In this episode of the Live UTI Free Podcast, Melissa speaks with Dr. Lindsay Burnett, a physician-scientist in urogynecology, about the complex relationship between pelvic floor disorders, the urinary microbiome, and recurrent UTI symptoms.

Dr. Burnett draws from her clinical and research experience to unpack the often misunderstood differences between acute, recurrent, and chronic UTIs. She also explains how urinary symptoms can be influenced by prolapse, incontinence, urethral sensitivity, and even gut health.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating chronic UTI symptoms, especially those who’ve felt dismissed or misdiagnosed. Dr. Burnett offers a patient-centered approach rooted in science and lived experience, addressing the fundamental questions patients ask but rarely get answered.

Key Takeaways:

1. UTI testing and diagnosis are broken, but evolving.
    Standard urine cultures often miss key pathogens, yet they remain the most widely used method. Dr. Burnett explains why this happens and what newer options (like expanded cultures or catheterized samples) can reveal.
   
   
   
2. Pelvic floor disorders can directly impact UTI risk.
    Conditions like prolapse or poor bladder emptying may not cause infections on their own, but they create an environment that makes UTIs more likely and are often overlooked.
   
   
   
3. Care must be collaborative when the evidence is unclear.
    When guidelines don’t reflect patient experiences, clinicians and patients need to “walk into the unknown together,” exploring options like intravesical antibiotics, pelvic floor physical therapy, and trial-and-error treatments based on symptom patterns.

Want to learn more about urinary health? Visit LiveUTIFree.com for expert articles on the latest research, or check out our YouTube channel for a video format.