Home Remedies to Treat Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract comprises of kidneys, uterus, urinary bladder and urethra. When germs like bacteria or fungi enter into the urinary tract, they cause an infection called urinary tract infection. It a very common disease and is more prominent in females than males. And it must not be taken leniently otherwise it can cause various other problems. One precaution that every person must keep in mind is to always urinate at clean places and do not hold the urge for too long as they all can lead to UTI.

Causes and Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection

The most common cause of urinary tract infection is the E. coli bacterial strains and other germs like fungi or some parasites as well. These germs enter your body through urethra and travels up to the bladder or kidneys causing serious infection.

The most common symptoms in men are-

• Burning sensation while urinating
• Desire to urinate frequently
• Penile pain while urine discharge
• Strong unpleasant odor of the urine
• Dark urine or sometimes bloody urine
• Abdominal or testicular pain
• Rectal pain or back pain

The symptoms in women are-

• Urgency to urinate frequently
• Urinating in small quantities with frequent intervals
• Pelvic pain
• Fever and chills
• Cloudy or bloody urine
• Discharge from vagina
• Bloating

Symptoms in children are-

• Fever
• Vomiting
• Bloody or cloudy urine
• Desire to urinate frequently
• Bed wetting
• Jaundice
• Diarrhea

Tips for Treatment

Drink Plenty Water

Drinking 8-10 glass of water daily is recommended. When you drink plenty of water, you pass urine quite frequently which causes the bacteria present in the urinary bladder and the tract to get flushed out with urine.

Baking Soda

Baking Soda also serves the purpose as it balances the acidity in the urine and once the acid-base equilibrium gets accurate, it helps in fast recovery. Mix 1 tsp of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it twice in a day.

Cranberry Juice

Cranberry juice also helps to prevent urinary tract infection. If you are already suffering from it drink at least 3-4 glasses daily or else half a glass daily is sufficient. The proanthocyanidins present in cranberries put off the bacteria growth in the urinary tract and urethra.

Pineapple

Consumption of pineapple or pineapple juice is beneficial as it has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce the infection, but try to avoid canned pineapple as it may contain preservatives.

Blueberries

Blueberries are also an efficient source to fight the infection as it has anti-bacterial properties. You can either consume blueberries directly or drink blueberry juice twice a day, but never add any sweeteners to the juice.

Hot Compressions

Use of hot water bags to give compression on the lower abdomen will reduce the pain as the heat will reduce the inflammations and improve the blood circulation.

Triggering Foods

There are some food items that can worsen the situation and these items include chocolates, dairy products, alcohol, spicy foods, soft drink and caffeinated drinks. Hence avoid these when you are already suffering from the problem.

Apple Cider Vinegar

For fast relief from the infection you can mix 2-3 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey to a glass of water and drink it at least thrice a day. This drink contains enzymes and potassium that will put off bacterial growth.

Increase Vitamin C content

• Increase the intake of Vitamin C and consume citrus fruits like lemon, tomato, guava, kiwi etc.
• Vitamin C maintains the acid-base balance of the urine and hence prevents the growth of bacteria.

Tea tree Oil

In order to reduce the pain associated with the infection, mix tea tree oil, sandalwood oil and juniper oil in equal proportions and rub the mixture on the lower abdomen area. Alternatively, you can mix 10 drops of tea tree oil in your bathing water and wash the genital areas.

Barley Powder

Drink 2-3 glasses of boiled water mixed with a teaspoon of barley powder as it helps in frequent urination thus flushing out the bacteria. Let the mixture cool and drink it for 4-5 times in a day.

Uva Ursi

An herb called as ‘Úva Ursi’ can also be used to treat the urinary tract infection as it is antiseptic in nature but is not recommended for pregnant ladies and people with kidney or liver problems.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is also an effective remedy for UTI. Take few drops of different oils like sandalwood oil, bergamot oil, tea tree oil, juniper oil and frankincense and mix them all together. Now, regularly apply this mixture for about 3-4 days on the areas closer to the bladder and experience if the symptoms are getting eliminated.

Personal Hygiene

Maintaining personal hygiene is very necessary. After urinating, a woman should wipe the entire area to ensure that the bacteria are not directed from anus to the urinary tract. Also, women should immediately urinate after the sexual intercourse and they should always change their sanitary pads quite often during heavy bleeding days.

Proper Clothing

The most important thing about clothing while suffering from urinary tract infection is that one must avoid wearing tight fitting outfits and must switch over to cotton undergarments during this period or else the sweating in the genital areas will aggravate bacterial growth.