The One Thing You Should Never, Ever Do if You Want To Avoid Getting a UTI

Woman with UTI pain

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are impossible to ignore; you 100 percent know something is up when you get one. These painful infections—which occur in women much more often than men—are marked by needing to pee often and feeling pain when you do go, which sometimes can include the lower back.

One thing is for sure: When you have a UTI, the main thought is getting rid of it ASAP. And you know what’s better than getting rid of a UTI quickly? Never getting one in the first place. Keep reading to find out how to never get a UTI again, straight from urologists. 

Related: The #1 Early Sign of Bladder Cancer—and What To Know if You Get a Diagnosis 

What Is a UTI?

If you want to avoid getting a UTI, it’s helpful to know what exactly is going on in the body when they occur. “UTIs occur when bad bacteria overgrows in the urinary system and causes symptoms like burning with urination, frequent urination and abdominal pain, among other symptoms,” explains Dr. Joan C. Delto, MD, an assistant professor in the Department of Urology Fellowships at Creighton University School of Medicine. 

Dr. Scott D. Miller, MD, MBA, a board-certified urologist and the Medical Director of Wellstar Urology in Atlanta, says that there are many potential causes of bad bacteria overgrowth in the urinary system. He says that the most common causes include sexual intimacy, incomplete bladder emptying, douching, wearing damp clothing, poor hygiene, hormone deficiency, kidney stones, or a kidney obstruction. 

Related: The #1 Habit That Could Be Harming Your Bladder Health

Considering there is such a wide range of causes, you might be wondering what that means in terms of how you can minimize your risk. Both urologists say there’s one habit in particular they wish everyone would stop doing, in an effort to protect themselves from UTIs. 

Related: 9 Reasons Why You Might Be Peeing a Lot More Than Usual, According to Urologists 

How To Avoid Getting a UTI

If you want to avoid getting a UTI, both Dr. Delto and Dr. Miller say the most important habit to break is to stop holding your pee when you feel an urgency to go. If you have to go, go. That means getting out of bed in the middle of the night, politely excusing yourself to use the restroom during a meeting or pulling over at the next gas station if you’re in the middle of a long drive.

The reason why holding your pee can lead to a UTI is because when you don’t allow your body to empty urine, it gives bad bacteria a chance to hang around longer in the bladder and multiply. When you pee, you flush this bacteria out of the body, but if you hold it too long, it could be too late.

Dr. Delto says that another common habit that can lead to a UTI is hanging out in damp clothes for too long, such as sweaty clothes after working out. This is another time when bad bacteria have a chance to multiply and make their way into your body.

If you want to avoid UTIs, Dr. Delto says to stay properly hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. “Increased water intake is associated with fewer UTI recurrences,” she says. For people who are prone to UTIs, she says that taking cranberry pills may help. “Cranberry contains proanthocyanidins, or PACs, which prevent bacteria from latching onto the bladder wall,” she says.

Both urologists say that if you do get a UTI, it’s important to see a healthcare provider and not to try to treat it yourself at home. “There are some over-the-counter medications that can relieve the symptoms for a couple of days until a healthcare provider is available. [But] having a urine sample tested soon after symptom onset at the doctor’s office or urgent care will ensure the correct diagnosis and targeted treatment with an effective antibiotic,” Dr. Miller says. He says that it’s important to make sure that what you are experiencing is, in fact, a UTI because UTI symptoms can mimic other medical conditions that would need to be treated differently.

Dr. Miller says that anyone who is experiencing recurring UTIs should see a urologist, who can help break the cycle by prescribing several months of a low-dose preventive antibiotic, which can help the bladder lining heal.

UTIs are painful—there’s no doubt about that. But they are both avoidable and treatable. Drink plenty of water and when you need to pee, don’t hold it for too long. Those simple actions will go a long way in keeping your bladder healthy. Now that’s a healthy stream of information! 

Next up, see a pelvic floor therapist's advice for staying active if you have bladder control issues.

Sources

• Dr. Joan C. Delto, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Urology Fellowships at Creighton University School of Medicine

• Dr. Scott D. Miller, MD, MBA, board-certified urologist and the Medical Director of Wellstar Urology in Atlanta