Postmenopausal women often suffer from urinary tract infection (UTI) which is a common bacterial infection particularly with women. However, the risk factors involved with UTI are not widely described. Analysts have found that urinary incontinence or history of UTI before menopause is strongly associated with recurrent UTI in young postmenopausal women. In addition to this, study has also pointed the incidence of acute cystitis among the non-diabetic and diabetic postmenopausal women. Experts say that nearly 60% of the women will develop Urinary tract infection at some point in their lives and 20% is bound to experience a recurrent episode. Annalie Brauner, a researcher and consultant at a Karoliska institution in Sweden said that most of the recurrent infections are in women beyond their childbearing years. She also added, the mucosal tissue lining the bladder becomes fragile, developing gaps in postmenopausal women and thus they become susceptible to recurrent UTI. The gap invites harmful bacteria to invade the tissue. Also, lower level of estrogen in postmenopausal women causes changes in the urinary tract and makes it more vulnerable to infection. There is a massive amount of bacteria multiplying that hide away from the body’s own defence mechanism. The body naturally secretes the defensive antimicrobial peptides when it detects the invading microorganism. This is the reason why elderly women cannot fend off the invading bacteria as fast as young women can. A new laboratory research suggests that female hormone-estrogen has proved to help urinary tract infection in postmenopausal women by improving the body’s defence mechanism. The hormone helps to trigger the body’s natural antimicrobial protein in the bladder. It reinforces the urinary tract tissue by tightening the surface layer of the bladder cells. The entire procedure protects the underlying cells from infection. Thomas Hannan, a researcher of Washington University said that until now taking antibiotics prophylactically has been the standard for the women. However, more research showed the support of the use of vaginal estrogen as a preventive measure for repeated UTI. Estrogen promotes the redistribution of cells and prevents too many cells from shedding from the upper layer of the bladder wall. It has been noted that using estrogen supplements in the form of low dose cream applied in the vagina is also considered as an effective UTI treatment. This defence strategy of hormone therapy should be taken for a shorter period and at the lowest dose possible. However, the effects of estrogen depend on the dosage. Remember, higher doses to treat hot flashes increases the risk of blood clot, stroke and breast cancer. Although estrogen in the form of pills is associated with several risk factors, topical estrogen is absolutely safe because only 1% of the topical estrogen get into the rest of the body. The topical estrogen formulation includes creams, gel and vaginal suppositories. Younger women with the similar infection can benefit from oral hormonal therapy. It improves clinical symptoms related to menopause and help to avoid osteoporosis and ischemic heart disease. Women should not accept recurrent urinary tract infection as a normal aspect of their aging. Instead fight for it. Immediately talk to the gynaecologist or urologists to find out the remedies. Author Bio Stuart Parker is a health consultant and a wellness expert. He writes for many online publications where he covers topics like cosmetic procedures, wellness regimen, weight management and more. Stuart runs a small clinic at his residence which is a family-owned business.
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