Because of your spinal cord injury and the fact that you must use an indwelling catheter, you will always have bacteria in your urine. The catheter provides a direct pathway for the bacteria to enter your bladder. The bacteria that live in your bladder can develop into a UTI if your catheter becomes blocked, if your general resistance to infection decreases, or if you don't drink enough fluids and your urine become concentrated.
Self care Many people are able to prevent a UTI from developing by taking some self care steps.
The most important step for people who use an indwelling catheter is to drink, drink, and drink some more. Your fluid intake should be enough so that your urine has the appearance of water or is only slightly yellow in color and clear. Generally, changing your catheter every month should be enough to keep you healthy, but people who get frequent UTIs or whose catheters tend to become encrusted with built-up mineral deposits may have to change it more often. He or she will want to know your temperature, current symptoms, and whether you have any allergies to antibiotics. Your health care provider will also want to get a urine specimen and will discuss with you whether antibiotics should be started right away or after the results of the culture are available.