How does a man get a UTI infection?

UTI's are a common infection in women, but they can also happen to men. Here is what you need to know about how a man gets a UTI and the symptoms of one.

Keep reading to learn more about UTIs and how they affect men!

What is a Urinary Tract Infection?

A urinary tract infection commonly abbreviated as UTI is a type of bladder infection that you can get in your urinary system from your urethra. If you don't wash your hands after you go to the bathroom and you touch your genitals then you might get UTI. Make sure you wash your hands before you eat with them.

If you are a man you can get a UTI anytime you ejaculate into your water-filled bladder. If you are not circumcised you should be careful to clean your genitals with soap and water very well.

How do you get a urinary tract infection if you are a man?

Does UTI affect males? A UTI can be passed from you to you or you can get it through contact with your environment. Things you cannot control include not washing your hands consistently or using public restrooms.

For many men, the source of their UTIs is sexual activity, either because you have Sexually Transmitted Infections (STDs) that you were unaware of or you contracted a UTI from another partner.

Male urinary tract infections (UTIs) are less common because their urethral (that carries urine) opening is much farther away from the bladder (that stores urine urethra) than with women and secretions emitted by male prostate glands can kill bacteria. However, an enlarged prostate in men, as well as kidney stones, can cause an infection to occur.

Some men and women experience UTIs that can be caused by their diets or their medications. This type of infection does not respond well to the standard antibiotic treatment you may receive in your doctor's office, so you will have to see a urologist for a more specific diagnosis.

It seems that men are not immune to Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Urinary tract infections are troublesome and potentially dangerous and we can also suffer them, (according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.)

UTIs can be a problem for both sexes as they're caused by bacteria in the bladder or kidneys which may get into urine from such things as wiping back-to-front after going to the bathroom (a habit associated with Asian people). Some symptoms include pain during urination; cloudy pee; blood in your urine; fever/chills

The urologist will conduct tests on you to see what you are allergic to so you can avoid the foods you are allergic to. Drinking grapefruit juice is a common UTI trigger, and you should ask your doctor if you need to avoid it in your diet.

Urinary Tract Infection symptoms

The UTI symptoms are:

• You feel the need to urinate frequently, but you are unable to empty your bladder completely.
• Also, you have a strong burning sensation when you do urinate and you may have blood in your urine.
• You develop lower abdominal pain (near your genitals) which can be severe at times.

When you get a UTI you will likely experience discomfort and you will want to take steps to get rid of the condition as soon as you can.

UTI Treatment

The treatment you receive for your UTI depends on many factors, including what caused it, how serious your condition is (you may have a more serious UTI if you have certain risk factors, such as diabetes), and your age. 

UTIs are usually treated by the use of antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing them. If you know you've been exposed to E. coli (for example, through sexual activity) you may be treated with a single course of antibiotics, which you must take for at least 2 to 3 days. 

What you can do include: Ensure you are drinking enough fluids, preferably water as it is clear and doesn't contain sugar or other nutrients that may promote the growth of UTI-causing bacteria. This also means you should avoid drinks like cola or fruit juices that may irritate you. Or you can just go to your nearest hospital because you have an infection.

What you can do to prevent a UTI?

Wash your hands

Always wash your hands after you go to the bathroom. When you are done, wash between your fingers and around your nails. If you find yourself in a public place where you cannot clean up properly, use sanitizing gel or wipes that you can keep with you at all times.

When you are done, wash between your fingers and around your nails. If you find yourself in a public place where you cannot clean up properly, use sanitizing gel or wipes that you can keep with you at all times.

Don’t hold your urine

Reduce the risk of UTI infection by not holding your urine. When holding urine men get recurrent infections.

Although you may feel you need to hold your urine when you are in a public place you need to stop and take care of your bladder needs.

Although you may feel you need to hold your urine when you are in a public place you need to stop and take care of your bladder needs.

Drink water

Drink lots of water without holding it. This will help you avoid dehydration and also keeping up the urine flow. Avoid drinks that you may have to hold in (tea, coffee) and limit your intake of alcohol.

Know your bladder capacity

You should know if you can take more than one bathroom break during the day or you are at risk of bladder problems. If you are holding your urine it may lead to infection.

It is best if you start getting up frequently from your chair and when you feel you have to stop, you should leave for a bathroom break. Some people find it is easier if they set an alarm that will remind them when they need to take a break.

Keep your genital area clean

A healthy body should have a natural pH balance that keeps you healthy, but you can disrupt this balance through improper hygiene. This is particularly important in the genital area where you should make it a point to wash your genital area regularly with soap and water.

Don’t leave underwear on for too long

You should change your underwear daily or after every two days and you should also change your sanitary pads regularly. To help you do that you should have more underwear or sanitary pads in your wardrobe and you should also make it a point to wash your underwear on a regular basis so you can change your underwear daily.

You can reduce the risk of getting an infection if you maintain good hygiene, especially when you are having symptoms that may lead you to a UTI infection.

Conclusion

Urinary Tract Infections are usually caused by E. coli, the bacteria that you can find in your digestive system. UTI's can also be caused if you don't clean your genitals if you use the toilet after you go to the toilet, or if you share sex toys with someone who has a UTI.

If you're a man and you want to prevent getting a UTI infection, you should make sure you urinate when needed, get between two and four times per day.

Finally, make sure you clean yourself well with soap and water after you urinate every time. You need to treat the Urinary Tract Infection because it can cause a kidney infection. (Sources 1*, 2*, 3*)

Medically reviewed and approved by Nataniel Josué Alvarez M. D.