What Happens When Aldosterone Activity Is Low
Hypoaldosteronism is a medical disorder associated with low levels of aldosterone. There are many causes of this disorder, including adrenal gland failure, cancer, use of certain water pills, infection of the adrenal gland, and use of certain blood pressure medications. When low aldosterone levels occur, there is a significant loss of sodium in the urine. This can result in dehydration and a drop in blood pressure. The individual will develop extreme fatigue, lethargy and can even go into shock. These changes can be prevented by increasing ones intake of sodium chloride, also known as table salt.
How Is A Uti Diagnosed In A Child
The healthcare provider will ask about your childs symptoms and health history. The provider will give your child a physical exam. Your child may also have tests, such as:
- Urine testing. This is also known as urinalysis. Your childs urine is sent to a lab to check for red blood cells, white blood cells, bacteria, protein, and signs of infection. The urine will also be sent for a culture and sensitivity. This is done to figure out what type of bacteria is causing the infection and what medicine is best to treat the infection.
- Kidney ultrasound. This is a painless imaging test. It uses sound waves and a computer to make images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs. It can show internal organs as they function and can assess blood flow through vessels. A boy with a UTI or a girl younger than age 5 or 6 may need this test.
- Voiding cystourethrogram . This is a type of X-ray of the urinary tract. A thin, flexible tube is put in the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside of the body . The bladder is filled with a liquid dye. X-ray images are taken as the bladder fills and empties. The images will show if there is any reverse flow of urine into the ureters and kidneys.
How Is A Uti Treated In A Child
Treatment will depend on your childs symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is. Treatment may include:
- Antibiotic medicine
- A heating pad or medicines to relieve pain
- Drinking plenty of water
Your child’s healthcare provider may want to see your child back again a few days after treatment starts to see how treatment is working.
Talk with your childs healthcare providers about the risks, benefits, and possible side effects of all treatments.
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Chronic Fatigue Cause No : Underactive Thyroid
If you are generally sluggish, run down, and even a little depressed, the problem may be a slow thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck and helps set the rate of metabolism, the rate at which the body uses energy.
According to the American Thyroid Foundation, by age 60 about 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder and most won’t know it. The most common cause, they say, is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.
Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed.
When To Seek Medical Attention
If you experience any symptoms of a kidney infection or a UTI more generally, its important to see a health professional to have them evaluated right away.
This is true especially if certain symptoms seem to appear suddenly, indicating that your UTI is spreading or growing more severe.
A kidney infection that isnt treated effectively can become chronic , potentially causing permanent damage to your kidneys that impairs their function.
An untreated kidney infection can also lead to dangerous complications in the short term, such as a blood infection . Symptoms of sepsis include:
- Fever and chills
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Chronic Fatigue Cause No : Anemia
“If you are in your reproductive years, and particularly if you experience heavy menstrual cycles, have fibroid tumors or uterine polyps, or if you’ve recently given birth, the blood loss may have caused you to develop anemia — a leading cause of fatigue in women,” says Rebecca Amaru, MD, clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
Problems occur, she says, when the bleeding leads to a deficiency of hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to other parts of your body. When your tissues and organs don’t get enough oxygen, she says, the result is fatigue.
Other causes of anemia include internal bleeding and a deficiency of iron, folic acid, or vitamin B-12. Anemia may also be caused by chronic diseases like kidney disease. Symptoms can include dizziness, feeling cold, and irritability.
To confirm a diagnosis of anemia, your doctor will give you a blood test. Treatment, she says, usually consists of iron supplements if iron deficiency is the cause, and adding iron-rich foods — such as spinach, broccoli, and red meat — to your diet.
The good news: With effective treatment for anemia, your fatigue should begin to lift in 30 days or less.
How Is A Urinary Tract Infection Diagnosed How Do Healthcare Providers Test For A Uti In Toddlers
After interviewing you about your childs history and performing a physical examination, the healthcare provider may order the following tests:
- Urine tests like the leukocyte esterase and a urine culture to test for the presence of bacteria or white blood cells.
- Blood tests looking for infection or kidney function.
- Ultrasound or CT of the kidneys and bladder.
- Voiding cystourethrogram , which evaluates the bladder and urethra to detect vesicoureteral reflux .
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Who Gets Urinary Tract Infections
Anyone can get a urinary tract infection, but they are more common in women. This is because the urethra in females is shorter and closer to the anus, where E. coli bacteria are common. Older adults also are at higher risk for developing cystitis. This increased risk may be due to incomplete emptying of the bladder. There are several medical conditions that can be related to this, including an enlarged prostate or a bladder prolapse .
If you get frequent urinary tract infections, your healthcare provider may do tests to check for other health problems such as diabetes or an abnormal urinary systemthat may be contributing to your infections. People with frequent UTIs are occasionally given low-dose antibiotics for a period of time to prevent the infection from coming back. This cautious approach to treating frequent UTIs is because your body can develop a resistance to the antibiotic and you can get other types of infections, such as C. diff colitis. This practice is used very infrequently.
What Else Causes Feeling Tired And Unwell
Not surprisingly, because the immune system is involved, any infection in the body bacteria, viral, or fungal can lead to fatigue. Its not uncommon to feel the need to rest and sleep when fighting off some other communicable ailment. In fact, fatigue is a well recognized symptom of the common cold, bronchitis, pneumonia, flu, and even more disturbing diseases.
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Chronic Fatigue Cause No : Undiagnosed Urinary Tract Infection
Although most women associate a urinary tract infection with symptoms such as burning or urgency, sometimes fatigue is the only clue.
In most instances, a UTI is caused by bacteria in the urinary tract, often the result of improper bathroom hygiene . Sexual intercourse can increase the risk because it can push bacteria from the vagina into the urethra.
If your doctor suspects that you have a UTI, your urine will be tested. Treatment is quick and easy, and usually involves an oral antibiotic medication. You can expect the fatigue to lift within a week or less if the antibiotic works effectively.
If your symptoms return, get tested again. Some women have chronic UTIs, which are very difficult to resolve. If this is your case, ask your doctor about preventive care, which may include low dose antibiotics.
Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer
While most of the symptoms listed below are more likely to be a symptom of infection, they may also be associated with bladder cancer. Around 95% of suspected bladder cancers turn out to be something less serious. It is important however to seek medical advice if you have a combination of a slow onset of symptoms with any of the following symptoms listed below. Cancers usually don’t just appear overnight but caught early can be treated.
- Blood in the urine.
- Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss.
- Anaemia.
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Recognizing A Kidney Infection
When you have a UTI that spreads to your kidneys, youll probably have symptoms in your lower urinary tract first. But the following symptoms indicate that your kidneys may also be affected:
Fever and Chills A UTI thats limited to your lower urinary tract usually doesnt cause flu-like symptoms, but when it spreads to your kidneys, your bodys immune system tends to kick into higher gear.
Pain in Your Lower Back or Side Your kidneys are located on each side of your body in the lower part of your torso. A kidney infection can cause pain on one or both sides of your body, or more general pain in your lower back.
Pain caused by a kidney infection can range from mild to severe.
Nausea and Vomiting These symptoms, like fever and chills, indicate an infection thats more severe and advanced than a typical UTI.
Abdominal or Pelvic Pain An infection in your abdominal region, such as in your kidneys, can cause your abdominal muscles to contract, causing pain.
Your pelvic or groin area may also be painful due to muscle contraction.
Cloudy or Smelly Urine While its possible for an infection in your lower urinary tract to cause changes in your urine, if its noticeably cloudy or smells foul, thats an indication your UTI may have progressed to your kidneys.
Cloudy urine may indicate the presence of pus, a thick, white or yellow liquid that can form in areas of infection.
How Does It Occur
Normally the urinary tract does not have any bacteria or other organisms in it. Bacteria that cause UTI often spread from the rectum to the urethra and then to the bladder or kidneys. Sometimes bacteria spread from another part of the body through the bloodstream to the urinary tract. Urinary tract infection is less common in men than in women because the male urethra is long, making it difficult for bacteria to spread to the bladder.
Urinary tract infection may be caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Sometimes a stone in the urinary tract blocks the flow of urine and causes an infection. In older men, an enlarged prostate can cause a urinary tract infection by keeping urine from draining out of the bladder completely. Infection might also be caused by the use of a catheter used to drain the bladder or by urethral stricture, which is a narrowing of the urethra by scar tissue from previous infections or surgical procedures.
You may be more likely to have a UTI if you have diabetes or another medical problem that affects the immune system.
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How Common Are Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are very common, occurring in 1 out of 5 women sometime in their lifetime. Though UTIs are common in women, they can also happen to men, older adults and children. One to 2% of children develop urinary tract infections. Each year, 8 million to 10 million visits to doctors are for urinary tract infections.
Senior Uti Do You Know The Symptoms
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are the most common bacterial infection in older adults,affecting women more often than men.
UTIs can typically be treated effectively with antibiotics once diagnosed.Unfortunately, not all UTIs are treated quickly, and some aren’t even identified, particularly in seniors.
What is a UTI?
A UTI is an infection in the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, bladder, ureters and the urethra which carries urine out of the body. They are most commonly caused by bacteria but can also be a fungal infection.
A lower UTI is a common infection, affecting the lower part of the urinary tract, the urethra and urinary bladder. Infection of the urethra is urethritis while a bladder infection is cystitis. An upper UTI affects the kidneys.
What causes a UTI?
A typical bacterial UTI is caused by bacteria, often fecal bacteria, entering the urethra through the urethral opening where urine is released from the body. Usually, the body can fight off these bacteria and prevent infection. However, if the immune system is too weak, the bacteria multiply, causing infection.
Fungal UTIs usually stem from fungus in the bloodstream. Fungal UTIs are relatively uncommon, impacting mainly those with illnesses that compromised their immune system.
What are the symptoms of a UTI?
When typical, healthy adults get a UTI, the symptoms are usually easy to identify, and the infection is simple to diagnose:
If left untreated, a person may experience:
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What Else Can You Do
Fortunately, you dont have to wait and see if youll experience UTI symptoms there are many simple ways to lessen your odds. Minkin recommended staying hydrated, urinating after sex, and always making sure to pee right when you get the urge to do so, instead of letting it stagnate in your bladder .
Over time, as estrogen levels decline, vaginal tissue tends to get thinner, which can make you more susceptible to bacteria and infection than you were at other points in your life. For that reason, Minkin said a vaginal moisturizer or estrogen cream can be a really helpful tool to prevent infection.
To find out which vaginal moisturizer is best for you, just have a conversation with your doctor.
Have you ever had a UTI without realizing it? How do you pick up on your UTI symptoms? Share in the comments section!
Sara Hendricks is a writer who lives in Brooklyn. When shes not writing, shes probably running, reading, or working hard at not getting a UTI.
How Can I Take Care Of Myself
- Follow your healthcare provider’s treatment. Take all of the antibiotic that your healthcare provider prescribes, even when you feel better. Do not take medicine left over from previous prescriptions.
- Drink more fluids, especially water, to help flush bacteria from your system.
- If you have a fever:
- Take aspirin or acetaminophen to control the fever. Check with your healthcare provider before you give any medicine that contains aspirin or salicylates to a child or teen. This includes medicines like baby aspirin, some cold medicines, and Pepto Bismol. Children and teens who take aspirin are at risk for a serious illness called Reye’s syndrome.
- Keep a daily record of your temperature.
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Chronic Fatigue Cause No : Time
For many women who suffer from fatigue, the diagnosis is “time-stacking” or multitasking to the max and not getting enough sleep.
“If you’re juggling kids, careers, and a long list of commitments and only getting five or six hours a night, it will catch up with you, says McIlwain.
But what if you’re a healthy woman, getting eight hours of sleep nightly, and still feel fatigue? McIlwain recommends a checkup to see if there are any health problems to blame for the fatigue.
If you feel fatigued for longer than a week or two and you’re getting plenty of sleep and you don’t have a cold or other viral infection, McIlwain says to call your doctor. “Most of the time fatigue has a fairly straightforward explanation, and sometimes medical treatment is necessary.”
Fatigue can also be the sign of a serious illness, which is why your doctor may be able to quickly diagnose the problem.
What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.
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About The Urinary Tract
The urinary tract is where our bodies make and get rid of urine. It’s made up of:
- the kidneys two bean-shaped organs, about the size of your fists, that make urine out of waste materials from the blood
- the ureters tubes that run from the kidney to the bladder
- the bladder where urine is stored until we go to the toilet
- the urethra the tube from the bladder through which urine leaves the body
