What Chronic UTIs Mean for Your Health

At least half of women have two or more UTIs during their lifetime, and about 25% of women experience chronic UTIs today. The American Urological Association (AUA) defines chronic UTIs as having at least two within six months or three in a year. 

At Urology Specialists of Cypress, our team, led by elite board-certified urologist, Dr. James Stocks, specializes in UTIs, including providing effective long-term treatments for chronic UTIs. Our empathetic specialists understand that UTIs are frustrating, and we’re dedicated to tailoring solutions for every individual. 

Although our patients with chronic UTIs know all too well how infections affect their daily lives, they may not know how UTIs affect their health in general. This month, we discuss how chronic UTIs can impact your health long-term and how we can help you avoid severe complications. 

Some of the ways that chronic UTIs can affect your body include:

Kidney damage

UTIs start in the lower part of the urinary tract — the urethra (the tube that carries urine) and the bladder (where you store urine). But when UTIs aren’t treated, or when they keep coming back, the infection can move up into the kidneys. 

Over time, you could experience kidney scarring and other complications. This can shut down part of your kidneys and prevent them from working properly. Ultimately, you could develop chronic kidney disease, renal hypertension (high blood pressure), or a life-threatening infection called sepsis.

Sepsis

Your body fights infections and, in most cases, clears them naturally. But, when faced with chronic infection or a particularly severe infection, your immune system may stop working properly. 

It can start damaging your organs and tissues instead of fighting the infection. Sepsis can cause bodywide inflammation and could cause organ damage and failure. It may lead to septic shock, in which blood pressure drops dangerously low. 

Any infection can potentially lead to sepsis, but one-quarter of all sepsis cases happen due to UTIs. Sepsis is a medical emergency, and you can avoid it by treating your chronic UTIs now.

Pregnancy complications

UTIs are more common during pregnancy, and about 5% of pregnant women experience chronic UTIs.  It’s important to take UTIs seriously when you’re pregnant. They’re not just another pregnancy inconvenience. 

Untreated chronic UTIs during pregnancy could lead to premature birth and low birth weight, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 

Have chronic UTIs? Treatment can help.

We understand how worrying some of the information we’re sharing can seem, but it’s important to know that chronic UTIs are very treatable. 

At Urology Specialists of Cypress, Dr. Stocks creates a customized treatment protocol for you. He focuses on discovering the underlying factors in your chronic UTIs and then targeting the infections at their roots. 

The gold standard treatment for chronic UTIs is antibiotics. You may need daily low-dose antibiotics, single doses at certain times, or other customized antibiotic regimens. Dr. Stocks may recommend increasing your fluid intake and bladder training, too. 

Depending on your situation, Dr. Stocks may recommend another approach. For example, women in menopause have a higher risk of UTIs, but vaginal estrogen can reduce that risk by 75%.  

In many cases, a blend of methods is the best way to stop chronic UTIs. 

We’re here to help, whether you’re having your first UTI or get them often.  Call our office at 281-304-2521 or connect with us online now.