If you do experience the symptoms of a UTI, it's important to check in with your doctor before attempting to treat it yourself.
Together, you can determine whether you'll need antibiotics, or if you can treat your UTI at home. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.
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Laura Goldman. To treat a UTI at home, it's important to drink lots of water, and consume cranberries and Vitamin C. Often, you will need antibiotics to effectively treat a UTI, and you should check in with your doctor first to determine if you're able to treat one at home. Antibiotics will likely be more effective at treating a UTI after it's occurred, but with these natural remedies, you can help reduce your risk and prevent future UTIs.
UTI is classified into two broad categories, uncomplicated, also known as cystitis, and complicated, such as pyelonephritis, catheter-associated, UTI during pregnancy and UTI in setting of kidney stone. When bacteria invade the urethra the opening to the urinary tract and track upwards to the bladder, it causes infection and inflammation in a normally sterile environment.
In most cases, UTIs are caused by E. A mild UTI causes symptoms, including painful urination, constantly feeling the need to urinate and cramping pain in the lower abdomen.
In the elderly population, a mild UTI can even cause confusion. Urinary tract infections UTIs are caused by bacterial infection, so doctors usually treat them with antibiotics — but is it possible to treat a UTI without antibiotics? UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections in the United States.
They are especially prevalent in women, around 50 percent of whom will have one during their lifetime. UTIs also tend to reoccur. Increasingly, people want to know whether non-antibiotic treatments can resolve UTIs. We explore this possibility here and provide seven evidence-based home remedies that can help to treat UTIs.
Antibiotics are an effective treatment for UTIs. However, the body can often resolve minor, uncomplicated UTIs on its own without the help of antibiotics. By some estimates, 25—42 percent of uncomplicated UTI infections clear on their own. In these cases, people can try a range of home remedies to speed up recovery. Complicated UTIs will require medical treatment.
These UTIs involve one or more of the following factors:. Antibiotics are the standard treatment for UTIs because they kill the bacteria that cause the infections.
Most UTIs develop when bacteria enter the urinary tract from outside the body. The species of bacteria most likely to be responsible for UTIs include:. While antibiotics can usually treat UTIs quickly and effectively, people can be allergic to them, and their use can carry certain risks. For instance, an estimated 22 percent of the women receiving treatment for uncomplicated UTIs develop a vaginal Candida infection, which is a type of fungal infection.
Over time, some species of bacteria have become resistant to traditional antibiotics. There are several species of E. Every time people use an antibiotic, there is an increased risk of the bacteria developing resistance to it. As a result, doctors are trying to reduce the use of antibiotics, especially when other treatments may be effective or when illnesses can resolve on their own. It is essential to continue a course of antibiotics until the end date that the doctor provides.
People should also never share antibiotics with others. The body contains a community of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live harmoniously and help with bodily functions. Antibiotics may destroy some of these bacteria, which could increase the likelihood of other infections occurring. Women are prone to contracting a urinary tract infection at least once in their life. Certain UTIs do not need treatment if they are diagnosed on time and if the symptoms are cared for, however, some UTIs require medical intervention in the form of antibiotics.
The only clinically proven cure for a UTI is a prescribed antibiotic and nothing else as of yet. It is always advised to avoid self-treatment and seek medical help. Why antibiotics are the golden standard? 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.
These can include: Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea 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. 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 days for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
These include: Paracetamol: Almost always available as an over-the-counter drug, paracetamol is one of the best OTC UTI treatment drugs available since it helps alleviate the pain associated with UTI symptoms.
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