Home Remedies For UTIs
Approximately three million women are diagnosed with urinary tract infections each year, and those are just the women who see doctors about their condition. Some medical professionals believe nearly fifty percent of women will experience at least one urinary tract infection in their life, and many will experience more than one. It is a painful infection found anywhere in the urinary system. It can disrupt the patient's everyday life, and it can be embarrassing. In some instances, a simple UTI can become so bad that the infection spreads to the kidneys. Here's what patients can do at home to treat a urinary tract infection before it has a chance to get worse.
Increase Vitamin C Intake
When women increase their vitamin C intake, they help prevent UTIs from occurring. Vitamin C has a profound effect on urine, including additional acidity to the urine, which makes it difficult for bad bacteria to linger or grow in the urinary tract. When an individual prevents bad bacteria from growing, they prevent UTIs from occurring at all.
However, women can also use this remedy when they have a urinary tract infection to help get rid of it as quickly as possible. Most medical professionals recommend adding more vitamin C by drinking more orange juice, eating oranges, and adding foods high in vitamin C daily. Supplements can increase an individual's intake significantly as well.
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Drink Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
Many medical studies recommend drinking unsweetened cranberry juice to help with an active UTI. The thought behind this is the juice helps flush the toxins from the body. The bad bacteria that causes the infection is more easily flushed this way than without. Furthermore, it's believed cranberry juice helps keep bad bacteria from affixing itself to the walls of the bladder, which helps prevent future urinary tract infections from occurring, and it might help those who suffer from regular UTIs. While it's no longer touted as one of the common ways to fight a UTI, there is no medical harm in trying this method. It will help individuals keep their body hydrated and use the bathroom more, which is always beneficial when fighting a urinary tract infection. Besides, unsweetened cranberry juice is also an excellent way of consuming more vitamin C!
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Take Probiotics
Taking probiotics allows patients to balance the bacteria in their body. Everyone has a healthy mix of good bacteria and bad bacteria, but many things can change both. A small increase in bad bacteria in conjunction with a small decrease in good bacteria is all it takes to cause a painful and irritating urinary tract infection. Taking probiotics keeps bacteria regulated to lessen the risk and severity of UTIs.
Probiotics also have other health benefits, so there are numerous reasons to take them every day. For example, taking probiotics helps improve the immune system, which can make individuals less likely to suffer from the common cold, flu, and other viruses. Whether a woman has an active UTI or they simply want to avoid having more in the future, taking a probiotic regularly can help. This is not to say they will stop the onset of all future urinary tract infections, but they will minimize the risk.
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Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated prevents numerous health problems including dehydration. When individuals drink water to get rid of a urinary tract infection, however, they're drinking it to dilute the urine and cause them to use the bathroom more frequently. More frequent bathroom usage equates to healthier urinary tract output. The more a woman uses the restroom, the more bad bacteria their body disposes of. If they have an infection now, this can help them get rid of it by removing it as quickly as possible. Even if a woman doesn't have a urinary tract infection right now, they can start drinking more water to help prevent future UTIs. It's an added benefit that they will end up with clearer skin, be able to sleep better at night, and have better overall health.
There are even more ways to treat a urinary tract infection at home. Learn about the next one now.
Urinate Frequently
The single best thing individuals can do for the health of their urinary tract is using the bathroom when they feel the need to do so. Many individuals make the mistake of holding it until their need to go worsens, which is a great way to promote a UTI. Those who go to the bathroom more often than not are less susceptible to developing a urinary tract infection because they eliminate waste from their bodies, including bad bacteria that can cause a UTI. Each time individuals feel the need to sit tight and wait to use the bathroom, their urinary tracts fill with bad bacteria. As this number increases, so does their risk of developing a urinary tract infection. One more additional tip relating to urinating frequently is to learn to wipe correctly (front to back).