Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a fairly common reason for visits to a doctor. UTIs are more common in women, with many of them getting infected two or more times. UTI can affect the urethra (urethritis), bladder (cystitis), ureters and/or kidneys (pyelonephritis). Pyelonephritis is more serious than cystitis or urethritis. Majority of the infections are due to bacteria called Escherichia coli(E. coli).
Risk factors for UTIs are kidney stones, medical conditions leading to incomplete bladder emptying, suppressed immune system, use of diaphragm as a means of birth control, and enlarged prostate in men. Some people may not have any symptoms. The main symptom is pain or burning sensation during urination. You will pass urine more frequently. You may have fever with chills. You may have urgency in urination. Urine could be cloudy, bloody or have bad smell. There could be lower abdominal pain. Very rarely, there could be nausea and vomiting.
Home Remedies For UTI Infections
Baking Soda
Baking soda helps treat UTIs by its ability to neutralize the acid present in the urine. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 glass of water and drink it. It eases some of the symptoms quite well.
You can drink this once or twice daily. Do not take more than this prescribed dose because it can upset the balance of flora in the intestine. It relieves the burning sensation during urination and also prevents future occurrence of UTIs.
Water
Try to drink plenty of water when you are suffering from UTI. Water not only dilutes the urine making it less acidic, but it also flushes out the infection from your bladder and kidneys.
It leads to more urination so that the bacteria are flushed out of your system. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. Make sure the glass can hold at least 8 ounces of water.
Hot Water Compresses
You can get relief from lower abdominal pain by placing a hot water compress in that region for some time every few hours. Pour some hot water into a bottle. Place this hot water bottle on the lower abdomen for 10-15 minutes. It will reduce the local inflammation and give relief from pain. Instead of a hot water compress, you can use a heating pad similarly for the same purpose.
Lemon Juice
Consuming lemon juice on a regular basis can not only control but also prevent UTI. Lemon juice works effectively in treating UTI because it contains vitamin C and other antioxidants.
These chemicals boost the immune system and help you fight the bacterial infection quite well. Also, the low pH of the lemon juice inhibits the bacterial growth. The chemical responsible for the low pH of lemon juice is citric acid.
Ginger
Do not underestimate the usefulness of ginger for treating a variety of diseases, including UTIs. It contains a variety of medicinally useful chemicals.
In particular, it contains zingerone, which has been proven to be active against bacteria such as E. coli. It also contains other volatile oils that are anti-inflammatory and hence can decrease the pain in UTIs. Ginger can be used liberally in cooking or it can be taken as a tea.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.