UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) are one of the most common and irritating infections that exist in the human world.
As the name suggests, Urinary Tract Infection is an infection in the tract of urinary organs of males and females. These infections tend to affect the daily lifestyle of a person significantly.
Usually, doctors tend to treat these infections with antibiotics but did you know that few home remedies could help you improve and prevent UTIs?
In this article, we will discuss in detail, how to treat such infections with remedies at home.
Usually, doctors prescribe a few medications to treat the UTI one might have caught but researchers have shown that a few home remedies help in treating certain UTIs.
These remedies have been a part of traditional Medicinal practices for years now. Following are the remedies that one could opt for to treat the UTI(s).
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Stay Hydrated
A human’s body is 70 percent water and keeping the water level of the body in check could help you prevent and treat many major health problems.
Therefore, water could be the key to treating your urinary tract infection as well. Its recommended that drinking abundant water could help you prevent and treat UTIs effectively.
Since water is the key factor to help remove waste from the body through the urinary tract.
This would help speed up the journey by diluting the urine and preventing bacteria from reaching the urinary tract and infecting it or the urinary organs.
There have been no stipulated measures of water one should take since it matters depending on the person’s lifestyle and choices.
Even so, on average, adults are recommended to consume about six to eight glasses of water each day where the glass measures 8 ounces.
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Urinate When The Need Arises
While frequent urination is a symptom of a UTI, it could also help you remove the bacteria causing these problems sooner.
Drinking more water with urinating more could immensely help you remove the bacteria from the tract and treat the infection.
Since it reduces the chances of bacteria interacting with cells of the tract further preventing the infection.
Fulfilling the urge and not holding it back will be very helpful for the body further on.
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Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is one of the most common contents used in treating a UTI. Since this juice is very effective in treating any type of Infection, people could rely on it for UTIs as well.
Surprisingly there have been mixed results on the effect of cranberry juice on infections where few claim it prevents Escherichia Coli from attaching to the cells of the urinary tract.
Besides this, cranberry juice is filled with antioxidants like polyphenols which have been found to have antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory properties.
Currently, there is no stipulated measure of cranberry juice one must consume to prevent or treat UTI.
Even so, a certain quantity of 400mL of at least 25% cranberry juice is recommended for preventing UTIs.
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Usage Of Probiotics
Not all bacterias are harmful to the body. Some bacterias like probiotics are very beneficial for the body and could help you keep the urinary tract healthy and protected from any harmful bacterial invasion.
Probiotics like Lactobacillus are specifically helpful in treating and preventing UTIs effectively.
Their tasks in our body include stopping harmful bacteria from interacting with cells in the urinary tract, producing antibacterial agents like hydrogen peroxide in urine to destroy the bacteria, and decreasing the urine’s pH levels which make conditions worse for bacteria.
On the other hand, Lactobacillus supplements in the body reduce antibiotic resistance as well.
You could consume probiotics from food products like Yogurt, Kefir, a few types of cheese, Sauerkraut, and probiotic supplements mixed in water or beverages.
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Consumption of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins required by the body to stay healthy. This vitamin helps in improving the immune system of the body.
With this, it also reacts with nitrates in the urine which forms nitrate oxide that kills the bacteria.
Vitamin C also reduces the pH levels of the urine which makes it harsh for bacteria. Even so, a study shows the effect of Vitamin C on UTIs and its prevention.
Currently, few studies have proven that vitamin C is effective to be beneficial if taken with other supplements.
The best beneficial combination comes out as the combination of Vitamin C and cranberry juice.
This combination if taken with cranberry juice about 3 times a day for 20 days could be very effective for Urinary Tract infections.
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Wiping
Urinary Tract Infections are easily caught when bacteria from the rectum or feces enter the urethra. This small channel is the one that allows urine to pass through.
Once the bacteria is inside your urethra it could travel up to your urinary organs to further cause major infections.
This is why it is recommended to wipe your genitals and anus after urinating to prevent bacteria from entering your urethra.
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Keeping A Sexual Hygiene
Sexual intercourse could be very risky for the body. Some kinds of sexual intercourse may allow bacteria and microbes inside your urinary tract.
This simple fact could cause many problems in your body. This is why it is recommended to follow hygienic sexual intercourse. Good sexual hygiene includes
- Urinating before and after sex
- Using condoms
- Washing genitals (especially foreskin) before and after sexual intercourse or acts.
- Washing genitals or switching condoms when switching from anal to vaginal sex.
- Ensuring to know about any past or current UTIs of the partner.
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Natural Supplements
Besides all the recommended remedies one should also consume natural supplements for treating in preventing UTIs. These supplements include
- D-Mannose
D-Mannose is a sugar found in cranberries that have been started to prevent and treat UTIs quite efficiently. - Cranberry Extract
Cranberry extract is similar to cranberry juice. This supplement could be consumed by people who do not wish to consume the juice. Being similar to cranberry juice, it has the same effect on the bacteria causing a UTI. - Garlic Extract
Garlic and garlic extracts have been researched and started for their effect on preventing any microbe from entering the body. These antimicrobial properties of garlic may help in preventing bacteria from entering the urethra.
- D-Mannose
Conclusion
Urinary Tract Infections are pretty common in people these days and are not that harmful. Even so, keeping your body healthy from such problems is best in your interest.
Usually, UTIs are treated with antibiotics and some go away by themselves but still, there are few remedies you could use at home to prevent or treat a UTI. All the remedies have been discussed above.
In all cases, it is still recommended to get a UTI diagnosed by a specialist for better treatment.
Treating UTIs yourself could be very tricky and sometimes dangerous because we do not have a medical study on the topic as a layman. Some long-standing remedies could prevent UTIs very effectively.