Urinary tract infections or UTI’s are a fairly common occurrence, but if they take place repeatedly it should be a matter of concern. For women getting more than 4 per year, it is important to carry out adequate evaluation in order identify the possible causes of recurring UTI’s, and then choose the most suitable treatment.
Causes
After a negative urologic examination including cystoscopy to exclude urethral and intrinsic bladder lesions, the etiology for recurrent UTI’s must be investigated from the standpoint of excessive bacterial in the area surrounding the opening of the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside. This opening is called the urethral meatus which opens just above the opening of the vagina in the tissue known as the vestibule. The source of excess bacteria in the vestibule comes from the vagina or in some cases the anus. The bacterial such as E. Coli, Klebsiella, and pseudomonas that cause the majority of bladder infections are part of the normal bacterial flora of the vagina, but these bacterial are normally kept at very low concentration where they do no harm.
Understanding vaginal micro-flora
The healthy vagina is home to abundant lactobacilli or the “good” vaginal bacteria. However, the vagina is also is home to 30+ potentially pathogenic strains of bacteria. These “bad” strains are usually kept at very low levels where they generally cause little harm by the chemicals secreted by the lactobacilli. Unfortunately, “vaginal insults” may occur that disturb the delicate balance resulting in the overgrowth of the bad bacteria. These aberrations are called “altered vaginal micro-flora patterns” or VAMF. Women with any one of the VAMF patterns, can develop recurrent bladder infections as well as vulvar itching, burning, pain with intercourse, recurrent bacterial or yeast infections based on the women’s individual propensity.
Treatment
At Fowler Gyn International, they use specialized diagnostic equipment to perform a vaginal fluid analysis (VFA) test to determine if recurring UTI’s are being caused by altered vaginal micro-floral patterns in the vagina. If this is confirmed, FGI recommends vaginal rejuvenate therapy to restore normal vaginal micro-flora.
In addition, FGI recommends the use of FeminaRx Pure Skin Care Collection if there are associated external symptoms of itching, burning, irritation and/or soreness. FeminaRx is a combination of non-allergenic skin care products that have demonstrated over hundreds of women-year-use that they work well together for use by women with sensitive genital tissues.
If you would like to find out more about the causes of recurring UTI’s then contact Fowler Gyn International. You can check them out online at http://www.fowlergyninternational.com/