Urine infections in men: causes and treatment

The urinary tract infections also affect men. Although the prevalence is lower than in women, in men the treatment tends to be longer. In the symptoms and causes, it can be seen that men and women are different. The urologist in West Delhi help us to know the peculiarities of these infections.

Prevalence of urine infections in men

Men do not get rid of urine infections, however the prevalence is a little lower than in women. "While urinary tract infections affect between 10 and 12 percent of women of sexually active age and 25 or 30 percent in postmenopause, in young men they are around 2 or 3 percent and when the prostatic volume increases, around 45 or 50 years of age, that figure rises to 7 or 10 percent, "says urologist in Palam.

According to urologist in Janakpuri, in the adult male, the prevalence and incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI) increase after the age of 50, most often related to benign prostatic disease (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). UTIs can affect up to 30 percent of men over 65, and it is estimated that 12 percent of men will experience UTIs throughout their lives. This risk in men is greater in diabetic patients, immunosuppressed, patients with urinary lithiasis and in carriers of urinary catheters transient or permanent.

Causes in man

Urologist in Dwarka says that there is no single cause for the development of a UTI in men. "There are anatomical, hormonal and behavioral factors that can favor the development of an infection. Some diseases such as BPH increase the risk of developing UTI, but also other diseases such as diabetes, urinary stones, neurodegenerative diseases, vesicoureteral reflux ... Sexual activity can favor the appearance of these infections due to the bacterial translocation of germs that cause infection".

The most common bacteria in UTIs are Escherichia coli (responsible for 80 percent of cases), Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis.

Urologist in Uttam Nagar, on the other hand, points out that there are great differences between the causes that cause urinary infections in men and women, among other things due to the different length of the urethra. " Chlamydiae or ureaplasmas can colonize the prostate in young men of sexually active age. In those who already have an enlarged prostate and the emptying of the bladder is more inappropriate, usually the germs that condition the infection are other bacteria: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and Proteus ", specifies this urologist in Dwarka.

Less intense symptoms 
Roughly speaking, the pain and stinging when urinating (dysuria), the bad smell of urine, the presence of dark color or blood in the urine (hematuria), fever with chills and malaise are symptoms.

"Unlike women, who usually have UTIs with bladder (cystitis) or kidney (pyelonephritis) seats, in men the most frequent seats are the prostate (prostatitis) and the testicle (orchitis or orchiepididymitis), "Says urologist in West Delhi.

More in detail, kidney hospital in Uttam Nagar distinguishes the symptoms of urine infections typical of young men from those of men over 50 years of age. Classify them as follows:

• In young men, urine infection usually occurs as a prostatitis, which can be acute (high fever, difficulty urinating, severe pain and stinging when urinating, feeling of weight in the area of ​​the anus and genitals) or chronic ( disorders in ejaculation - including haemospermia or blood in the semen - pain in the genitals and in the lower part of the lumbar area).
   
• In men of more advanced age, the symptoms are pain and itching when urinating or, in some cases, inability to void, which requires the placement of a probe in the bladder.

"As the symptomatology of urine infections in men is less intense on debut, it takes longer to go to the urologist's office. In other words, the acute symptoms make the woman go to the doctor before, "says urologist at kidney hospital in Hari Nagar.

Longer antibiotic treatment than in women

Urologists at kidney hospital in West Delhi  indicate that the treatment of UTIs in men is the same as in women, and their mainstay is antibiotics. The difference is that, because they are considered in the male as complicated infections due to anatomical and local factors, the duration of the antibiotic cycles is usually longer to ensure that the infection disappears (usually between two and three weeks, compared to short patterns of two, three or seven days in the woman).

In some forms of chronic prostatitis, antibiotic treatment must be continued until six weeks.

Recurrence of urinary tract infections in men

The recurrence of UTIs in the presence of a correct antibiotic treatment is low. Risk factors for recurrence are the concomitant presence of prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), urinary lithiasis, immunodeficiencies or voiding disorders of the urinary tract.

According to the best urologist in West Delhi, "the usual thing about women is to have a reinfection. On the other hand, in the man many times the antibiotic removes the symptoms, but there remains a small latent source of infection and weeks later it becomes active again, starting the symptomatology again ".

Advice for prevention

The most important prevention, in the words of best urologist in Janakpuri, "is the control and/or treatment of the predisposing condition, which in the adult male is usually BPH. In general, effective measures for the prevention of UTIs are considered to be adequate water intake (2 to 3 liters of water daily), bladder emptying regularly (urination every 2 or 3 hours) and proper genital hygiene. "

For the young man who suspects a urinary tract infection because he has some symptoms, Burgos recommends, as a preventive measure, "to go to the specialist in Urology soon to avoid becoming chronized." For the over 50, the advice is to go to the urologist, at least once a year, to keep track of your prostate. It will be useful to screen for prostate cancer and to rule out the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia or, if there is one, to avoid urine infection.