Signs and Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are characterized by a strong and sudden urge to urinate, followed by a slow and painful release of very little urine. UTI is also often accompanied by soreness in the lower abdomen, back, or sides. While both men and women are susceptible to UTI, women suffer from it more often, with half of all women experiencing it at least once in their life.
While the home remedies described below can be effective in many situations, you should consult with your doctor if a urinary tract infection is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Blood in the urine.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Fever.
These symptoms are usually a sign of a more serious infection that may need to be treated with antibiotics.
Causes of Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary Tract Infections typically occur when the bladder and its exit tubes get infected due to bacteria. The most common types of bacteria that lead to UTI are those that live on the skin near the rectum, which can easily enter the urinary tract through the urethra.
Another common cause of urinary tract infections is sexual intercourse, since bacteria in the vaginal area can sometimes be massaged into the urethra by the movement of the penis. In rare cases, some women can get UTI each time they have sex.
Waiting too long to urinate is also a common cause of bladder and urinary tract infections, since the bladder can stretch beyond its capacity which weakens the bladder muscle. If this occurs often, the weakend bladder will begin to have difficulty emptying itself, which results in urine being left in the bladder that can lead to infections.
Finally, other factors such as pregnancy, menopause, and diabetes can also increase the risk of developing UTI.
Home Remedies and Natural Treatments for UTI
Drinking Water
One of the best home remedies for urinary tract infections is to simply drink lots of water. By drinking lots of fluids, you will force yourself to urinate more often, which will help your body flush out the bacteria that is causing the infection. A recommendation is to drink 6-8 large glasses of water per day.
Vitamin C
Increasing your daily Vitamin C intake can help increase the acidity of your urine, which can help prevent bacterial growth. Therefore, if you suffer from frequent UTIs, taking 1000mg of Vitamin C per day has been shown to be quite effective at preventing recurring infections.
NOTE: If you are taking antibiotics for a bladder infection, you should consult your doctor before increasing your Vitamin C intake since some don’t work well with highly acidic urine.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice contains high concentrations of Vitamin C and Quinolic Acid, both of which are known to help treat UTI since they help prevent bacteria from anchoring onto bladder walls. Therefore, if you have UTI, drinking 12 to 24 oz of cranberry juice can be very effective. As a preventive measure against urinary tract infections, drinking at least 3 oz per day works quite well.
Echinacea
Echinacea is an herb that contains a number of substances which help fight infections including UTI. You can either drink an Echinacea tea once per day after lunch or dinner, or consume high-quality 300mg Echinacea capsules or tablets once per day. Echinacea capsules can be found in many health stores.
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