Pune: As summer arrives, many women complain of a burning sensation while urinating, which may be an early symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Doctors from the city note that there is a 15 to 20 per cent increase in number of such cases during summer.
Speaking about the reason as to why women suffer more from UTI during summer, Dr Pravin Darak, the newly-elected president of the General Practitioners Association (GPA) noted that due to increase in heat, there is more dehydration.
“Because of this, the women go less to urinate. This also causes the urine to stay in the urethra for a longer period of time because of which infection can be caught. The easy way out of this is to drink more water and urinate frequently,” said Darak.
He also added that one of the reasons why women cannot relieve themselves very often is the unavailability of public toilets.
“When a woman is outside, unlike men, she does not have the option of using a public toilet, as there are not many. Many women also hesitate to use a public toilet as in most cases, the toilets are unclean. Hence, they do not relieve themselves, which in turn leads to infection,” said Darak.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 50 per cent of women report having had a UTI at some point in their lives.
Further highlighting the fact as to why women suffer from UTIs more than men, Dr Ramesh Bhosale, professor and unit head of obstetrics and gynaecology department at Sassoon General Hospital, said the reason lies in the difference in the anatomy of men and women.
“The vessel that carries urine is called urethra. In women, it is seven centimetre whereas in men it is 20 centimetre. Because of this difference, women can catch an infection more easily than men. In summers, the number of cases of UTI increase from eight to 15 per cent among women,” noted Bhosale.
Speaking about the preventable measures, Dr Shriniwas Ambike, a nephrologist at Jehangir Hospital noted that hydrating oneself often is the best way.
“If the person urinates more than three litres every day, then the chances of getting infection reduces. Also, intake of juices that are alkaline such as lemon or any citric juice can ensure that the body remains hydrated and the risk of infection reduces,” said Ambike.
