Why would therir be bacteria in urine but without symptoms?

Question

I asked this question before, and received one answer that did not answer the question, probably because I didn't add enough detail. this was my original question: My doctor discovered this on routine urine test. I was perscribed antibiotics for 10 days but it didn't clear up completely. My doctor perscribed drinking more water and cranberry juice.

Since I asked that question my urine has been monitored daily - some times there is more bacteria than other times, and sometimes it is quite clear. I want to know if this indicates a problem somewhere else in the body or is this just a problematic condition without any cause for concern.

Answer 1

This is a serious question: Do you wipe from back to front after going to the bathroom? If you do, this will bring bacteria (ecoli) from the r****m into the urinary tract. If you don't then I would get another medical opinion.

Answer 2

It's difficult to keep bacteria out of the urine, especially for women. That's because of the proximity of the urethra to other areas of potential contamination ( v****a and a**s ). It's possible to have a small amount of bacteria without having an infection. Doctors normally don't give antibiotics until bacterial counts go over 10,000, surely after 100,000. We look for "pure" cultures not mixed flora. Most common results include gram negative bacteria like E. coli, Klebsiella,etc.

Prevention is very important. After urinating, clean from front to back. Drink water before intercourse ( if you're active) and urinate right afterwards. Water and cranberry juice help. Other than that, unless you're having repeated bladder infections needing antibiotics, you don't need to worry. If you do, get a second opinion, see a urologist.