Working in a community pharmacy, I have seen a lot of females walk into the pharmacy to request for medications for their toilet infection. They always seem so sure they got infected from using public toilets or a strange toilet.
So what is Toilet infection?
Toilet infection is non-existent in medicine and is not a diagnosis. There is nothing like toilet infection or disease.
So what do we call the symptoms you refer to as toilet infection?
The presenting symptoms of people that claim they suffer from toilet infections include but are not limited to:
Excessive/Abnormal vaginal discharge
Itchy genitals
Swollen genitals
Foul smelling discharge
Burning sensation while urinating
Frequent urination.
These symptoms are signs and symptoms of urinary tract infections, vaginitis or sexually transmitted infections.
So whenever you think you are suffering from the erroneous “toilet disease”, you are rather suffering from one of the above.
What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that occurs in any part of your urinary system including the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract- the bladder and the urethra.
Symptoms of urinary tract infection;
Lower abdominal pain
Frequent urination
Burning sensation while urinating
Strong urge to urinate
Purulent urethral discharge
So as earlier said the sign and symptoms of urinary tract infection are similar to what people have when they claim they have toilet infections.
Urinary tract infections can happen in either sex but is more frequently seen in females because of the structure their genitals, the urethra of the female is shorter and closer to the anus where microorganisms like E. coli that can cause urinary tract infections reside.
There is however a toilet related behavior that can influence the development of UTIs, Female should always clean themselves from the front to back and not the other way around to prevent the introduction of germs that reside in the anus to the urethra.
Vaginitis
This includes candidiasis and bacterial vaginosis. They are both not sexually transmitted but occur more frequently in sexually active women. Candidiasis typically causes a whitish discharge with associated itching. Risk factors for developing candidiasis include douching, antibiotic use and an impaired immune system.
Bacteria vaginosis on the other hand causes a grey or greenish foul smelling vaginal discharge; it can also cause pain on urination and vaginal itching. These two disorders are both easily treated.
Sexually transmitted infection
Another condition people mistake for toilet infections are sexually transmitted infections.
Sexually transmitted disease is an array of infection that presents with various symptoms including
Frequent and painful urination
Lower abdominal pain
Purulent vaginal discharge
Itchy and swollen genitals
Foul smelling discharge and so on
If you have any of these symptoms, visit your health care provider for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Olajumoke Adeyemo is a Pharmacy student of the University of Ibadan. She is a passionate copy & content writer, nature lover and a public health enthusiast. She is a Christian.
Her hobbies are reading, music, writing and traveling.
