Five home remedies for UTIs

[rangerrebew]

Five home remedies for UTIs
Written by Alice PorterReviewed by Alana Biggers, MD, MPH
Last reviewed: Fri 23 June 2017
 
A urinary tract infection is a common condition, often referred to as a UTI, that can be treated with home remedies.

When using home remedies for UTIs, it is helpful to understand the condition, including its causes and symptoms.

In some cases, home remedies for UTIs can be enough to ease symptoms and quicken recovery. Before relying on home remedies, however, it is always a good idea to speak to a doctor first.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318048.php

[Silver Pines]

I've had one UTI in my lifetime so far, and I hope I never have another.  It was serious enough to cause bleeding, and the pain...wow.

If not treated, UTIs can move up the urinary tract to the kidneys, so prompt medical attention is vital, like the article says. 

There have been a couple of times when I've had slight symptoms of a recurrence.  Cranberry supplements, in capsule form, took care of the problem---and lots of water.  The supplements are even better than the cranberry juice, which has sugar that can actually exacerbate an infection.

[Polly Ticks]

I once had a doctor tell me that beer works just as well as cranberry juice. 
 

[Silver Pines]

I once had a doctor tell me that beer works just as well as cranberry juice. 
 

@Polly Ticks

No kidding?  He didn't mention red wine, did he?   

[Gefn]

I've had one UTI in my lifetime so far, and I hope I never have another.  It was serious enough to cause bleeding, and the pain...wow.

If not treated, UTIs can move up the urinary tract to the kidneys, so prompt medical attention is vital, like the article says. 

There have been a couple of times when I've had slight symptoms of a recurrence.  Cranberry supplements, in capsule form, took care of the problem---and lots of water.  The supplements are even better than the cranberry juice, which has sugar that can actually exacerbate an infection.

I get one every three or four months like clockwork since I've been 24. I take cranberry supplements but other pills and see the urologist several times a year. Lots of fun. 
(Sarcasm)

[ConstitutionRose]

I get one every three or four months like clockwork since I've been 24. I take cranberry supplements but other pills and see the urologist several times a year. Lots of fun. 
(Sarcasm)

I hurt just thinking about it.  I had the same problem when I was younger.  I finally realized their was a direct correlation between the UTIs and consumption of carbonated, sweetened drinks, coke, sprite, root beer, etc.  Gave up soft drinks and haven't had an UTI in decades. 

[Gefn]

I hurt just thinking about it.  I had the same problem when I was younger.  I finally realized their was a direct correlation between the UTIs and consumption of carbonated, sweetened drinks, coke, sprite, root beer, etc.  Gave up soft drinks and haven't had an UTI in decades.

I don't drink carbonated drinks. I just have wonky kidneys.  Although I did drink a lot of soda in my twenties and thirties when all this started.

[Polly Ticks]

@Polly Ticks

No kidding?  He didn't mention red wine, did he?   

@CatherineofAragon

Sorry, he didn't mention red wine.   

He actually said it was a combination of the yeast in the beer and fact that it makes you pee which helps to flush out the infection.  Since I was probably about 14 or 15 at the time, he told me to take Brewers' Yeast tablets instead.

 

[Polly Ticks]

I hurt just thinking about it.  I had the same problem when I was younger.  I finally realized their was a direct correlation between the UTIs and consumption of carbonated, sweetened drinks, coke, sprite, root beer, etc.  Gave up soft drinks and haven't had an UTI in decades.

@ConstitutionRose

Yep.  Caffeinated drinks (and especially soft drinks) are a huge trigger. 

[RoosGirl]

When I was a kid I would get a UTI from drinking orange juice or even looking at pineapple juice.  But I also used to get them if I had to do a course of antibiotics (doesn't make sense, right?)  and sometimes if I just sneezed wrong.  I got them often enough that they did some kind of test and determined that my bladder did some kind of weird reflux thing.   I don't get them near as often as I used to, and those juices don't really bother me anymore, though I rarely either of them.  I also found that cranberry supplements, at the very first tingle of feeling like I'm getting one, will knock them out.  I like the NOW brand in the variety that is standardized and has uva ursi in it.  I've found that particular one works the best for me.  The bottle says take 3 daily.  I pop 6 immediately and then 3 at a time a couple more times through the day.

[Silver Pines]

I get one every three or four months like clockwork since I've been 24. I take cranberry supplements but other pills and see the urologist several times a year. Lots of fun. 
(Sarcasm)

@Freya, does your doctor have any idea why they recur so often? 

[Silver Pines]

When I was a kid I would get a UTI from drinking orange juice or even looking at pineapple juice.  But I also used to get them if I had to do a course of antibiotics (doesn't make sense, right?)  and sometimes if I just sneezed wrong.  I got them often enough that they did some kind of test and determined that my bladder did some kind of weird reflux thing.   I don't get them near as often as I used to, and those juices don't really bother me anymore, though I rarely either of them.  I also found that cranberry supplements, at the very first tingle of feeling like I'm getting one, will knock them out.  I like the NOW brand in the variety that is standardized and has uva ursi in it.  I've found that particular one works the best for me.  The bottle says take 3 daily.  I pop 6 immediately and then 3 at a time a couple more times through the day.

@RoosGirl

I just looked up uva ursi; seems like it has a long history of being good for the bladder.  The cranberry supplement I have has passed its expiration date, so I'm going to look for the NOW brand when I replace it.

[the_doc]

@Freya, does your doctor have any idea why they recur so often?

Some women have recurrent E. coli infections that are readily eradicated by the supplement D-mannose, which happens to be the active ingredient in cranberry juice.  Two recent clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of D-mannose.

[anubias]

Just an FYI that I'm sure you all know, but I'll post it anyway...

Cranberry pills need to be taken with food or while there is still food in your stomach.  Otherwise they don't work at all.

Just my own take on UTIs, but I personally believe that most diagnosed "UTI" are really just bladder spasms.  When I was young, I was diagnosed with them constantly.  After finally figuring out for myself that macrodantin does nothing to "fix" the pain, but cranberry juice did, I realized what was going on.  I went to a urologist just to make sure as self-diagnosing can be dangerous.  Instead of macrodantin, the urologist agreed with my assessment and gave me a prescription for hyoscyamine that quickly stops the spasms.  The blood in my urine was caused from spasming to the point that I had some bleeding vessels.  For me, the following will can bring on spasming:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Sex
Exercise
Yeast infection.

A combination of two or more of the above is guaranteed to bring on severe spasming to the point of extreme pain.  As I refuse to live without the first four of those activities, I had to have a solution.  Sublingual hyoscyamine knocks it out in just a few minutes as opposed to cranberry that sometimes works after suffering for an hour.  Any of you that has severe bouts of spasming might want to look into getting something other than antibiotics and Phenazopyridine if a urologist agrees that you don't actually have an infection. 

Edit:  I forgot one more thing that helps for any younguns that might be reading this that don't know to do this yet.  Always void after cleaning up after sex.  It ensures nothing gets pushed into the urethra that can indeed cause an infection.

[ConstitutionRose]

....................

Edit:  I forgot one more thing that helps for any younguns that might be reading this that don't know to do this yet.  Always void after cleaning up after sex.  It ensures nothing gets pushed into the urethra that can indeed cause an infection.

It took awhile for my husband to adjust to the run to the bathroom to pee and clean up routine.  You are right.  That is another thing that can trigger.

[anubias]

It took awhile for my husband to adjust to the run to the bathroom to pee and clean up routine.  You are right.  That is another thing that can trigger.

Mine too. I wait until the snoring starts if I can. LOL

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

More great articles from @rangerrebew :

HOME REMEDIES FOR A HEART ATTACK

HOME REMEDIES FOR COLON CANCER

[Silver Pines]

Some women have recurrent E. coli infections that are readily eradicated by the supplement D-mannose, which happens to be the active ingredient in cranberry juice.  Two recent clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of D-mannose.

@the_doc

Interesting...thank you.

[RoosGirl]

I have tried the d-mannose powder and found it worked, but I thought the cranberry worked better, for me anyway.

[RoosGirl]

More great articles from @rangerrebew :

HOME REMEDIES FOR A HEART ATTACK

HOME REMEDIES FOR COLON CANCER

 

[Silver Pines]

Just an FYI that I'm sure you all know, but I'll post it anyway...

Cranberry pills need to be taken with food or while there is still food in your stomach.  Otherwise they don't work at all.

Just my own take on UTIs, but I personally believe that most diagnosed "UTI" are really just bladder spasms.  When I was young, I was diagnosed with them constantly.  After finally figuring out for myself that macrodantin does nothing to "fix" the pain, but cranberry juice did, I realized what was going on.  I went to a urologist just to make sure as self-diagnosing can be dangerous.  Instead of macrodantin, the urologist agreed with my assessment and gave me a prescription for hyoscyamine that quickly stops the spasms.  The blood in my urine was caused from spasming to the point that I had some bleeding vessels.  For me, the following will can bring on spasming:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Sex
Exercise
Yeast infection.

A combination of two or more of the above is guaranteed to bring on severe spasming to the point of extreme pain.  As I refuse to live without the first four of those activities, I had to have a solution.  Sublingual hyoscyamine knocks it out in just a few minutes as opposed to cranberry that sometimes works after suffering for an hour.  Any of you that has severe bouts of spasming might want to look into getting something other than antibiotics and Phenazopyridine if a urologist agrees that you don't actually have an infection. 

Edit:  I forgot one more thing that helps for any younguns that might be reading this that don't know to do this yet.  Always void after cleaning up after sex.  It ensures nothing gets pushed into the urethra that can indeed cause an infection.

@anubias

Well, that's something to think about.  Like you say, though, I would urge anyone with symptoms to see the doctor right away.  I knew a woman whose bladder infection went to her kidneys, and they had a hard time getting rid of it.

In my case, a urine sample showed white blood cells, so there was no doubt infection was present.  As for the spasms, I might have a slight tingle, no more, every six months or so, if that.

"As I refuse to live without the first four of those activities"

 

[anubias]

@anubias

Well, that's something to think about.  Like you say, though, I would urge anyone with symptoms to see the doctor right away.  I knew a woman whose bladder infection went to her kidneys, and they had a hard time getting rid of it.

In my case, a urine sample showed white blood cells, so there was no doubt infection was present.  As for the spasms, I might have a slight tingle, no more, every six months or so, if that.

"As I refuse to live without the first four of those activities"

 

Agreed.  Coworker did a stint in ICU after ignoring her infection too long. We nearly lost her over it.

@CatherineofAragon