Best Home Remedies Can Prevent and Treat Urinary Tract Infections

Best Home Remedies Can Prevent and Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Manoj Kumar Published : Feb 04, 2024 Last Updated : Feb 06, 2024

When you suffer from the symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), you might not experience quick relief. However, if your symptoms are mild then you can try home remedies in order to ease the discomfort quickly.

In case, you are looking for some effective home remedies to get rid of the burning urine feeling and other symptoms then this blog can help you.

What is a urinary tract infection?

Urinary tract infection is mainly an infection along your urinary tract. Infections generally begin in your lower urinary tract, where the urethra, as well as the bladder, are present. Sometimes UTIs even travel to your ureters and kidneys.

What makes you suffer from urinary tract infections?

Your urinary tract includes the urethra and bladder. Any infection by microorganisms involved in this tract is known as a urinary tract infection. Generally, bacteria are the micro-organisms that are involved in urinary tract infections. This type of infection can affect your ureters and infect the kidneys as well.

What are the symptoms of urinary tract infection?

Some of the common symptoms of urinary tract infection include:

  • Pelvic pain
  • A burning sensation while urination
  • Flank pain
  • A sense of urinary urgency or frequency
  • Fever
  • Lower back pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

Home remedies to prevent and treat urinary tract infection

Although antibiotic medications are considered the fastest and most suggested way to treat urinary tract infections, but sometimes they do not work. However, if you are looking for a safe treatment option to deal with urinary tract infection then try some effective home remedies.

Drink plenty of water

You must drink lots of water and empty your bladder as it will aid in flushing out all the harmful bacteria from your system. You might not feel like drinking water because of the burning sensation you have while peeing, but recommended 8 glasses of water a day can do wonders.

Also try to add water-based food items to your diet like lettuce, watermelon, soups, oranges, and broths as they have high water content.

Increase vitamin C consumption

Increasing the consumption of Vitamin C can protect you against urinary tract infections. It is important to know that vitamin C works in your body by increasing the acidity of urine and killing all the bacteria that cause infection.

Oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, and red peppers contain the suggested daily amount of vitamin C in just one serving.

Calm your UTI pain with heat

Both inflammation and irritation from urinary tract infections can cause pressure, burning, and pain around the pubic area. You can apply a heating pad that will soothe the area.

Make sure to keep the heat setting low and do not apply it directly on your skin. Try to limit the use to 15 minutes only, to avoid burns.

Wipe properly

One of the best ways to prevent urinary tract infections at home is staying clean and dry as possible. After urinating or a bowel movement, you need to wipe from front to back. It is good hygiene and also stops bacteria from entering the urethra and traveling up to your urinary tract.   

Wear cotton underwear

It is necessary for you to wear underwear made from natural fibers so that the urethra stays clean and dry. This further prevents the entry of harmful bacteria. Wearing too-tight underwear can block the flow of air to the urethra.

Without proper airflow, bacteria can gain entrance and produce an environment. This allows the development of urinary tract infections. However, when you wear clothes designed from synthetic fibers like nylon, moisture gets trapped and there is bacterial growth.

Change soaps

Your bubble bath, body wash, and various other cleaning products can be the main felon to your urinary tract infections. You need to use sensitive formulas regularly that are free from dye and fragrance.

Drink unsweetened cranberry juice

For several years, cranberries have been used as a prevention. Doctors often say that cranberries can make it hard for the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections to stick to the walls of the urinary tract.

If you suffer from urinary tract infections frequently then it can be worth drinking a few glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice. Consumption of cranberry juice with added sugars will make your urinary tract infection worse.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is contemplated as the most effective natural remedy for treating urinary tract infections. It is believed that cinnamon can have an action right against the bacteria responsible for causing urinary tract infections.

Change menstrual pads, tampons, or cups often

Low-absorbency pads made from synthetic materials can expose your vulva to bacteria and increase your risk to suffer from an infection. Usage of tampons often encourages bacteria to multiply quickly, making it necessary for you to change tampons regularly.    

Both tampons and menstrual cups can increase your risk of getting or worsening urinary tract infections if you are positioned in the right way. In case, they push on your urethra and trap urine, bacteria will start spreading to the bladder. 

To prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, you need to change the size or shape of a menstrual cup.

Take probiotics

Probiotics are considered gut-friendly bacteria that can help fight against urinary tract infections. They are effective in fighting against urinary tract infections.

Probiotics might contain bacteria like Lactobacillus which stick to the wall of your urinary tract. This forms a barrier against the urinary tract infection that cause bacteria. 

Switch to birth control

Birth control methods with spermicides are often associated with an increased risk of urinary tract infections. Other birth control methods like intrauterine devices have also been demonstrated as a source of recurrent UTIs.  

Talk to your doctor about birth control options or if you find your current contraceptive is causing recurrent UTIs.

With time, urinary tract infections have become a common and frustrating problem, mainly if they occur frequently. Thus, by trying the above-stated home remedies you can easily deal with urinary tract infections.