Let's get this out of the way: some of us are just more prone to UTIs.
Like women, who tend to get more UTIs mostly because of anatomy - since women’s urethras are shorter than men’s, it’s easier for bacteria to travel.
50%
of women get UTIs
And some things do increase our risk, like
Sex
Exercise
Holding It
Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy
Menopause
Overusing Antibiotics
When bacteria find their way into the urinary tract, you can get a UTI.
Once bacteria enter the urethra, they can travel up the urinary tract and multiply. As their numbers rise, it triggers an inflammatory response in the body, which results in the symptoms you associate with a UTI. The higher the bacteria move in the urinary tract, the more severe the infection becomes.
Once you get one UTI, you're more likely to get another. Many of us can get stuck in a continuous cycle.
(hover over a number to learn more)
1
You get a UTI
You're one of the unlucky ones who's prone to UTIs, so when bacteria enter the urinary tract and multiply, you end up with an infection
2
You take antibiotics
Antibiotics wipe out the good bacteria with the bad, creating an imbalance that put you at higher risk of UTIs and other issues, like BV and yeast infections.
3
You're more vulnerable to infections
With your immune system weakened, new bacteria - or old bacteria that escape antibiotics using biofilm* - can multiply out of control and trigger another UTI.
*Biofilm is a protective shield bacteria form, which keeps them hidden in the urinary tract - and safe from antibiotics and the immune system.
*Biofilm is a protective shield bacteria form, which keeps them hidden in the urinary tract - and safe from antibiotics and the immune system.
