Banish The UTIs
Normally, your pee is free of bacteria, viruses and fungi. It includes waste products from your body. A UTI refers to an infection anywhere in the urinary system - bladder, ureters, urethra or kidneys. The most common occur in the lower tract, which may then spread upward into the upper tract. Once the germs gain access to the urethra, the infection can travel right up through the ureters into the kidneys, giving rise to more serious infections.

Triggers: The main culprits are the E coli bacteria that travel from the rectal opening to the urethral opening. Excessive friction or inadequate lubrication during sex may irritate the area around the urethral opening making it easier for the bacteria to infect it. A higher incidence of UTIs occurs in pregnant women.

The use of diaphragm or spermicides for contraception, conditions such as kidney stone and diabetes, a family history, some sanitary napkins and tampons, a habit of holding urine for long periods of time.

Symptoms: Fatigue, the urge to pee often, pain or burning during urination, cloudy or bloody or foul-smelling pee, lower back pain, fever and chills, nausea and dizziness.

What do I do? A routine urine test helps to confirm the presence of infection. Control the infection while it is still in the bladder. Antibiotics work best. Even if you feel better after two days of the treatment, take the entire course to completely wipe out the infection. Incomplete treatment may encourage drug resistance and a relapse.

Eeky Blues
If you are being troubled with inflammation and infection of the vulva and vagina, you are far from alone. Vulvovaginitis is the most common gynaecological disorder today. Normally, vaginal discharge is clear, slightly milky and slippery and yellowish when dry. But it changes in response to your monthly cycle - for instance, the discharge becomes clear and stretchier at the time of ovulation.

The secretion increases when you're aroused. Bacteria in the vagina helps keep the acidic balance. Vaginitis is caused by vaginal infections, the most common ones being bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection or candidiasis and trichomoniasis. Lab tests, including microscopic evaluation of the vaginal fluid, can confirm the type of infection you have.

Triggers: Low resistance, pregnancy, diabetes, use of birth control pills, etc.

Symptoms: An abnormal, smelly discharge with itching and burning.

What do I do?: There are different types of vaginitis, but all are treated with antibiotics. The most common therapy is metronidazole.