I’m a 73-year old OB-GYN who started medical school 48 years ago in 1973. Currently I am the Chief of Staff at four nursing homes and also at the hospital associated with these nursing homes. I’ve seen improvements occur too late, like Group B testing in pregnant women, and I’ve seen improvements discarded too soon, such as the reaction against Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC), which is finally coming back into official acceptance.

If the problem is a small bladder, that is, one with a capacity of one or two ounces, then medications can be taken which will allow the bladder to enlarge. On the other hand, if the bladder is too large, that is, 700 ml or more, the patient may have to self-catheterize. Most patients, nurses, and family members find self-catheterization revolting. But in my experience, I’ve found even 95-year old patients can become adept at self-catheterization.
So rather than not treating UTIs, let’s talk about not having UTIs.