New Health Guide
UTI or urinary tract infection is a type of infection that is very common. It occurs when your bladder and the outlet tubes are infected by bacteria. The most common cause of this infection is menopause, pregnancy, sexual intercourse as well as diabetes.
Some of the symptoms associated with this infection include frequent urge for urinating, experiencing a burning feeling while urinating, passing little urine, changes in the color of your urine, nausea, fever, abdominal pain and vomiting.
This infection is common in both males and females. However, women are more vulnerable to the infection than men. It is advisable to treat this infection early enough as delaying may damage the kidneys. How to get rid of and prevent UTI?
Drink cranberry juice
It is advisable to drink at least 250ml of cranberry juice two times a day for 2 days. This juice is known for its infection fighting properties. It is believed that cranberry juice acidifies your urine preventing the bacteria from spreading to the digestive tract. This juice helps flush out bacteria from your system.
There isn’t standard prescription for this juice. However, two glasses each day are enough to fight the bacteria causing the infection. If you wish, you can take more than two glasses a day. However, it is important to note that too much cranberry juice causes stomach upsets and even diarrhea.
In case you find pure cranberry juice too concentrated for you, you can go for the supplements. Take the 400mg supplements at least twice daily.
Warning: If you have a kidney problem or there is a history of this problem in your family, it is best to avoid taking cranberry juice. Also, avoid taking this juice if you are under blood thinners. Taking this juice at this time can cause excessive bleeding.
Have enough water every day
You are supposed to take in at least 250ml of water every hour during the day. This helps increase the amount of urine you pass. Each time you urinate, your bladder is cleansed. Taking a lot of water each day will also help in flushing out the harmful bacteria.
It is also imperative to urinate whenever you feel the urge. When you hold in urine, you run a risk of worsening this infection. This is because the urine you hold in offers a good atmosphere for bacteria growth.
Avoid irritants
While trying to treat UTI, you need to cut down on your intake of alcohol, caffeine, hot spices as well as citrus. These substances are known to irritate the bladder. Alcohol and caffeine are especially prohibited because they lead to dehydration.
Even if you are not infected with the UTI bacteria, you can prevent the infection by minimizing your intake of alcohol and caffeine.
Have pineapple and blueberries
Pineapples have anti-inflammatory properties while blueberries have bacteria inhibiting properties. These properties will speed up the healing process. You can include these fruits in your daily meals.
Drink apple cider vinegar mixture
This drink contains potassium and enzymes as well as other minerals, which prevent the growth of the UTI causing bacteria. This can also be used as a natural antibiotic for the treatment of this infection.
Apply hot compress
Take a hot water bottle with hot water in it and place it on your lower abdomen. This minimized the pressure on the bladder offering you relief from pain caused by the UTI infection. This also stops inflammation and prevents further spread of the bacteria.
Bathe using tea tree oil
Tea tree is a natural remedy known for its antibacterial properties. This can be used to fight the UTI bacteria. Mix a few drops with your bathing water and use this water to clean your urethra opening.
Use baking soda
Drink a mixture of baking soda and water at least twice each day. This balances the urine acidity and also acts as a pain reliever.
Supply necessary supplements
You can fight the bacteria in the early stages by increasing your intake of health supplements. Some of the health supplements include goldenseal, vitamin C, cranberry, echinacea, nettle and urva ursi.
You should start recording improvements after 36 hours of using these supplements. In case there are no improvements, you need to seek professional help from a medical practitioner. This will prevent the infection from spreading further.
You need to take vitamin C after every hour, but stop when you experience bowel movement problems or stomach upsets. Vitamin C will acidify the urine helping flush out the bacteria from the urinary tract. This also strengthens your immunity.
You also need to take 250ml of goldenseal tea, nettle tea and achinacea tea a few times each day. These teas offer immune boosting as well as anti-inflammatory properties. The fluids are also ideal in cleansing the urinary system.
Take in half a tea spoon tincture or 500g of uva ursi at least 4 times each day for a week. This should be done if you are not already taking cranberry. It is important to keep off this supplement if you are expectant or if you are already under cranberry or vitamin C.
In case your doctor prescribes antibiotics, you can take acidophilus. This contains live organisms, which will restore the healthy bacteria balance after the harmful ones have been flushed out. You need to take one pill twice each day until the dosage is complete.
Maintaining personal hygiene
Maintaining proper hygiene will speed up the process of getting rid of the infection. Women should always wipe from front to back every time they use the washroom. They should after urinate after sexual intercourse. Opt for the showers instead of baths. Avoid using bath oils as they may disrupt the bacteria balance. Avoid using perfumed products around your genital areas.
It is also advisable to choose sanitary towels over tampons as the latter increase the chances of infection and may worsen the infection.
Wear proper clothing
Wear under garments mostly made from cotton as they keep the genital area dry. It is also important to avoid wearing tight clothing as they cause sweating and build up of moisture. This creates favorable conditions for bacteria growth.
Ask for a doctor’s help
Seeking professional medical aid is advisable even for mild UTI. This will ensure that the bacterial infection does not spread and become severe. The doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection.
Take antibiotics orally
Antibiotics prescription will vary in men and women. Men are put under a seven to fourteen days antibiotic medication while women will be placed under a 3 to 5 days antibiotic medication.
Get intravenous antibiotics if necessary
Intravenous antibiotics treatment can be given to adults and children with severe UTI. This is done in-patient for a few days.
