Chronic UTI – why it’s difficult to diagnose and treat
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most painful and debilitating illnesses a person can experience.
I can very much relate because I endured recurrent UTIs for years and it massively affected my quality and enjoyment of life, to the point of wanting to stay home and hide from the world.
While acute UTIs are relatively easy to diagnose and treat, chronic UTIs present a unique challenge because it is often misdiagnosed or dismissed due to lack of awareness.
NHS in the UK only recognised chronic UTI (CUTI) as a legitimate illness in 2022, so we are in the very early stages of CUTI receiving the attention it desperately needs so we can help women who suffer from this illness.
Why Chronic UTI is Challenging to Diagnose
Women around the world are struggling to get their CUTI accurately diagnosed.
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Standard tests aren’t good enough
There are no accurate tests available.
Rapid strip tests are only 30% accurate in chronic UTI cases.
And the standard urine culture test can miss up to 90% of chronic infections.
The above two tests are the most common diagnostic tools for UTIs designed to detect a bacterial infection. However, these tests are not foolproof as the bacteria count may be too low or hard to detect because they hide in the bladder walls (forming biofilms).
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Symptoms Overlap with Other Conditions
CUTI symptoms such as pelvic pain, bladder discomfort, and frequent urination overlap with other conditions like interstitial cystitis (IC), overactive bladder syndrome, and pelvic inflammatory disease. This makes it harder to distinguish between these conditions, often leading to misdiagnoses or delays in treatment.
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Lack of Awareness and Outdated Guidelines
There is limited research into chronic UTIs compared to acute infections and many doctors simply aren’t aware of chronic UTI as an illness. Without up-to-date guidelines, doctors may follow a trial-and-error approach to treatment, further complicating the process.
Why Chronic UTIs Are Often Dismissed in Women
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Women’s Symptoms Are Overlooked
Historically, women’s pain and symptoms have often been minimised or dismissed in healthcare settings.
There is a gender bias meaning that women are still more likely than men to be told that their symptoms are due to stress, anxiety or mental health reasons. This is why doctors may assume your chronic UTI symptoms are not serious or that they are exaggerated, which can delay diagnosis and treatment.
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Normalising Women’s Discomfort
Our discomfort is sadly often normalised, particularly in reproductive and urinary health. I feel we have and are still being conditioned to accept a certain level of pain or discomfort as part of life, whether it’s related to menstruation, childbirth, or menopause.
Women’s health issues are common but not normal. There is a distinction between the two.
This can make it harder to advocate for ourselves in medical settings, but we can learn how to do it better. And even more importantly, educate ourselves and take responsibility for our own health.
What Are The Consequences of Misdiagnosis
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Chronic Pain and Discomfort
You likely have experienced persistent urinary symptoms so I don’t need to tell you how severely this illness can impact a woman’s daily life, affecting everything from work productivity to relationships and social activities.
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Antibiotic Side Effects & Resistance
Many of us who have experienced recurrent and chronic infections often go through multiple rounds of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to microbial resistance, making future infections harder to treat. Also, there are many side effects and health risks associated with the use of antibiotics.
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Reduced Quality of Life and Mental Health Issues
Living with untreated chronic UTIs can take a toll on your overall quality of life. The pain, urgency, and discomfort can limit daily activities, disrupt sleep, and create a constant state of anxiety around bathroom access. Over time, this can lead to feelings of isolation and helplessness. Experiencing depression and anxiety is common among women with chronic UTI.
Why Doctors Can’t Treat Chronic UTIs Successfully
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A Different Approach Is Needed
As doctors have little awareness of chronic UTI as a separate illness from an acute UTI, the treatment options for chronic infection are limited. A short course of antibiotics isn’t enough to tackle the bacteria hiding in the bladder lining.
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Limited Treatment Options
The standard medical approach to bacterial infection is to offer antibiotics while also limiting their use due to fear of side effects and antibiotic resistance (both good reasons). This creates an environment where the options for long-term full-strength antibiotics often used to manage a chronic UTI medically are far and few between (some special clinics do offer this).
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Lack of Knowledge of Other Healing Methods
From the perspective of natural medicine, doctors simply lack knowledge and awareness of many wonderful natural products and tools we have to kill bacteria, build stronger immune systems and manage pain, all without side effects or toxic ingredients.
The Path Forward: Taking Control of Your Own Health
I decided to study to become a homeopath after I healed my recurrent UTIs using homeopathic remedies and I got no real help from the doctors (some of them were lovely and tried but I quickly realised they didn’t have the right tools to help me).
So, I know it’s possible to heal and I want you to know that help is available. Your body is capable of incredible healing when using the right approach.
Chronic and recurrent UTIs are caused by chronic bacterial infection in the body and to truly heal, it’s crucial to build a stronger immune system. Also, illness affects all levels of health (physical, mental and emotional), so a holistic approach addressing your overall wellbeing will give better results.
In homeopathy, we ask many questions, dig into the root cause and prescribe highly individualised treatment. Also, it’s safe, gentle but effective as there are no toxic ingredients or unwanted side effects. Homeopathic remedies won’t contribute to antibiotic resistance or damage your gut health.
If you want to find out more about how homeopathy can help you, book a free 15-minute discovery call with me here.
✨ I’m Saila, a qualified homeopath helping women heal chronic and recurrent UTIs.✨
