What is the urinary tract? This is the first and most basic question that must be answered first if one is to understand anything at all about urinary health. A basic overview of the urinary system can be very helpful when you are trying to learn more about what is happening in your body when you are ill or in pain from a urinary tract infection (bladder or kidney infection). We found an easy to understand description for ‘What is the Urinary Tract’ on the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) website, a service of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
What Is The Urinary Tract?
The urinary tract is the body’s drainage system for removing wastes and extra water. The urinary tract includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located below the ribs, one on each side of the spine, toward the middle of the back. Every minute, your kidneys filter about 3 ounces of blood, removing wastes and extra water. The wastes and extra water make up the 1 to 2 quarts of urine you produce each day. The urine travels from the kidneys down two narrow tubes called the ureters. The urine is then stored in a balloonlike organ called the bladder and emptied through the urethra, a tube at the bottom of the bladder.
The urinary system is basically the same for both men and women, except for the urethra, which is much shorter in women. For this reason, women are more susceptible to any infection in the urinary tract (most common- Bladder or UTI, Kidney). This is why women have to be much more careful in their hygiene habits after a bowl movement or after intercourse, not to mention a huge list of other possible influence factors for women suffering from urinary tract infections. It’s much easier to introduce foreign bacteria or bacteria such as E.coli into the urethra which in turn leads to the bladder if proper precautions are not taken to avoid unwanted problems.
