A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection in the kidneys, bladder or urethra. Most often, the infection is present in the bladder and urethra. While both men and women get urinary tract infections, women are more prone to them. Common symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, passing small quantities of urine, a burning sensation when urinating. In more extreme cases patients may end up with fever, chills, back pain, and even blood in your urine.
The good news is that urinary tract infections is typically limited if treated appropriately. There are some home remedies for UTI that can help with prevention and treatment. They can actually help relieve some pain and discomfort and prevent UTI reoccurrence and aid a speedy recovery. Note: THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Go to the doctor if you think you have a Urinary Tract Infections. You need to get an accurate diagnosis, particularly if this is your first infection. Never use these treatments instead of medical care by your doctor!
1. Increase your fluid intake
Plain water is one of the most common and simple home remedies for UTI. Both during a UTI and after, try to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. The water helps to flush out your kidneys and remove the harmful bacteria from the urinary tract system, helping you recover faster. Along with water, you can drink fruit and vegetable juices to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it requires to fight off the infection.
2. Hot Compress
Soothe the pain with heat. Regular use of hot water compresses will help minimize bladder pressure and give you relief from pain caused by the infection. You can place a heating pad over your pelvic area. Keep the heat setting low, and limit it to 15 minutes at a time to avoid burns.
3. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry has been used for more than a century as a home remedy to prevent and treat UTI. Just a small glass of this juice may help to reduce the bacteria that cause a UTI. Four to six ounces of pure cranberry juice everyday should suffice in most cases. If you need a little sweetness in the drink, add a small amount of honey. In addition, you can also take 400 milligrams of cranberry extract in supplement form each day.
4. Vitamin C
Vitamin C increases the level of acidity in your urine that in turn decreases the number of harmful bacteria in the urine. Some doctors are prescribing at least 5,000 mg or more of vitamin C a day for patients who develop recurrent UTI. Fruits including oranges, raspberries, strawberries, and kiwi are great sources of vitamin C.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
Those suffering from UTIs can use apple cider vinegar as a natural antibiotic to treat the infection. This drink can help make the urine acidic and the enzymes in vinegar may help fight the bacteria. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water, drink it two or three times a day. You can also add lemon juice and sweeten with honey. Mix it well.
6. Tea Tree Oil
Another natural home treatments for UTI is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties to help fight the bacteria that cause bladder infections. Add several drops of this oil into a bath and wash the urethral opening gently. This is very effective in reducing pain associated with UTI. Follow this remedy once daily for three to four days.
7. Blueberries
Try eating blueberries. In addition to being delicious, these fruits are rich in both dietary fiber and antioxidants that naturally fight bacteria that may cause a UTI. You can add some fresh blueberries to your favorite cereal, or make fresh blueberry juice and have it daily, in the morning and at night for quick results. Do not add any artificial sweetener to the juice.
Tips:
Shower is a better way to bathe because tub baths too can result in bacteria travel up through the urethra.
Women need to be careful while wiping and do so from front to back rather than the other way round. This helps prevent any bacteria from your rectum may enter your urethra or vagina.
Before having sex, be sure you and your partner are clean. A quick shower can be a romantic part of the experience…and may help prevent the introduction of bacteria into the urethra.
These home remedies are effective in dealing with UTI. But you should consult a doctor if you have symptoms like blood in the urine, vomiting or high fever.
