UTI Treatment At Home: 10 Home Remedies

Key Takeaways:

• Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are pretty common and can affect both men and women.
• In the US, 40% of women and 12% of men can experience a UTI every year.
• The prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections increases with age, and women over 65 almost double the rate seen in the female population overall.
• A UTI is the most common infection experienced by women, with approximately 40% experiencing a UTI during their lifetime.
• Those experiencing a UTI may not be symptomatic, but when they do, a cure can’t come fast enough, and HPFY is what you need for treating your UTI at home.

1. Maintain Healthy Hygiene

Proper hygiene can help maintain a healthy urinary tract. Use skin-friendly perineal skin care products that do not irritate your skin. In addition, non-alcohol perineal wipes should be used after using public toilets to avoid infections. Wipe from front to back for maximum protection. Also, it’s a good idea to urinate after sexual activity since frequent urination can help flush bacteria from your urinary tract.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

Adequate water helps dilute urine. Increased water intake means frequent urination; the more you urinate, the quicker the bacteria are flushed out of your urinary tract.

3. Cranberry Juice

Cranberries are A-type Proanthocyanidins (PACs), which means they have properties that prevent bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. This helps to cure UTIs and may prevent reoccurrence.

4. Empty the Bladder

Yeast and bacterial infections can come and go quickly if your bladder is not emptied fully. If you find it hard to do it naturally for any reason, consult your physician. They may recommend the use of urological products such as urinary catheters.

5. Avoid Reusing Catheters

Catheterization can introduce harmful bacteria. In a perfect world, catheters should not be reused. Despite how well your catheter is cleaned and sterilized, repeated use of catheters will expand your chances of contracting UTI. Subsequently, the use of hydrophilic catheters that come with a pre-lubricated tip that is activated after coming in contact with water can help minimize trauma and irritation to the skin. These catheters cause no friction so that the surrounding skin does not get itchy or irritated after use.

6. Dietary Changes

Dietary choices decide how healthy your body is from within; avoid spicy and fatty foods to manage UTIs. Load your diet with berries and oranges, unsweetened yogurt, and green vegetables like broccoli and Spinach. These foods are abundant in antioxidants and have a slight taste to keep the pH balanced.

7. Use a Heating Pad

Heat therapy helps in soothing the pain that may arise due to a UTI. A hot pack relieves abdominal and back pain and helps in relaxing the muscles. Place a heating pad or a heated water bottle on your lower abdomen. Make sure you use a towel before placing the heating pad to avoid burns on the bare skin.

8. Antibiotics

Usually, a bacteria or yeast infection goes away after 3-4 days of proper home treatment of UTI. However, if it doesn’t work after trying home remedies for UTI, consult a doctor. The use of antibiotics will help treat urinary tract infections.

9. Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid may increase the acidity in your urine. This can help kill the bacteria that cause your UTI. One study showed that pregnant women taking 100 mg of vitamin C daily for three months had significantly fewer UTIs. You can also try fruits and vegetables like:

• Oranges
• Grapefruits
• Red bell peppers
• Kiwis

10. Herbal Remedies

You can try herbal supplements to avoid antibiotics. While not much has been done in studying these herbal supplements that may help with UTIs, include:

• Garlic extract
• Bearberry leaf
• D-Mannose
• Chamomile & Green tea

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you suspect you are suffering from a urinary tract infection and your attempt at a home remedy fails, be sure to see your urologist as soon as possible. A simple UTI left untreated can lead to kidney infections. Needless to say, you want to avoid that!! If you are straight catheterizing and you experience pain or discomfort check with your urologist to be sure you are using the proper catheters.

References

• An introduction to the epidemiology and burden of urinary tract infections
• Debunking 6 urinary tract infection myths
• 5 ways to treat a UTI at home without antibiotics

Disclaimer: All content found on our website, including images, videos, infographics and text were created solely for informational purposes. Our content should never be used for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions. Content shared on our websites is not meant to be used as a substitute for advice from a certified medical professional. Reliance on the information provided on our website as a basis for patient treatment is solely at your own risk. We urge all our customers to always consult a physician or a certified medical professional before trying or using a new medical product.