Urinary tract infection

Bladder infection: be careful in cold weather!

Warm and waterproof clothing and shoes help to prevent infections.

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Long walks are healthy, but only if you are properly dressed. If the abdomen and feet cool down, the immune system is weakened. Various viruses and bacteria then have an easy time of it. 

"Various studies have clearly shown that there is a connection between body temperature and a urinary tract infection," explains Priv.-Doz. DDr. Mehmet Özsoy, FEBU, UROMED (Competence Center Urology), Vienna. "Cold reduces blood circulation in the pelvic area, which in turn leads to a local weakness in the immune system. Viruses and bacteria are then able to multiply and spread much more easily. On the other hand, cold, such as a cold bottom or cold feet, cannot cause cystitis on its own as long as there are no corresponding germs in the bladder."

Cold alone does not cause an infection
The basic prerequisite for bladder inflammation is that bacteria effectively penetrate the urinary tract to the bladder. In 75% of cases, E. coli bacteria are the trigger. Staphylococci and enterococci can also cause a urinary tract infection. Due to the shorter urethra, women are significantly more frequently affected than men.

In addition to a physical examination, a urine test using urine strips and a urine culture are carried out to diagnose cystitis. An ultrasound may also be performed.

Urinary tract infections are treated depending on the type and patient group. In healthy women, the treatment of a so-called uncomplicated infection consists of sufficient fluid intake. In order to avoid the development of resistance to E. coli, it is all the more important not to start antibiotic treatment until a complicated bladder infection is present.