Why is my Mom suffering from the burning in her urine so often?

Is Mom using a new and different bath soap? She could be hyper-sensitive to that soap if used to wash everywhere. Try a simple basic soap for that area. Elders don't need to bathe very often as they aren't out racing around the house doing house work or gardening, thus don't sweat. Using baby-wipes [such as Huggies Natural Wipes] inbetween bathes can help.

Or has the laundry detergent and fabric softener changed? That could also be an irritant.

Thank You freqflyer. Mum is using the shampoo for washing Her hair, and body
also. I will change the shampoo and try another brand. Also must get baby wipes.

sometimes cranberry concentrate on a routine basis can keep the burning minimized.

Johnjo, cranberry juice or cranberry pills are great for kidney and urinary tract function. You could try putting it into her daily routine, small glass in morning or the pills if she doesn't like the taste. Check with doc. I use these whenever I have problem works great.

All of the above are good suggestions, but it may be as simple as she may not be taking in enough fluids to keep her hydrated.

Have her checked immediately fir a Urinary Track Infection. Do it yesterday.

An often overlooked issue with elderly women is hormone therapy as it relates to managing UTI and pain issues. Might speak with her doctor about possibly a patch or cream, etc. Cranberry and hydration are important too, as well as the above mentioned mild soaps and detergents. Sometimes, as in my MIL's case, a 'maintenance', lifelong dose of antibiotics is necessary.

One has to be careful with hormone therapy, it can be linked to dementia and various cancers if used for too long, depending on the individual.

During the 12 years I took care of my mom, I gave her high-dose cranberry capsules twice per day. The active ingredient is Vitamin C, and whatever her body doesn't use is eliminated in her urine. So no worries about taking too much Vit. C. If we ran out of the cranberry capsules, she would ALWAYS develop a UTI within 2 days. Antibiotics were critically important for her to heal from a UTI. Many elderly people die from not being treated properly or soon enough with a physician-prescribed antibiotic. This is not an exaggeration. Also dehydration causes UTI's. Everyone on here is correct, including the soap thing, but I also think rinsing the area much more thoroughly helps. Kind of like rinsing soap out of your eyes in the shower. You are a wonderful person to take care of your mom the way you do. She is lucky! :-)

All great advice. I would definitely go with stop using shampoo for cleaning that area. It's possible she also has yeast infection that causes burning and itching. If she's not keeping herself clean in the vaginal area or just using shampoo you might look into that. sometimes if it's bad enough antibiotics are needed but sometimes you can treat with over the counter Monistat. She probably needs to be seen by her doctor just to be sure or at least start with new body wash (baby wash is gentle and non irritating). If that doesn't work, start with the monistat or dr. appt. Good Luck and God Bless

For less than $10, you can buy a UTI tester kit from any drugstore. I always keep one of those on hand. That's a good place to start. Also, I use "feminine cleansing cloths" on my mom. I used to use baby wipes, which I'm sure would be fine, but I think the FCCs are especial formulated to eliminate the kind of bacteria found in the vaginal area, so I'm going to switch it up. I clean my mom's body with johnson & johnsons baby wash; it was the gentlest thing I could think of. I never use soap on her private area. She won't shower and gets angry, so I don't want to take the chance that we'll have a situation and soap will be left there. When I'm not using the cloths, I use a gentle "perineal cleanser." You can get it from any medical supply store and it often just needs to be wiped off with a wet cloth. I also sprinkle a little baby powder in my mom's underwear to promote dryness/fight moisture. Bacteria love dark, moist places. Someone on this site suggested AZO cranberry pills. I've been giving those to mom every time I see her. Also, lots of water. If your mom doesn't like to drink water, try watermelon or other "water-y" fruits. Good luck!

Forgot to add.....also UTI's and yeast infections are very common in elderly with dementia/alz. due to incontinence and poor hygiene from possibly not being adult diapers not being changed often enough.

All good suggestions. I only recently discovered the pharmacy UTI kits myself. Very helpful in caregiving situations. A Sitz bath every few days might also help. Just partially fill the tub with water and let your mum sit and soak for a few minutes. After soaking - dab dry and apply Desitin lotion. It's original use was for diaper rash on babies. But it works well in these situations to keep skin 'coated' and treated. It wicks away moisture (urine). It actually 'beads up'.

We use adult disposable wash cloths between showers. You can get the hypoallergenic kind without fragrance & those are the best. Also everything everybody else said we do as well.

i am very sensitive to infections when using soap in the vaginal area...i use "Irish Spring"...and have never had any irritations from that brand.
How about checking for kidney infection...i believe that causes pain when peeing.

@ pargirl ~ Monistat is great for vaginal problems but there is no way you could apply it to the inside of the bladder where a UTI originates. With elderly people immediate treatment is necessary, at the dr.'s. Our parents have diminished resistance to all infections, and if a UTI goes on long enough it CAN be fatal. Personally, I would never take that chance.

Undetected UTI's are one of the most common proximate causes of death in the elderly. I second mellows suggestion and have her Dr. test her IMMEDIATELY. Also, cranberry is helpful in acidifying the urine which sometimes helps prevent UTI's. Contrary to what someone wrote, Vitamin C is NOT benign. It can contribute to kidney stone formation and other ills. Moderation in all things is the safest way to go. Please, take her to a doctor ASAP. By the way, simply spraying water or using sterile wipes is sufficient in most cases of personal hygiene.

DoctorJC ~ I didn't know that too much Vitamin C could be harmful. Thank you for explaining that. :-)

I would not use soap. I just make sure I rinse that area well when showering her. Just like little girls and bubble baths. Girls uritheas are very short.

My Mom had hormone replacement. So this and statins could have contributed to her Dementia. Since estrogen makes me sick I could do it. TG

Mom has been cared for in home for two years by CNAs (now 13 hours a day). Because she is wearing Depend and/or Poise pads and sits for most of the day, she has developed UTIs, possibly because the groin area is kept warm by these undergarments. She usually makes it to the toilet without wetting herself, so she doesn't have to change the pads more than twice a day. The CNA makes sure she has cranberry juice and stays hydrated during the day, and helps clean her after a bowel movement (important not to wipe back to front). Mom is fussy about having a daily shower and washing up in the evening (the aide helps). Aide has switched her laundry detergent to one that is fragrence and dye-free. For a while, she has been on some kind of pills that are supposed to be proactive in preventing future UTIs.

Thanks Roberta. After I typed and posted it I also thought it would be very hard to get the OTC medicine into an elderly person. Fell down on that one. I agree with everyone else though that she needs to be seen and treated immediately.

Statins would not be the most likely contributor to developing dementia. In fact, it is actuarily quite the opposite. Anything that lessens cardiovascular illness reduces the likelihood of dementia.

Doctor JC
Statins are now implicated in dementia. It happened to a friend of mine in her 70s. She played squash several times a week, practiced yoga and ate a very healthy diet. Her doctor put her on statin drugs because heart attacks "run in her family" and it would be a good preventative. I watched as sh became increasingly unable to do the most simple things. Her children planned to put her into a memory care home. She quit the statins and now she is back to her old self. Check out this web site for the side effects of statins articles.mercola/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/20/the-truth-about-statin-drugs-revealed.aspx and this one scientificamerican/article/its-not-dementia-its-your-heart-medication/
I would rather have my throat cut than take statin drugs.

My mothers doctor said he had heard about statins and dementia. Moms nurses father has trouble with colesterol meds and has done some research. Besides lowering cholesterol in the arteries it also effects cholesterol in the brain. Which the brain needs. Also, someone said something about hormone replacement, which my Mom had. TG I didn't have to do HR.

In my experience, have found barley water quite useful for UTI. There is a homeopathy medicine "Cantharis' which works fantastic for urinary Tract infections. Please consult Homeo Dr. before medication. Good day and God bless

Prior to My Mother being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013, I had worked full time for 37 years as a Craftsman at heating & plumbing installations and repairs.
Those Who know Me, and that I'm a full time Caregiver to Mum, still ask Me, OH AM DO YOU GET SOME PLUMBING WORK DONE EVERY DAY, FOR YOURSELF ?? As all Carer's know if You go missing for a short while, there's an immediate May Day call out, ARE YOU THERE ? WHERE ARE YOU ? People outside Our World, think it's a walk in the park. I pray They never discover what it's like to loose Ones freedom, and become a 24/7 Carer. Lots of hugs to All You Carer's out there.

Pure aloe vera juice, jelly or the jelly inside the leaf is very safe on any part of the body, externally and also internally. It is consider to be a miracle herb for many reasons. Gratitude, Love, Joy to YOU ALL

Johnjo, you are doing a wonderful thing. You are right those who are not on this journey with us have no idea what a rocky road we travel. Let us know how mom is doing. On my about me page you can find my info where I write about my experiences and share. You can reach out to me anytime. Wishing you and mom a good day!