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Introduction to Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. A urinary tract infection usually begins with a sudden and frequent need to urinate. |
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common reason people visit their doctors each year. Men get UTIs, but they are much more common in women -- more than eight million women head to their doctor for UTI treatment annually. And 20 percent of these women will get a second UTI.
If you've ever had a UTI, you'll probably never forget the symptoms. It usually starts with a sudden and frequent need to visit the potty. When you get there, you can squeeze out only a little bit of urine, and that's usually accompanied by a burning sensation in your bladder and/or urethra. In more extreme cases you may end up with fever, chills, back pain, and even blood in your urine.
Bladder Control
UTIs are a result of bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, taking temporary control of your bladder and your urethra (the tube that allows urine to flow from your bladder to the toilet). Women tend to get more UTIs for two reasons: They have a shorter urethra than men, and their urethral opening is precariously close to the vagina and the bacteria-loving anus, where E. coli and other bacteria normally hang out without causing harm. That means everyday body functions and sex are more likely to push bacteria into your urethra. Being pregnant also ups your risk of a UTI because your bladder is under a lot of pressure from your uterus and is more apt to entertain an infection. And if you use a diaphragm to protect against pregnancy, you put more pressure on your urethra and are more likely to end up with a UTI.
Men get UTIs but not for the same reasons. If a man suspects he has a UTI, he should call his doctor; the UTI may be due to a bladder stone, an enlarged prostate, or a sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhea. A prostate infection may also make its way to the bladder, causing a bladder infection.
When you have an infection in your lower urinary tract, the medically correct term for the condition is cystitis. If the infection is in your urethra, you've got urethritis. UTIs typically combine both cystitis and urethritis. But sometimes the infection is at the top of your urinary tract, closer to your kidneys. If you end up with this type of infection, it can easily spread to your kidneys, causing a condition called pyelonephritis. Pyelonephritis can cause more severe symptoms, including back pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
The good news is that there are many home remedies you can try to prevent or remedy a UTI. Go to the next page to learn more.
To learn more about uncomfortable infections and the home remedies that might ease them, visit these links:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- There are a number of herbal remedies for bladder or urinary tract infections. Learn more in Herbal Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections.
- In How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections, learn about the steps you can take to keep these uncomfortable infections away.
- Read Home Remedies for Yeast Infections to learn about solutions you can try to get rid of an unpleasant yeast infection.
Home Remedy Treatments for Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs that last longer than two days require medical intervention. Untreated UTIs can infect the kidneys and turn into a much more serious problem. To help prevent a UTI from developing or nip one in the bud, try some of the home remedies available in your own kitchen.Home Remedies from the Cupboard
Baking soda. Adding 1 teaspoon baking soda to your glass of water may help ease your infection. The soda neutralizes the acidity in your urine, speeding along your recovery.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Blueberries and cranberries have bacteria-inhibiting properties, and blueberry juice has been found to prevent UTIs. |
Blueberries. Blueberries and cranberries are from the same plant family and seem to have the same bacteria-inhibiting properties. In one study, blueberry juice was found to prevent UTIs. Since you're not likely to find a gallon of blueberry juice at your local store, try sprinkling a handful of these flavorful, good-for-you berries over your morning cereal.
Cranberry juice. Many studies have found that drinking cranberry juice may help you avoid urinary tract infections. It appears that cranberry juice prevents infection-causing bacteria from bedding down in your bladder, and it also has a very mild antibiotic affect. Drinking as little as 4 ounces of cranberry juice a day can help keep your bladder infection-free. But if you tend to get UTIs or are dealing with one right now, try to drink at least 2 to 4 glasses of cranberry juice a day. If pure cranberry juice is just too bitter for your taste buds, you can substitute cranberry juice cocktail . It seems to have the same effect as the pure stuff. Take note: If you have a UTI, cranberry juice is not a replacement for doctor-prescribed antibiotics in treating your infection.
Pineapple. Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples. In one study, people with a UTI who were given bromelain along with their usual round of antibiotics got rid of their infection. Half the people who were given a placebo plus an antibiotic showed no signs of lingering infection. Eating a cup of pineapple tastes good and may just help rid you of your infection.
Home Remedies from the Sink
Water. If you tend to get urinary tract infections, be sure to drink plenty of water -- about 8 eight-ounce glasses a day. You should be urinating at least every four to five hours. If you are currently dealing with an infection, drink buckets of water to fight it off. Drink a full 8 ounces of water every hour. The river of water in your system will help flush out bacteria by making you urinate more frequently.
Home Remedies from the Stovetop
Hot water. Heat up some water on the stove, and pour it into a hot water bottle. Place the water bottle on your lower abdomen to help ease any pain caused by the infection.
Home Remedies from the Supplement Shelf
Vitamin C. Some doctors are prescribing at least 5,000 mg or more of vitamin C a day for patients who develop recurrent urinary tract infections. Vitamin C keeps the bladder healthy by acidifying the urine, essentially putting up a no-trespassing sign for potentially harmful bacteria.
Do's and Don'ts
- DO use it. When you've got to go, go. It sounds simple, but how many times have you held it -- when you're in a business meeting, when you're stuck in traffic, when you're at a concert and the lines are too long. If you hold your urine, you're more likely to get a backup of bacteria and end up with an infection.
- DO consider cotton. Anything that comes into close contact with any of those ultra-personal areas should be cotton. Women should wear cotton underwear or cotton-lined panty hose to help stay fresher and dryer. Guys should go for boxer shorts.
- DON'T drink alcohol. Alcohol is an irritant to your bladder, just what you don't need when you're dealing with an infection.
- DO cut the caffeine. Also avoid caffeine-loaded drinks such as caffeinated soda pop, coffee, and tea. Caffeine can irritate the bladder, which is the last thing you need when a UTI has taken hold.
- DO pull out a nonprescription pain reliever. Taking acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help ease the pain during your infection.
- DO follow the rules for making love. If you have trouble with UTIs, be sure you and your partner clean up before making love. After you make love, head to the bathroom to urinate and get rid of any potentially harmful bacteria. And try using a condom instead of a diaphragm. Diaphragms may promote UTIs.
- DO go with the flow. After urinating, be sure to wipe from front to back to keep bacteria from getting close to the urethra.
To learn more about uncomfortable infections and the home remedies that might ease them, visit these links:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- There are a number of herbal remedies for bladder or urinary tract infections. Learn more in Herbal Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections.
- In How to Prevent Urinary Tract Infections, learn about the steps you can take to keep these uncomfortable infections away.
- Read Home Remedies for Yeast Infections to learn about solutions you can try to get rid of an unpleasant yeast infection.
Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
