Thursday, March 28, 2024

Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Without Antibiotics

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Prevention Of Catheter Associated Uti

Natural Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections without Antibiotics

Catheter associated UTI is the most common health care associated infection throughout the world and is common in long-term care facilities. Urinary catheterization should be avoided unless there is a clear clinical indication. Catheters should be avoided where possible for the management of incontinence. Staff should also be trained on indications for catheterization and written protocols should be put in place., Catheters should also be removed the moment that they are no longer required.

Alternatives to indwelling urethral catheters should be considered. Condom catheters are associated with a lower incidence of bacteriuria, however their use is sometimes difficult in confused patients. A Cochrane review on short-term urinary catheterization in adults found that suprapubic catheterization was associated with less bacteriuria than urethral catheterization. Suprapubic catheterization does carry a small risk of visceral injury on insertion through the abdominal wall. Intermittent catheterization was also associated with a lower risk of bacteriuria when compared to indwelling catheterization in this review, however studies included were mainly in an elective orthopedic setting.

Guidelines suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis should not be used to prevent catheter associated UTI in catheterized patients. Although prophylaxis may decrease the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in catheterized patients, it increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance.

Help From An Unexpected Source

The discovery was the result of a chance encounter at a Stanford lunch event, where Fuller learned that Cegelskis group was seeking a way to measure how strongly a layer of E. coli bacteria sticks to a layer of isolated bladder cells. Oh, I can help you, Fuller volunteered.

A few years earlier, Fuller had developed an instrument, called the Live-Cell Monolayer Rheometer , to investigate the adhesion of contact lenses to corneal cells. We wanted to know whether cells from your eye adhere to the underbelly of contact lenses when you take them off, and we found that indeed they do, Fuller said.

The LCMR was designed to bring a glass plate into contact with a single thin layer of live cells and then maintain a constant pressure between them. An attached microscope allows scientists to monitor cells during experiments, and a heated bottom plate helps keep the cells alive.

The scientists realized that with a few tweaks, Fullers instrument could achieve what Cegelski had in mind. For these experiments, we improved the microscopy to better visualize the contact between the bacteria and bladder cell layer during measurements, study first author Emily Hollenbeck, a former joint-graduate student in both Cegelski and Fullers groups. This was an important check to ensure we were always measuring adhesion forces between these very thin layers.

Amoxicillin/potassium Clavulanate Cefdinir Or Cephalexin

How it Works: is another combination drug that belongs to the penicillin class of antibiotics. and belong to a different class of antibiotics thats closely related to penicillins.

All three antibiotics kill bacteria by destroying one of its most important components: the cell wall, which normally keeps bacteria structurally intact.

Common doses:

  • Amoxicillin/clavulanate: 500 twice a day for 5 to 7 days

  • Cefdinir: 300 mg twice a day for 5 to 7 days

  • Cephalexin: 250 mg to 500 mg every 6 hours for 7 days

Notable side effects: Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and rash are common side effects of these antibiotics. In rare cases, all three have the potential to cause the dangerous skin reactions, SJS and TEN.

If you have a penicillin allergy, your healthcare provider wont prescribe amoxicillin/clavulanate. They may or may not prescribe cefdinir or cephalexin since there is a small chance that a person with a penicillin allergy may also be allergic to these two.

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Things You Can Do Yourself

To help ease pain:

  • takeparacetamolup to 4 times a day to reduce pain and a high temperature for people with a UTI, paracetamol is usually recommended over NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin
  • you can give childrenliquid paracetamol
  • rest and drink enough fluids so you pass pale urine regularly during the day, especially during hot weather

It’s important to follow the instructions on the packet so you know how much paracetamol you or your child can take, and how often.

It may also help to avoid having sex until you feel better.

You cannot pass a UTI on to your partner, but sex may be uncomfortable.

Taking cystitis sachets or cranberry products has not been shown to help ease symptoms of UTIs.

A Simple Sugar Solution:

How I Beat Urinary Tract Infection UTI (Without ...

D-mannose is a naturally occurring sugar found in certain plants, including cranberries. You can buy D-mannose as supplements or in powder form.

As D-mannose travels through the body, it connects with substances that shouldnt be there, like infection-causing bacteria , and sweeps them out.

Individuals who suffer from recurrent UTIs can take a daily dose of one teaspoon of D-mannose for prevention. If you feel a UTI coming on, increase the dosage to one teaspoon every few hours.

Simply mix the D-mannose powder in water and drink. If youre concerned about blood-sugar levels, dont worry. Only a small amount of D-mannose is absorbed by the body, so it wont raise your blood-sugar levels.

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What Is A Uti

A UTI is a bacterial infection in some part of your urinary system. Your urinary system includes all the organs involved in making and releasing urine :

  • Kidneys these filter your blood to remove waste and extra water to make urine .
  • Ureter two thin tubes of muscle, one on each side of your bladder, through which urine flows from your kidneys to your bladder.
  • Bladder where you store urine until you need to pee.
  • Urethra when you pee, urine passes along your urethra, a central tube that carries urine out of your body.

Female urinary tract. Image credit: Urology Care Foundation

When the infection is just in the bladder and urethra , this is called a lower UTI. If it travels up to affect one or both kidneys as well then it is called an upper UTI. This can be more serious than a lower UTI, as the kidneys can become damaged by the infection.

Antibiotics For Recurrent Infections

Doctors sometimes advise that women with repeat infections use preventive antibiotic therapy. This may include taking a small dose of antibiotics daily or on alternate days, taking antibiotics after sexual intercourse , or taking antibiotics only when you develop symptoms. Talk with your doctor about which treatment strategy is right for you.

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Treatment Concerns For Antibiotics

While most UTIs can be effectively managed and treated with a course of antibiotics, more and more bacteria are becoming resistant to different types of antibiotics due to mutations in their genetic code. Every time you take an antibiotic, the bacteria that are in your system are more likely to adapt and mutate and become resistant to the administered antibiotic. And since recurrence rates in the case of UTIs are high, its a strong possibility that an antibiotic may not be effective every time. Many antibiotics such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, and sulfonamides are no longer effective against stronger mutated bacteria and hence are not a good choice for combatting these infections.

Antibiotics can also have adverse effects on the flora of the gut and the vagina. Many antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones cannot be prescribed to pregnant women because of the concerns that they might have a possible toxic effect on the fetus.

Other health risks and adverse effects associated with antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections include extreme allergic reactions and numerous side effects. These can include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Rashes
  • Headaches

Another potential risk of taking antibiotics is that they might destroy some of the good bacteria residing in your system that help with your systematic bodily functions without harming you. The death of these bacteria opens up the passageway to a whole new range of possible infections.

Can Antibiotics Resolve Utis

Uti Treatment Without Antibiotics: How To Cure UTI At Home Naturally | Instant UTI Relief Remedies

Most of the times urinary tract infections are not serious, but if they are not treated properly, then the infection can spread in your blood and kidneys and can be life-threatening. Kidney infections can lead to kidney damage.

Usually the symptoms of UTI improve after two to three days of being on antibiotics. However, minor or uncomplicated UTIs can be resolved on their own or with the help of home remedies, but the complicated and more serious UTIs need medical treatment. Such UTIs involve changes in the urinary tract like reduced flow of urine or swollen prostate, bacteria species that are resistant to antibiotics or conditions affecting immune system like lupus, HIV or cardiac disease.

Antibiotics are the standard and effective treatment for UTIs. Antibiotics kill the bacteria causing the UTI. Most of the UTIs occur when bacteria gets into the urinary tract from outside your body. Some of the species of bacteria that cause UTIs are

  • E. coli species of bacteria that are most of the times responsible for most of the infections.
  • Staphylococcus epidermidis
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae

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Increase Vitamin C Intake

Some evidence shows that increasing your intake of vitamin C could protect against urinary tract infections.

Vitamin C is thought to work by increasing the acidity of the urine, thereby killing off the bacteria that cause infection .

An older 2007 study of UTIs in pregnant women looked at the effects of taking 100 mg of vitamin C every day .

The study found that vitamin C had a protective effect, cutting the risk of UTIs by more than half in those taking vitamin C, compared with the control group .

Fruits and vegetables are especially high in vitamin C and are a good way to increase your intake.

Red peppers, oranges, grapefruit, and kiwifruit all contain the full recommended amount of vitamin C in just one serving .

Despite these studies, there is still more research needed to prove the effectiveness of vitamin C for reducing UTIs. .

SUMMARY

Increasing vitamin C intake may decrease the risk of UTIs by making the urine more acidic, thus killing off infection-causing bacteria.

Drinking unsweetened cranberry juice is one of the most well-known natural remedies for urinary tract infections.

Cranberries work by preventing bacteria from adhering to the urinary tract, thus preventing infection .

In a 2016 study, women with recent histories of UTIs drank an 8-ounce serving of cranberry juice every day for 24 weeks. Those who drank cranberry juice had fewer UTI episodes than the control group .

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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Antibiotics Treatment For Uti

If you approach doctor they will mostly prescribe with antibiotics. Antibiotics are the standard treatment that is available for UTI. Antibiotics kill the bacteria causing the UTI infections.

The intake of antibiotics is the quickest way to treat UTI. However, expect side effects with antibiotics treatment and know the aftercare. The possible side effects are diarrhea, rash, nausea or vomiting, headache, abnormal liver functions.

How Does A Woman Get A Urinary Tract Infection Utis

Kidney Infection Treatment Without Antibiotics

Women are more at risk maybe because they have shorter urethras, which allow bacteria quick access to the bladder. Having sex can introduce bacteria into the urinary tract and increase the chance of getting a UTI.

Most of the time this health problem is not serious, but sometimes it could lead you to a serious problem by damaging your kidney, particularly if septicemia occurs. Because of UTIs, women can deliver low birth weight or premature infants.

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Cut Bladder Irritants From Your Diet

When you have a UTI, caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, nicotine, carbonated drinks, and artificial sweeteners can irritate your bladder further, making it harder for your body to heal, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Focus on healthy foods, such as high-fiber carbohydrates , that are good for your digestive health, says Holly Lucille, ND, RN, a naturopathic doctor in private practice in West Hollywood, California, and the author of Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Womans Guide to Safe, Natural Hormone Health.

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Risk Factors In Both Women And Men

Certain risk factors apply to both women and men. These include:

  • Having a catheter in place. Bacteria can enter the catheter and start an infection. Most at risk are older adults who are in hospitals or who live in long-term care facilities.
  • Kidney stones and other obstructions in the urinary tract. These may block the flow of urine, raising the risk of bacterial infection.
  • Diabetes. People with diabetes are at greater risk for UTIs because their immune systems are weakened. Also, long-term high blood sugar can damage the kidneys’ filtering system .
  • Structural problems of the urinary tract. These may be present at birth or develop later in life.

Why Antibiotics Might Not Work

Treating Urinary Tract Infection without Antibiotics | D-Mannose & UTI Home Remedies

Sometimes antibiotic treatment doesnt do the trick. This may occur when the bacteria causing the UTI become antibiotic resistant, meaning they outsmart and outlive the antibiotic.

See, bacteria have this amazing ability to mutate to evade being killed. And after being attacked multiple times by the same antibiotics we use on lots of people, the bacteria can learn to resist them. Some research estimates that as many as one in three uncomplicated UTIs are resistant to at least one common antibiotic. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.8 million people in the U.S. get an antibiotic-resistant infection every year.

This sounds bad, and thats fair: Its not great news. But this doesnt spell doomsday either.

If your UTI isnt responding to treatment with one antibiotic, your doctor may prescribe another type of antibiotic. Most bacteria arent resistant to all the antibiotics out there, so chances are your urologist or primary care doctor has encountered this situation before and knows how to help.

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Herbal Therapy With Canephron N

Another alternative, non-antibiotic approach to UTI treatment is the administration of herbal preparations. One product approved in many countries is Canephron N . This contains century herbs, lovage roots and rosemary leaves. It has diuretic, spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and nephroprotective properties, and is also considered to be safe in both pregnancy and during breastfeeding .

Miotla et al. evaluated the efficiency of Canephron N in the prevention of UTI in high-risk female patients undergoing urodynamic studies . Therein, women with at least one risk factor for UTI received after UDS either 3 g of fosfomycin trometamol single dose or 5 ml of Canephron N taken orally three times daily for 1 week. There was no statistically significant difference in UTI incidence between the two groups. The authors concluded that prophylaxis of UTI after UDS with this phytodrug may be a good alternative to antibiotics administered after UDS in high-risk female patients .

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.

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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.

Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections: Causes, Symptoms &  Best Treatments

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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