Your Cart (0)
Wellness Guide: Prostate or UTI?
April 12, 2024 | 0 comments
by Wendy Wilson
Men can have a hard time telling the difference between UTI and a swollen prostate and a swollen prostate can cause UTI.
If you have found yourself questioning whether you have a prostate problem or a UTI problem, you aren’t alone. While both can manifest similar discomfort, deciphering between the two is crucial for effective treatment and management. Understanding the nuances that distinguish prostate problems from UTIs empowers individuals to seek appropriate medical attention, ensuring prompt relief and long-term wellness. So, let's dive into the subtle differentiators, and inform you of these common afflictions to pave the way for informed health decisions.
PROSTATE PROBLEM OR UTI?
This is a major question for men. Both of these conditions can produce symptoms that are similar to each other and sometimes go undetected. Urinary tract infections in men can be extremely painful and can cause health decline as it can be from several causes and often cause sleep deprivation. In many instances, men can have a hard time telling the difference between UTI and BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia, a.k.a. swollen prostate). A swollen prostate can cause UTI. Nearly 8 million people experience urinary tract infections annually. Urinary tract infections are more common in older men and rarely affect men under 50. About 3 in 100 men in their 60s, and about 1 in 10 men in their 80s, will have a urinary infection. Urinary infection is much more common in women because their urethra is shorter and more exposed to potential bacteria. Let’s put these two conditions side-by-side so you can discern if it is a prostate or urinary tract problem.
SYMPTOMS OF UTI
The obvious UTI symptoms are pain or burning upon urination. In severe cases, a fever, shakiness, and fatigue can take hold. There are frequent urges to use the bathroom often with weak or very little urine stream. The urine may have an odor to it and may be an abnormal color (cloudy or reddish indicating white blood cells and infection). Some pressure can be felt in the lower abdomen as well as back pain and nausea. Here’s where UTI can fool you, an enlarged prostate may be the cause of your UTI. Work on clearing up the UTI but then address the prostate as a preventative for future infections.
UTI MEDICAL TREATMENT
Doctors have a plethora of drugs to pick from for UTI, such as ampicillin, trimethoprim, and nitrofurantoin. If you have renal failure or frequent UTI you will need more than the average amount of allopathic treatments (more medications). Antibiotics usually clear the infection within just a few days but may return and then be harder to get rid of. For severe pain and fever, doctors may prescribe ibuprofen, which is not healthy for the kidneys. You should of course drink plenty of water to flush the kidneys and bladder. It’s also recommended to refrain from sugary soft drinks, alcohol, and caffeine.
UTI CAUSES
What can cause UTI and incontinence? There are several including medications, weight gain, prostate, bowel constipation, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Schilder’s Disease. The prescribed drugs that can lead to incontinence are the side effects from diuretics, tranquilizers, antidepressants, and diabetic meds not controlling the diabetes correctly. Over-the-counter cold & cough, antihistamines, and allergy products can also produce incontinence. Aside from the medications, weight gain, infections, or constipation issues causing the problem; the other cause seems to be linked to the central nervous system. Hygiene is also a factor. The bacteria can be picked up by sexual contact, or improper cleaning after using the bathroom, and spread through the blood and enter the urinary tract that way.
UTI SOLUTION
If you don’t have many UTIs then we recommend Juniper Berries in a liquid form. If you have more than two UTIs annually I would use Juniper Berries plus pipssisewa leaf, burdock herb, and some others. I would use these herbs in a liquid form also. If you are looking for an alternative wellness option these herbs are far less expensive to use. Apothecary Herbs offers both the Juniper Berries Tincture and the (tincture & tea combo). It is recommended to use caution if you have kidney failure as juniper berries can irritate kidneys. In that case, we recommend the Juniper Free Kidney Bladder option. A poor immune system can increase the risks of UTIs. Feel free to check out our Immune Boosters Page: https://www.thepowerherbs.com/herbs/COLD-FLU-REMEDIES.html.
SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE PROBLEM
Early prostate disease may not produce symptoms. The prostate surrounds the urinary tube, which carries urine away from the bladder and out of the body. A young man’s prostate is the size of a walnut and slowly grows larger with age. Some symptoms of an enlarged prostate are; urinary hesitancy, weak urination, urinary blockage or leakage, difficulty starting urination, unsteady urine stream, exaggerated effort to start urination, frequent urination especially at night, blood in urine, inability to empty bladder, and sexual problems. Enlarged prostate glands invite a cancer risk. Other symptoms are pain or burning during urination, semen in urine, back, hip, or pelvic pain as well as painful ejaculation. These are common symptoms for men over 50.
PROSTATE MEDICAL TREATMENT
If your doctor decides you have a prostate problem after you have had a physical exam, ultrasound, or blood test to confirm prostate-specific antigens (PSA) levels and if there is a suspected risk, your doctor may also want to perform a biopsy of the prostate gland to look for cancer cells. A second biopsy may also be performed to recheck results with each biopsy costing around $1,200.00. If cancer is confirmed your doctor will recommend surgery to remove the whole prostate and nearby tissue. After the surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, hormone therapy may be prescribed in an attempt to keep the cancer from coming back. You should ask about the risks of these procedures.
Statistics show that 1% of men die from prostate surgery. Some complications from the surgery are deep venous thrombosis (leg clots) increasing risk of stroke, heart attack, and death. Hernia risk is high post-surgery and lifting heavy objects could also damage the anastomosis (a connection between the bladder and urethra) causing long-term complications. Wound infections and catheter infections are also a risk. Incontinence and impotence are the common side effects. Less than 5% of men have total incontinence creating a dependence on special underwear. The major complaint is that 32% of men do not regain their sexual potency and have erectile dysfunction. A second surgery (neurovascular nerve bundle) may be required to try to correct the dysfunction.
There are several drugs for the prostate that your doctor has to select from. Some are known as alpha-blockers to relax the smooth muscles around the prostate and neck of the bladder. You can expect side effects; weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fainting, blood pressure problems, headaches, nasal congestion, and ejaculation of semen into the bladder. Some drugs will block the conversion of testosterone to other male hormones, which stimulate the prostate and are called 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. These drugs relieve symptoms, increase the urinary flow, and may shrink the prostate but may take 6 to 12 months to deliver benefits. The side effects can be rectal bleeding, fatigue, and adverse sexual function.
PROSTATE CAUSES
Modern medicine attributes prostate disease to genetics and our lifestyle. How we eat is also a key. Animal fats and inactivity (sedentary lifestyle) are contributing factors. The medical community advocates regular physical exercise, more fruits and vegetables, vitamin E, and selenium supplements with regular screening tests to lower the risk of prostate cancer.
PROSTATE SOLUTION
The long-term key to addressing a sick prostate is diet, exercise, and periodic prostate cleanses using a combination of herbs. I would use the male herbs, which include juniper berries, cleavers herb, and saw palmetto in addition to other recommended herbs. Balancing the male hormone system with herbs is also a plus. We recommend the that uses plant nutrition to balance hormones naturally.
COMMON QUESTIONS
“Should I cleanse the prostate even though I don’t have any prostate problems?”
Based on the statistics above I would cleanse the prostate as part of the regular maintenance cleanses twice yearly.
“How often should I cleanse the prostate?”
A good routine to get into is twice annually. Sometimes more severe cases need additional rounds of cleansing.
“If I have a prostate problem, how long will it take to heal my prostate?”
Everyone is different, but the average sick prostate will need 2 to 4 weeks of cleansing and then a routine cleanse every 6 months. For extremely tough prostate problems we recommend also doing a liver flush after the bowel and urinary cleanses have been completed.
“What herbs do I need to cleanse my prostate?”
The contains all the male herbs to cleanse the prostate and is a good place to start. This package includes cleanses for the Bowel, Urinary, Prostate, Liver/Gall Bladder, and Blood. We also recommend adding on the Male Hormone formula. The cleanses can be purchased in the kit or separately. To target the prostate specifically, we recommend the Prostate Cleanse Kit which comes with a tea and tincture to use together.
In conclusion, discerning between a urinary tract infection (UTI) and a prostate problem is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. While both may present with similar symptoms the key distinctions lie in additional indicators like fever, chills, and pelvic pain associated more commonly with UTIs. Urinary flow issues, blood in urine, and sexual dysfunction are often characteristic of prostate problems. By understanding these nuances, individuals can navigate their health journey with confidence, armed with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and prioritize their urological health.
*The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure disease. Seek medical advice from a licensed medical physician before using any product or therapy.*
Sources:
https://kasraeianurology.com/blog/do-i-have-prostatitis-or-a...
|
|