Urinary Tract Infection in Men

Your urinary tract is known as the combination of organs that perform together to make sure that urine is made and carried out of your body.

Urinary tract infection in men is an infection which occurs in the urinary system, and the urinary system is made up of the ureters, kidneys, bladder or urethra. Bacteria often cause this infection.

Most times in a bladder infection, the bacteria invade the bladder and proliferate. The bacteria, at times, affect the tubes that assist in draining urine from the kidney to the bladder or even the kidneys.

Urinary tract infections also occur in women but are more severe and dangerous in men. When men develop urinary tract infection, it often spreads quickly to their kidney and upper urinary tract.

There are some symptoms which are associated with urinary tract infection in men; these symptoms are an indication that you might be suffering from a urinary tract infection. They include:

• Frequent or regular urination
• A persistent and strong urge to urinate
• Urine that has a strong smell
• A cloudy looking urine
• Presence of blood in your urine(hematuria)
• Having difficulties with urinating, this mostly occurs when you have an issue with the prostate.
• A minor fever frequently with or without chills
• Severe pain in the upper or side back
• Vomiting and nausea
• A person who is ordinarily dry at night that begins to bed wet all of a sudden.
• A burning or tingling feeling immediately after or even during urination(dysuria)

There are some particular symptoms which indicate that you might have a prostate infection (prostatitis), in addition to other signs of urinary tract infection. These symptoms include:

• Having difficulties in ‘dribbling’ or urination
• High fever with chills
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Severe pains in your area between your rectum and scrotum (perineum) or your pelvis area.

There are some conditions which can increase the chances of men having a urinary tract infection. These conditions include:

• Kidney stones
• Having an abnormally large prostate(benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH)
• An abnormal narrowing of the urethra( urethral stricture)
• When you engage in a urinary tract procedure recently, this could involve the use of instruments like a tube to drain your bladder, a process known as catheterization or the use of a small camera to examine your urethra and bladder, a process known as cystoscopy.
• A previous diagnosis of urinary tract infection
• Taking of treatments that suppress the immune system or a health condition
• The inability to voluntarily control your urination
• The failure to empty your bladder
• Abnormalities in your urinary tract that causes urine to move back upwards to the urethra or prevent urine from exiting the body naturally.
• Low level of liquids in your body
• Lack of circumcision

The types of urinary tract infection in men are divided into two. These urinary tract infections are usually classified based on where they can be located in the urinary tract. They include:

Lower tract infection

Types of lower tract infection in men are cystitis (bladder infection) and urethritis (infection of the urethra). This type of urinary tract infection is most times caused by intestinal bacteria.

These bacteria contaminate the urinary tract usually by spreading first from the skin to the urethra, then to the bladder. Urethritis is mostly caused by microorganisms which are contracted through sexual activities, and they include chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

Prostatitis is another type of male urinary tract infection; it is known as the inflammation of the prostate.

Upper tract infection

This often involves the kidneys and ureters, and it includes pyelonephritis which is known as an infection of the kidney.

The upper tract urinary infection in men most at times occurs because the bacteria moved up to the kidney from the bladder using the urinary tract as a passageway. It could also happen because the bacterium that is present in the bloodstream is carried to the kidneys.

Causes of Urinary Tract Infection in Men

Most organisms that cause urinary tract infection are usually introduced into the urinary tract through one or two routes.

The most common and easy way for an organism to be introduced in the urinary tract of a man is through the lower end of his urinary tract that is through the opening of the urethra of a man at the tip of his genitals.

The infection usually follows from the urethra to the bladder and most times to the kidney or even both. The other way through which microorganisms enter the urinary tract is through the bloodstream to the kidneys.

Urinary tract infections are most common in older men than in younger men. A significant reason is that older men are more likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia; this is a condition whereby men develop noncancerous excess growth of their prostate gland.

Most urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria, although some specific types of fungi, viruses and parasites can also contaminate the urinary tract.

Bacteria

The most common types of bacterial infections occur in the lower urinary tract, usually in the bladder. The most common type of bacteria that causes urinary tract infection is known as Escherichia coli. In men, most urinary tract infections are urethritis or prostatitis.

Viruses

The most common type of virus that causes urinary tract infection in men is known as the herpes simplex virus. This virus infects the urethra, thereby making urination difficult and emptying of the bladder painful.

There are other types of viral urinary tract infection like the bladder and kidney infection, which usually occurs when has an impaired immune system or takes a medication that suppresses the immune system.

Fungi

Some specific types of fungi or yeasts contaminate the urinary tract. This type of infection is known as a yeast infection, and it also causes inflammation of the genitals.

A particular fungus known as candida causes urinary tract yeast infection (candidiasis). Candida mostly affects men who have an impaired immune system. In some cases, bacteria and fungi contaminate the kidneys concurrently.

Parasites

There are some types of parasites, including worms, which cause urinary tract infection in men. Trichomoniasis is a type of urinary tract infection which is caused by a microscopic parasite.

It is a sexually transmitted disease that infects the urethra in men. It most times don’t show signs or symptoms.

Schistosomiasis, this is an infection caused by a particular type of worm known as a fluke. It is the cause of chronic kidney failure in men. Persistent schistosomiasis causes blood to be present in the urine or blocks the ureters, which would eventually lead to bladder cancer.

Filariasis is a threadworm infection which obstructs the lymphatic vessels, thereby allowing lymph fluids to enter the urine (chyluria). Filariasis causes swelling of tissues (elephantiasis), in men, causes an enlargement of the scrotum explicitly.

Diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection

While your doctor is examining for urinary tract infection, he would inquire of your previous status for urinary tract infection. You might provide a urine sample for a test for bacteria or pus.

The presence of pus in your urine is a secure sign of a urinary tract infection. If your doctor has a suspicion that you might have an abnormally large prostate, a digital rectal exam might be carried out on you.

Treatments for Urinary Tract Infection

The most common medication for the treatment of urinary tract infection in men is antibiotics, but these are dependent on what your doctor prescribes.

You can take this medication for about five to seven days, twice or once in a day. It is imperative to drink fluids regularly, even though you are tempted to drink less liquid because of the pain endured during urination.

Urination assists in flushing out bacteria in your system. Make sure you stay hydrated and often urinate while you are taking your prescribed antibiotics.

Recovering from Urinary Tract Infection

Once you start taking your antibiotics, you should begin to feel relieved within two to three days, and you must continue making your drugs for as long as your doctor prescribed because once you quit, the infection is likely is keep. If you do not see any positive changes, be sure to visit your doctor.

Low testosterone levels and urinary tract infection in men

Low testosterone levels in men are somewhat likened to urinary tract abnormalities in men. There are numerous dangers of low testosterone levels in men, ranging from low sex drive to small sperm production and even erectile dysfunction.

However, there are some methods of boosting low testosterone levels in a man, of which testosterone boosters are inclusive. There are some specific types of testosterone boosters which aid in increasing low levels of testosterone in men.

It is essential that before you purchase any kind of testosterone booster, it must be from a tested and trusted source.

Conclusion

Urinary tract infection is a type of infection that is caused by microorganisms in parts of your urinary tract. These microorganisms could be bacteria, fungi or even parasites.

Urinary tract infections because significant discomfort in men, from difficulties in urine to even enlarged scrotum. Antibiotics can remedy most urinary tract infections. It is paramount to take your medications as prescribed by your doctor.