Surely you know this just like the patients who come to our Allmedica practice in Andratx: You have colloquially “hypothermia down below”.
What we colloquially call hypothermia is quickly a painful urinary tract infection that can be avoided.
Urinary tract infections are an unpleasant condition that can be caused by a variety of factors. The most common causes include hypothermia, not drinking enough, germ colonisation, swimming too long in cold water, and not taking off wet bathing clothes and drying off afterwards, as the evaporative cold is not to be underestimated.
Prevention of urinary tract infections
It is certainly not always possible to avoid a urinary tract infection, especially for sensitive people, but some simple preventive measures can make life easier.
Women in particular should urinate briefly after sexual intercourse to avoid germs rising through the short urethra. When going to the toilet, women should wipe from front to back to prevent E.coli germs, which are native to the intestine, from entering the bladder.
To further prevent urinary tract infections, it is advisable to drink plenty of water and avoid cold feet and hypothermia of the kidney region (Do not walk with bare feet on cold tiles. Put a cushion on the chair when sitting outside). Wearing wet bathing clothes for long periods of time should also be avoided.
Looking to nature, cranberry juice is also excellent for preventing urinary tract infections.
Treatment of urinary tract infections
In the event of an infection, do not place a hot water bottle on the abdomen, as this can encourage germs to multiply (I “ncubator effect). However, the bladder and kidney region should be kept at body temperature, for example by wrapping a jumper around it or placing a pillow on cold surfaces.
Therapy for urinary tract infections usually includes antibiotics administered at the same time as a probiotic for the intestine and vagina. If the infection recurs, a urine culture and an antibiogram before antibiosis are absolutely necessary to determine the germ and administer the adequate antibiotic and to check the success of the therapy. In some cases, urological clarification may be necessary, especially in the case of abacterial urinary tract infections, in order to exclude other causes such as residual urine.
Did you feel hypothermic during your stay in Mallorca and suspect a urinary tract infection? Then contact our team of doctors at the Allmedica practice in Puerto de Andratx.