The heat, stress and incorrect nutrition can create the conditions for diseases that can be very uncomfortable: urinary system infections.
WHAT ARE URINARY INFECTIONS?
Urinary infections affect normally the anatomical structures that make up the urinary system, i.e. kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
Depending on the specific area they affect, these infections can be distinguished in:
• Urethritis, when the infection is limited to the urethra;
• Cystitis, when the same process affects the bladder;
• Ureteritis, when the infection is located in one of the ureters (the ducts that connect the kidneys to the bladder);
• Pyelonephritis, when the infection affects one of the two kidneys.
The main cause of urinary infections is Escherichia coli, a bacterium which normally lives within the gastrointestinal tract. When present in the intestine, its function is to regulate the bacterial flora, which, in turn, has the purpose of enhancing the barrier effect of the intestinal mucosa and producing antimicrobial substances that prevent the adhesion of pathogens to the intestinal epithelium.
Excessive exposure to heat weakens the immune system and the increased sweating causes constant dehydration; all these factors, together with an inadequate water intake during the day, cause a concentration of urines. This condition irritates the mucous membranes and constitutes a perfect microenvironment for bacterial proliferation.
WHO IS MOST SUBJECT TO URINARY SYSTEM INFECTIONS?
Urinary infections affect women the most, particularly those between the age of 16 and 35. The conditions that make this type of infections common in women are: the short urethra, the particular proximity of the urethra to the anal region (which makes it more vulnerable to intestinal germs), the absence of bacterial prostatic secretions (more common in men), trauma resulting from sexual intercourse, the use of intrauterine contraceptive devices (such as the IUD or diaphragm) and pregnancy.
In men, such infections are rarer at a young age, while they become more common around the age of 50-60.
THE HEALING POWER OF THERMAL WATER
It is well known that the most suitable treatments to prevent cystitis often include mineral water treatments with thermal water. In women, for example, an excellent treatment to rebalance the local bacterial flora are vaginal irrigations with sulphureous salsobromoiodic thermal water.
For example, among the general benefits of thermal water are:
• Treatment of dermatological problems;
• Psychophysical balance;
• Anti-inflammatory action;
• Benefits for the respiratory tract;
• Hearing care;
• Bowel regulation.
Many of Palazzo Fiuggi programs include the use of therapeutic water from the Fiuggi thermal spring, which has shown to have a beneficial effect on a variety of chronic ailments and diseases, including urinary tract disorders, cystitis, pyelonephritis, metabolic disorders, gout and arthritis. Fiuggi water is also integrated into weight loss, exercise and body balance programs.