Q: I am a 35 years old woman having urine infection for the last 2 years. The doctor initially put me on antibiotics, which did not help much as I have again caught urine infection after three months. I have taken the course of antibiotics 2-3 times. When I have fluids like coconut water or juice, I need to urinate many a times at night. I have a problem of oozing urine in drops too, so I have to use a sanitary pad daily. Is there any way I can stop it?

A:You are 35 years female suffering from some Urinary tract infection (UTI) episodes and urine leakage. Urine leak is small and apparently constant, and unrelated to the UTI episodes. Two to three episodes of UTI in a year are not uncommon in a sexually active female. These are easily treated with a short course of antibiotics. Taking extra fluids around such activity, and voiding urine immediately afterwards, may reduce such infection episodes. Some urine leakage may be related to infection episodes as I have already stated, but get better soon after infection is treated. Leakage of urine in absence of such precipitating episodes may be related to bladder over-activity, or weakness of sphincter. Another important cause of urine leakage is the formation of a fistulous tract between bladder and vagina during delivery or surgical interventions. Bladder over-activity resulting in urgency and urine loss is more common in the elderly. Sphincteric weakness is not uncommon after multiple deliveries. As you may now realize that with multifactorial etiology you need to be examined, apart from further detailed history, and investigated further to reach a diagnosis so that your problem may be treated properly.