How To Stop A Urinary Tract Infection Without Antibiotics

How Long Does It Take For A Uti To Go Away Without Antibiotics Wrap Up

Obviously, there is no specific time given for a UTI to go away without antibiotics but the fact remains that you can speed up the process of curing it if you diligently follow the home remedies stated above. Hope this article has done justice to your question How Long Does It Take For A UTI To Go Away Without Antibiotics?

Urinate Before And After Sex

Sexual activity increases the chances of getting a UTI, especially if youre a woman. Thats because bacteria can easily get into the urethra during sex.

To reduce your risk, pee immediately before and after sex. The idea is to flush out bacteria that may cause UTIs.

Its also a good idea to gently wash your genital area before sex. This can help keep the area clean and reduce the chance of bacteria spreading to your urethra.

Has This Hub Been Helpful

Michele on July 24, 2018:

Thank you. I will discuss these remedies with my doctor. I have a bad UTI right now, and while antibiotics usually do the trick, Iâd like to see how these food/supplement suggestions might work. Just as a side note, there should be a disclaimer included that if the symptoms donât resolve or get worse, a physician should be consultedâas you mentioned, a UTI can quickly turn into a much bigger problem. Still, I appreciate the tips, a couple of which Iâd never heard of before.

Irene Tasker on June 06, 2017:

Will try some of the remedies you advise, as I have A UTI nearly all the time even with antibiotics. I will try the cranberries first then the parsley.its a nightmare for me as I play golf and it can be very embarrassing. Thankyou

Haniya on March 23, 2017:

amazing article

Devika PrimiÄ from Dubrovnik, Croatia on February 19, 2013:

I enjoy fresh garlic daily just finely chopped on my food the best flavour comes from this old herb

JCielo from England on February 11, 2013:

Thanks Rajan. Your comments are always respected and appreciated.

Rajan Singh Jolly from From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar, INDIA. on February 09, 2013:

Very informative and useful as always John. You always present facts so well. Thanks.

voted up and useful.

JCielo from England on January 17, 2013:

Thanks catgypsy. Hope this helps your friend.

catgypsy from the South on January 16, 2013:

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Water Is Your Best Friend

When you first notice burning when you use the restroom, its tempting to reduce your water intake. After all, that will prevent the pain, right?

Wrong.

It seems counter-intuitive, but you need to flush out your system. You should drink plenty of water to help your body remove the E. Coli. Dont overdo it, but drink as much water as possible in those crucial first 24 hours.

Otc Uti Treatment Options

UTIs are typically treated with a course of antibiotics that may run for a single day or a course of 7 days but usually lasts at an average of 1-3 days for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. However, some infections might not even need a course of antibiotics and may cease to exist. But, while treatment of UTIs without antibiotics may be a possible prospect in the future, for now, only a few equally effective OTC UTI treatments are available that can help a patient manage their symptoms. These include:

Hydration: Although not exactly an OTC UTI treatment method, hydration is still the key to treating a UTI quickly. If youve contracted a UTI, it is important to have fluids as frequently as possible so that you urinate more frequently and the harmful bacteria are flushed out of your urinary tract through natural means. This option means curing your symptoms without the use of medication.

• Probiotics: Probiotics serve as an excellent OTC UTI treatment option that helps promote digestion and immunity in your body. Probiotics restore the good bacteria present in your gut and reduce the chances of reinfection.
• Ascorbic Acid: Increasing your Vitamin C intake not only strengthens your immune system but is also a greater OTC UTI treatment option since it helps acidify the urine which may reduce the chance of reinfection.

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What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection is an infection of the urinary system. This type of infection can involve your urethra , kidneys or bladder, .

Your urine typically doesnt contain bacteria . Urine is a byproduct of our filtration systemthe kidneys. When waste products and excess water is removed from your blood by the kidneys, urine is created. Normally, urine moves through your urinary system without any contamination. However, bacteria can get into the urinary system from outside of the body, causing problems like infection and inflammation. This is a urinary tract infection .

What Are The Signs That An Antibiotic Is Not Working For A Urinary Tract Infection

Usually people start to feel better within 1-2 days of starting an antibiotic to treat a bladder infection. If your symptoms dont improve or you start to feel worse then your antibiotic may not be working.

The symptoms of an uncomplicated bladder infection typically include:

• Pain or a burning sensation when you urinate or pee
• Needing to pee frequently
• Feeling like you need to pee within minutes of going
• Blood stained pee
• Feeling pressure or cramping in your lower abdomen

If your antibiotic is not working then these symptoms will likely continue and you may even develop symptoms of a more serious kidney infection including:

• Fever
• Pain in your lower back or side
• Nausea and vomiting

Left untreated, kidney infections can permanently damage the kidneys and can sometimes become life-threatening.

Kidney infections are usually treated with a longer 7-14 day course of antibiotics and in more severe or complicated cases may require treatment with intravenous antibiotics and admission to hospital. If you have a kidney infection it may take you a few more days to feel better after you start antibiotics.

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A Pharmacist Can Help With Utis

You can ask a pharmacist about treatments for a UTI. A pharmacist can:

• offer advice on things that can help you get better
• suggest the best painkiller to take
• tell you if you need to see a GP about your symptoms

Some pharmacies offer a UTI management service and can prescribe antibiotics if theyâre needed.

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How Antibiotics Destroy Your Guts

I was a frequent UTI sufferer for many years. I know they arent the nicest things to admit to but given that they affect almost 50% of all women, chances are many of you have struggled as well . The burning pain down there and the need to pee every 2 seconds had me ready to pop an antibiotic almost immediately. I mean, it was just another pesky UTI getting in the way of life that was fixed so easily by a quick course of 7. Little did I know the impact that tiny, toxic, antibiotic pill was having on my gut.

I have written a blog post that has lots of detail on how antibiotics destroy your gut, but to save time, here is a 1 minute summary:

The antibiotics enter into your gut, fight all the bad bacteria that is causing the UTI and during the process also kill off a lot of the good bacteria that your body needs to protect itself against other infections. This means that we lose lots of the good guys that support our immune system and leave ourselves susceptible to more infections by bad bacteria in the future. This course of events are often the beginning of what is commonly referred to as antibiotic-induced IBS , where the dysbiosis in your gut can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhoea, gas and bloating. And so the cycle of infection , and IBS continues… If only I’d known how to get rid of a UTI without antibiotics.

So, why are many practitioners so quick to prescribe antibiotics?

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Does Cranberry Juice Prevent A Uti

Some patients may want to use cranberry or cranberry juice as a home remedy to treat a UTI. Cranberry juice has not been shown to cure an ongoing bacterial infection in the bladder or kidney.

Cranberry has been studied as a preventive maintenance agent for UTIs. Studies are mixed on whether cranberry can really prevent a UTI. Cranberry may work by preventing bacteria from sticking to the inside of the bladder however, it would take a large amount of cranberry juice to prevent bacterial adhesion. More recent research suggests cranberries may have no effect on preventing a UTI

• According to one expert, the active ingredient in cranberries A-type proanthocyanidins are effective against UTI-causing bacteria, but is only in highly concentrated cranberry capsules, not in cranberry juice.
• However, cranberry was not proven to prevent recurrent UTIs in several well-controlled studies, as seen in a 2012 meta-analysis of 24 trials published by the Cochrane group.
• While studies are not conclusive, there is no harm in drinking cranberry juice. However, if you develop symptoms, see your doctor. Some people find large quantities of cranberry juice upsetting to the stomach.

Increasing fluid intake like water, avoiding use of spermicides, and urinating after intercourse may be helpful in preventing UTIs, although limited data is available.

Bacterial Interference: Escherichia Coli Strain 83972

The intentional colonization of the bladder with a non-virulent strain, also called bacterial interference, has been studied among patients with neurogenic bladder. E. coli 83972 is a clinical strain, isolated from a woman with chronic urinary colonization and which has naturally lost its capacity to develop Type 1 and Type P fimbriae. This strain has been used for prophylactic purposes to deliberately colonized the bladders with this bacterium to prevent colonization/infection by pathogenic species.

In a mouse model of UTI, E. coli 83972 demonstrated a better fitness than a virulent strain of UPEC. In a poor environment, like the bladder, this difference in fitness is a crucial advantage for the competition between bacteria. The 83972 strain could reduce the impact of UTIs by a monopolization of resources and space .

Seven clinical studies are available: three are RCT, one of which is a crossover designed study and four are prospective cohorts . Sample sizes were small and varied from 12 to 44 patients. Clinical endpoints were the interval before first recurrence or the incidence of UTI during follow up.

Despite this heterogeneity, all studies demonstrated the ability of non-virulent strain to protect patients from UTI. One limit is the difficulty to achieve bladder colonization with the non-virulent strain .

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Cranberry Juice And Supplements

Thereâs probably no harm in trying, but they’re not a proven fix.

Over the years, a lot of studies have focused on a substance found in cranberries thatâs thought to prevent bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract. None of these studies have shown how much of this substance it would take to help prevent UTIs.

Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry pills is usually fine, unless you take a blood-thinning medication, a medication that affects your liver, or aspirin.

Probiotics, especially in a vaginal capsule, and D-mannose, a kind of natural sugar you can buy at health food stores, might help prevent unfriendly bacteria from growing in the urinary tract, but both need to be studied more.

You should talk to your doctor before you try cranberries or any supplements to find out the right dose and to make sure they won’t cause other problems.

Cleveland Clinic: âUrinary Tract Infections,â âCan Cranberry Juice Stop Your UTI?â

Urology Care Foundation: âUrinary Tract Infections in Adults: After Treatment,â âUrinary Tract Infections in Adults: How Are UTIs Treated?â

Mayo Clinic: âUrinary Tract Infection .â

American Urological University.

JAMA Internal Medicine: âCranberry-Containing Products for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Susceptible Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.â

UpToDate: “Recurrent urinary tract infection in women.”

How To Heal A Bladder Infection Without Antibiotics

So this is my experience with treating bladder infections naturally.

I hope from all my heart that you will never need this type of information.

In the meantime let me know in the comments bellow your tips and tricks to healing these nasty infections naturally.

I would love to hear from You.

Stay healthy and take care of your beautiful body!

With all my love,

Raluca

P.S. Im counting on you to share this post if youve found it useful. Thanks a lot.

P.P.S If youre a man, youre less likely to suffer from a bladder infection, but you must have some dear women around who might benefit from this. So thanks for sharing it with them. You rock!

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What Is The Prognosis For A Person With A Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections typically respond very well to treatment. A UTI can be uncomfortable before you start treatment, but once your healthcare provider identifies the type of bacteria and prescribes the right antibiotic medication, your symptoms should improve quickly. Its important to keep taking your medication for the entire amount of time your healthcare provider prescribed. If you have frequent UTIs or if your symptoms arent improving, your provider may test to see if its an antibiotic-resistant infection. These are more complicated infections to treat and may require intravenous antibiotics or alternative treatments.

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Uti Treatment Without Antibiotics Is It Possible

In some cases, it is possible to treat urinary tract infections without the use of antibiotics. However, natural home remedies to treat UTIs must be used at the first sign of an infection to prevent the infection from developing.

According to OB/GYN Dr. Nivin Todd, the majority of UTIs are easy to treat and rarely produce complications. However, if the infection becomes more serious or has other complications, a course of antibiotics may be needed. This could happen if you have recurring UTIs, suffer from diabetes or have some kind of kidney damage.5

Also, treatments for women who are pregnant usually include antibiotics to prevent long-term health risks.

Because of the increase in resistance to antibiotics, many doctors recommend preventative measures to treat UTIs. For example, the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases published a study on how to lower the need for antibiotics when treating UTIs. It was found that women who increased daily fluid intake by 1.5 L had a 50% lower risk of developing another UTI.6

A report published in the journal Current Infectious Disease Reports found that treating uncomplicated UTIs without antibiotics is often the best course.

Increasing your fluid intake, using the bathroom regularly, and taking probiotics can all help to treat simple UTIs without antibiotics.

Researchers recommended that antibiotics should only be used if the urinary infection doesnt clear up within 3 days.7

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When Do You Need Antibiotics

In its SIGN 88 guidelines for UK healthcare, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network recommends antibiotic treatment for otherwise healthy women, under 65, who have three or more symptoms of UTI.

Potential symptoms of UTI are listed as follows: pain passing urine , frequency of urination, bladder pain, urgency, passing lots of urine , and passing blood in the urine .

“The guidelines recommend using dipstick tests to guide treatment decisions in otherwise healthy women under 65 years of age presenting with mild or more than two symptoms of UTI,” comments Ali. “Put simply, if symptoms are severe, urine testing is not required before initiating treatment.”

Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs are usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract.

The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body .

Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.

Things that increase the risk of bacteria getting into the bladder include:

• having sex

• do not use scented soap

• do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go

• do not rush when going for a pee try to fully empty your bladder

• do not wear tight, synthetic underwear, such as nylon

• do not drink lots of alcoholic drinks, as they may irritate your bladder

• do not have lots of sugary food or drinks, as they may encourage bacteria to grow

• do not use condoms or diaphragms with spermicidal lube on them try non-spermicidal lube or a different type of contraception

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Soothe Uti Pain With Heat

Inflammation and irritation from UTIs cause burning, pressure, and pain around your pubic area, says Kandis Rivers, MD, a urologist in the Henry Ford Health System in Wast Bloomfield, Michigan. Applying a heating pad can help soothe the area. Keep the heat setting low, dont apply it directly to the skin, and limit your use to 15 minutes at a time to avoid burns.

When To See A Doctor For A Uti

Always go to your primary care physician immediately if there is blood in the urine, if you have a fever, and/or low back pain with your UTI symptoms, Sajdak advises. UTIs can move fast, so its better to go sooner than later.

Although natural remedies can be beneficial for alleviating UTI symptoms and preventing recurrent UTIs, they may not be effective in treating the infection.

If symptoms still persist after three days then it is time to move on to antibiotics, says Ivy Branin, ND, a naturopathic doctor in New York City who specializes in womens health. I often recommend a patient to see their doctor for a UA and a prescription for antibiotics just in case and to fill it if they have no improvement after three days.

Leaving a UTI untreated can cause additional health problems. Bacteria can reach the ureters or kidneys and cause kidney infections. Untreated UTIs during pregnancy can also potentially cause early labor and low birth weight. Seeking treatment for UTI that isnt going awayor one that keeps coming backis always a good thing.

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