usually require IV antibiotics and admission to a hospital; they usually have a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) that may be spreading to the bloodstream. Other people may have a milder infection (cystitis) and may get well quickly with oral antibiotics. Still others may have a UTI caused by pathogens that cause STDs and may require more than a single oral antibiotic. The caregivers often begin treatment before the pathogenic agent and its antibiotic susceptibilities are known, so in some individuals, the antibiotic treatment may need to be changed. In addition, pediatric patients and pregnant patients should not use certain antibiotics that are commonly used in adults. For example, ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and other related quinolones should not be used in children or pregnant patients due to side effects. However, penicillins and cephalosporins are usually considered safe for both groups if the individuals are not allergic to the antibiotics. Patients with STD-related UTIs usually require two antibiotics to eliminate STD pathogens. The less frequent or rare fungal and parasitic pathogens require specific antifungal or antiparasitic medications; these more complicated UTIs should often be treated in consultation with an infectious-disease expert.
All antibiotics prescribed should be taken even if the person's symptoms disappear early. Reoccurrence of the UTI and even antibiotic resistance of the pathogen may happen in individuals who are not adequately treated.
Over-the-counter medicines offer relief from the pain and discomfort of UTIs but they don't cure UTIs. Over-the-counter products like AZO or Uristat contain the medicine phenazopyridine (Pyridium, Urogesic), which works in the bladder to relieve pain. This medication turns urine an orange-red color, so patients should not be worried when this occurs. This medication can also turn other body fluids orange, including tears, and can stain contact lenses.

What causes a UTI?


The most common causes of UTI infections (about 80%) are Escherichia coli bacterial strains that usually inhabit the colon. However, many other bacteria can occasionally cause an infection (for example, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Proteus, Staphylococcus, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Serratia and Neisseria spp) but are far less frequent causes than E. coli. In addition, fungi (Candida and Cryptococcus spp) and some parasites (Trichomonas, Schistosoma) also may cause UTIs; Schistosoma causes other problems, with bladder infections as only a part of its complicated infectious process. In the U.S., most infections are due to Gram-negative bacteria with E. coli causing the majority of infections.

What are UTI risk factors?

There are many risk factors for UTIs. In general, any interruption or impedance of the usual flow of urine (about 50 cc per hour in normal adults) is a risk factor for a UTI. For example, kidney stones, urethral strictures, enlarged prostate, or any anatomical abnormalities in the urinary tract increases infection risk. This is due in part to the flushing or wash-out effect of flowing urine; in effect the pathogens have to "go against flow" because the majority of pathogens enter through the urethra and have to go retrograde (against a barrier, urine flow) to reach the bladder, ureters, and eventually the kidneys. Many investigators suggest that women are far more susceptible than men to UTIs because their urethra is short and its exit (or entry for pathogens) is close to the anus and vagina, which can be sources for pathogens.
People who require catheters have an increased risk (about 30% of patients with indwelling catheters get UTIs) as the catheter has none of the protective immune systems to eliminate bacteria and offers a direct connection to the bladder.
There are reports that suggest that women who use a diaphragm or who have partners that use condoms with spermicidal foam are at increased risk for UTIs. In addition, females who become sexually active seem to have a higher risk of UTI; some investigators term these UTIs as "honeymoon cystitis."
Men over 60 have a higher risk for UTIs because many men at or above that age develop enlarged prostates that may cause slow and incomplete bladder emptying.
Occasionally, people with bacteremia (bacteria in the bloodstream) have the infecting bacteria lodge in the kidney; this is termed hematogenous spread. Similarly, people with infected areas that are connected to the urinary tract (for example, prostate, epididymis, or fistulas) are more likely to get a UTI. Additionally, patients who undergo urologic surgery also have and increased risk of UTIs. Pregnancy does not apparently increase the risk of UTIs according to some clinicians; others think there is an increased risk between weeks six through 26 of the pregnancy. However, most agree that if UTIs occur in pregnancy, the risk of the UTI progressing in seriousness to pyelonephritis is increased according to several investigators. In addition, their baby may be premature and have a low birth weight. Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetics or those who are immunosuppressed (HIV or cancer patients) also are at higher risk for UTIs.

What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?


What is a urinary tract infection (UTI)?

The urinary tract is comprised of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra (see Figure 1). A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection caused by pathogenic organisms (for example, bacteria, fungi, or parasites) in any of the structures that comprise the urinary tract. However, this is the broad definition of urinary tract infections; many authors prefer to use more specific terms that localize the urinary tract infection to the major structural segment involved such as urethritis (urethral infection), cystitis (bladder infection), ureter infection, and pyelonephritis (kidney infection). Other structures that eventually connect to or share close anatomic proximity to the urinary tract (for example, prostate, epididymis, and vagina) are sometimes included in the discussion of UTIs because they may either cause or be caused by UTIs. Technically, they are not UTIs and will be only briefly mentioned in this article.
UTIs are common, more common in women than men, leading to approximately 8.3 million doctor visits per year. Although some infections go unnoticed, UTIs can cause problems that range from dysuria (pain and/or burning when urinating) to organ damage and even death. The kidneys are the active organs that, during their average production of about 1.5 quarts of urine per day, function to help keep electrolytes and fluids (for example, potassium, sodium, water) in balance, assist removal of waste products (urea), and produce a hormone that aids to form red blood cells. If kidneys are injured or destroyed by infection, these vital functions can be damaged or lost.
While some investigators state that UTIs are not transmitted from person to person, other investigators dispute this and say UTIs may be contagious and recommend that sex partners avoid relations until the UTI has cleared. There is no dispute about UTIs caused by sexually transmitted disease (STD) organisms; these infections (gonorrhea, chlamydia) are easily transmitted between sex partners and are very contagious.
Picture of the urinary tract structures
Figure 1: Picture of the urinary tract structures

How does Yeast Infection Develop?

The fungus yeast is commonly found in human skin and in areas which contain moisture, such as the mouth and the vagina. Candiasis or yeast infection is usually caused due to an overgrowth of the fungus Candida. Symptoms include redness, itching, irritation and a whitish discharge from the genital area. Men may not show the same symptoms, but in severe cases, may develop sores or blisters on the penis. It may be accompanied by a burning sensation during urination.



How does yeast infection develop

  • People may develop yeast infection after taking oral antibiotics that kill the useful flora in the gut.
  • Hormonal changes in the body can also lead to a yeast infection. Such changes cause the acidic environment of the vagina to change and kill some of the good bacteria.
  • Irritants in perfumed hygiene products can also cause candiasis. This is because these products change the acidic balance in the vagina and kill the good bacteria that fight off Candida.
  • People with diabetes or weak immune systems are more likely to develop yeast infection.
  • Candiasis is also transferred through sexual intercourse. Men may develop penile skin irritation due to yeast infection after intercourse with an infected woman.
  • Vulvovaginitis or inflammation of the vulva or vagina develops when new yeast comes into the vaginal area or there is a noticeable increase in the fungus already present. When the protective bacteria are eradicated by antibiotics or other immunosuppressive drugs, the yeast multiplies and causes irritation of the vaginal lining.
  • Vaginal yeast infections can be a result of injury to the inner vagina.
  • Sometimes sexual partners transfer the infection back and forth to each other. This is the reason why a physician might suggest treatment of both partners in case one has the infection.
How does yeast infection develop is a question frequently asked as almost 75% of the women have undergone this infection at least once in their lives. A minor infection can be treated by over-the-counter medicines available at pharmacies. In case of persistent problem, it is suggested to consult a doctor.

Healthier men enjoy more years of good sex

Healthy individuals are almost twice as likely to be interested in sex compared to those in poor health, says a new study.

The research has been published on bmj.com.

According to the study's results, at the age of 30, men have a sexually active life expectancy of nearly 35 years and for women it''s almost 31 years.  While at 55, this figure changes to almost 15 remaining years for men and 10 years for women. This gender difference diminishes for people with a spouse or intimate partner.

While sexually active life expectancy was longer for men, they lost more years of this activity due to poor health than women.

To reach the conclusion, authors Stacy Tessler Lindau and Natalia Gavrilova from the University of Chicago used data from two representative research groups in the US.

One group consisted of over 3000 men and women between the ages of 25 and 74 and the other included over 3000 men and women between 57 and 85 years of age.

The results reveal that men are more likely to be sexually active, report a good sex life and be interested in sex than women. This difference was most stark among the 75 to 85 year old group, where almost four out of ten males compared to less than two out of ten women were sexually active.

The authors conclude that "sexually active life expectancy estimation is a new life expectancy tool than can be used for projecting public health and patient needs in the arena of sexual health" and that "projecting the population patterns of later life sexual activity is useful for anticipating need for public health resources, expertise and medical services."