Bladder Infection Home Remedies : Get Rid Of UTI Fast And Easy

Looking for bladder infection home remedies? No doubt bladder infection or urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common conditions that millions of people particularly women faces all year round. In fact, there is an estimation of 8 million or more women visiting their doctor’s clinic every year. And yet this does not take into account those who choose to take bladder infection home remedies as self treatment at home.

Of all the medical infections, UTI ranks second most common among the population today. In other words, it is the second most common reason as to why people visit their doctor’s clinic every single year. Statistics have also shown that urinary tract infection or bladder infection are much more common in women than in men.

With such a staggering number of bladder infection cases, there is no denying that antibiotics use is widespread. Antibiotics are generally prescribed by doctors to kill those nasty infection-causing bacteria and is recognized as one of the most effective ways of treating the infection.

While antibiotic treatments are effective, repeated use can actually lead to other health problems such as systemic yeast infections and disruption of the microbial balance within the body. In fact, antibiotics use can even cause birth defect in pregnancy.

Bladder Infection Home Remedies

There are however, some other alternative UTI treatment without antibiotics that are just as effective. This is where bladder infection self treatments fit in. In reality, bladder infection remedies are not complicated at all. You can even do it yourself right in the comfort of your own home.

Who is at risk?

While bladder infection is a condition caused by bacteria that thrives in the urinary bladder, two types of infection can occur; they are acute and chronic. Acute bladder infection occurs only for a single episode. Once the condition is treated, the problem does not resurface again. Chronic bladder infection on the other hand is recurring in nature. When the condition has been treated, there is a period of calm before it strikes again.

Also, certain group of people are at a higher risk of developing bladder infections, they are:

• Woman aged 20 to 50
• Has a history of urinary tract infections (UTI)
• Has a history of kidney or bladder stones
• Has urinary retention problems
• Has enlarged prostate issue

 

So, how do you get a bladder infection?

Women are especially more prone to getting a bladder infection because of their anatomical structure. In female anatomy, the urinary bladder is located merely 1 and a half inch (about 4 centimeters) from the opening thereby making it easy for bacteria to enter from the outside and reach the bladder.

The short urethra in female exaggerate the condition as bacteria can enter the bladder rather quickly and easily. Men on the other hand have longer urethra with a length that spans up to 20 cm. Therefore, the occurrence of bladder infection is so much rarer in men than women. The most common type of bacteria that cause bladder infection is Escherichia coli or E. coli.

Studies have shown that E. coli bacteria generally live in the vaginal-anal region on the lower part of the body. The bacteria may get transferred on to the urethra – the narrow tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body to the outside world, due to its close proximity to this vaginal and anal region.

Activities such as sexual intercourse, improper hygiene of the genital region, holding back urine for long period of time, insufficient daily water intake and urinary retention as well as a whole range of other possible reasons have been known to cause an infection.

So, what are the symptoms of bladder infection?

If you know that you are experiencing or having a bladder infection, you should seek treatment immediately to get it cured as soon as possible. One of the most obvious signs of bladder infection is the burning sensation and sharp pain when passing urine. Severe bladder infection can also be accompanied with symptoms like fever, chills and even pain in the lower back region, fatigue and tiredness. If you are unsure whether you are having an infection, you can check out this test here.

If you are pregnant and experiencing signs of bladder infection then you should seek the immediate attention of your physician as not doing so could lead to other complications during child birth.

Below are some of the common symptoms of a bladder infection.

• Burning sensation while urinating
• Frequent urination
• Sudden urge to urinate
• Traces of blood in urine
• Cloudy urine
• Back pain
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Chilling

Although bladder infection is not a very serious problem particularly during its early stages, the infection can spread to the kidneys if ignored and left untreated. This can pose an even more serious health consequences in the worst case, which can be life threatening . Read about the dangers of untreated kidney infection here.

If no treatment is taken to remedy the condition, the bacteria that cause the bladder infection can travel further up the urinary tract. It can travel to the kidney through the ureters – the two narrow tubes that carry urine excreted by the kidney into the bladder. When these bacteria reach the kidney it can cause more complications such as kidney infection, high fever, chills, loss of kidney or even death.

But before that happens, it is wise to pay more attention on how to get rid of the infection beforehand. Fortunately, there are a number of urinary tract infection home remedies that one can resort to, should such a situation ever arise.

The inflammation of the bladder causes irritation and spasm to the bladder muscles thereby making you feel the need to urinate more frequently than usual.

That is one of the most obvious signs and symptoms of an infection when you constantly feel the urge to urinate and when you do; there is only a little urine that comes out. Your bladder contains only a little amount of urine when the urge hits. In addition, you could also feel discomfort, severe burning and pain that feel like a cutting knife or razor blade cutting through your urethra while urinating.

So if you think you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is best to take extra precaution early on and try to take some bladder infection home remedies as a prevention measure before it becomes a full blown urinary tract infection. It is also important to understand and have some knowledge about common signs and symptoms of bladder infections especially when you are dealing with one.

 

How to get rid of infection without going to the doctor?

You can always self treat a UTI easily especially when the infection is still in the early stages. Generally, here are some methods that you can try to prevent the infection before it turns into a full-blown UTI.

1. Always stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. It is a sure way of preventing and getting rid of bladder infection. Water helps to eliminate toxins from the body and flushes the system. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day will help to cleanse your bladder and flush away the infection-causing bacteria effectively.

2. Drinking cranberry juice is another great way to prevent bladder infection as it helps to clear away any bacteria that is in the urinary tract. You can start by drink a glass of cranberry juice in the morning and evening.

3. By adding a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar into your bath water will also help clear infections. Apple cider vinegar is rich in enzymes and potassium which helps to attack the bacteria.

4. Adding some baking soda into a glass of water is another way to help clear up bladder infection. Drinking this twice daily will help get rid of infection.

As soon as you begin to experience signs of bladder infection you should act immediately to clear it up. The sooner you take action, the better. While these bladder infection home remedies should work, if you experience worsening condition or for some reasons the cures are not working as effectively, you should always consult with your doctor since certain cases might be severe that they require the intervention of medical treatments.

Self Treating A Bladder Infection

Normally, bladder infection can be treated with medicines like antibiotics which should be continued until the condition is fully recovered. But at the early stages of the condition, bladder infection home remedies are generally sufficient to get rid of the inflammation as these remedies are not only natural and much safer to use, they are also very effective as well. You can expect to see positive results in just a couple of days with some effective bladder infection home remedies.

Some of the major benefits of using bladder infection home remedies include:

1. Natural. Since natural remedies involve only natural ingredients such as spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables, they are 100% drug free. Also, these ingredients are easy to obtain.

2. Inexpensive. As these remedies involve only natural ingredients, they are downright inexpensive. It cost only a fraction of what you pay for a visit to your doctor’s clinic.

3. Safe. Natural treatments are safer as they generally have no side effect when compared to drugs treatments.

4. Mild. The effects of natural remedies are also very much milder as compared to over-the-counter medications.

There are certain natural bladder infection home remedies that can be quite effective.

 

The Top Remedies For Bladder Infection

Drinking plenty of water

To get rid of an infection, you will need to have these simple bladder infection home remedies. One of the most effective ways to rid bladder infections is to drink plenty of water each day. As you have already known that water plays a very important role in cleansing the body of all its toxins and other unwanted substances, the same goes for a bladder infection.

By drinking a lot of water each day, your urine gets diluted and the bacteria in the bladder will get frequently flushed out as you will naturally be visiting the bathroom more often. Infection diminishes as the number of bacteria drops. To further help get rid of these bacteria, you should also prevent yourself from holding your urine for too long. Regularly emptying your bladder of its content during this stage is essential.

Cranberry

Cranberry is no doubt one of the most notorious bladder infection home remedies around. You can get the benefits of cranberry from a wide range of products in the market today ranging from fresh cranberry juice to cranberry capsules and supplement pills.

Cranberry has long been used as a natural remedy to treat urinary tract infection (UTI). Its use has been dated back to more than a century ago. Although it is primarily used to treat UTI, cranberry can also be used to ward off infections.

These have been proven in various studies and researches conducted and have found evidence that cranberry is indeed an effective cure against infections of the urinary tract particularly the bladder. It is especially effective for women who are experiencing recurring bladder infection.

As such if you intend to get rid of your bladder infection with cranberries, you can essentially try any products made from cranberry. Although there are many cranberry products in existence today, choosing unsweetened ones would be a better choice as not only do they contain less sugar, they are also healthier. Over consumption of sugars might result in weight gain as well as other health issues arising in the long run. Another better choice would be to drink pure unsweetened cranberry juice.

You can easily obtain them from a food store or a local supermarket near you. However, if the taste of cranberry is simply too much for you, taking cranberry pills can be a great alternative.

Regardless of which method you choose, it is always recommended that you drink plenty of water throughout the day. Most people tend to avoid this because of the pain felt during urination, but water is the best way to flush out the infection. By combining these, it becomes one of the most effective bladder infection home remedies in existence.

So why are cranberries so effective when used as bladder infection home remedies? Cranberry works by increasing the acidic level of your urine thereby creating an environment that is hostile to the survival of these infection-causing bacteria. With your urine turning more acidic, the growth of bacteria begins to die down.

Scientists have also found that cranberry contains a substance known as Proanthocyanidins (condensed tannin), a naturally occurring polyphenolic bioflavonoids that has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

Proanthocyanidins works by preventing the bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder. This substance enters your urine when you consume cranberry products. It makes your bladder wall “slippery” thereby making it harder for those bacteria to adhere onto the wall of your bladder. With reduced number of bacteria clinging onto your bladder wall, the bacteria then stays in your urine and would get flushed out of your body whenever you urinate. This is why drinking a lot of liquid is very important during an infection.

The more you repeatedly fill and empty your bladder, the lesser the number of bacteria remains in your bladder and hence you would have gradually gotten rid of the bladder infection. Besides, you will notice that the feeling of burning sensation when urinating diminishing with time too.

Studies conducted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) have found that by drinking eight ounces of cranberry juice a day, it can ward off a bladder infection. As for prevention or to prevent the infection from re-occurring again, 4 ounces of intake a day is sufficient. The studies have also indicated that upon 6 hours after consuming the juice, the number of bacteria that remain sticking to the wall of the bladder is significantly reduced.

Nonetheless, cranberry does work as a potent remedy. Not only is it simple, cranberry is also easy to obtain. In addition, it also offers a safer alternative to long term antibiotic use which is not only bad for health, but very costly too.

Apart from cranberries, a little less known bladder infection remedy that works just as effectively is to consume blueberry. Blueberries like cranberries have been studied numerous times and these studies have all indicated that the fruit has bacteria-inhibiting properties that can have notable effects in preventing and treating bladder infection. It contains some mild antibiotic effects that occur naturally which can help get rid of the inflammation caused by the bacteria.

Try adding a few blueberries to your morning cereal as part of your treatment can be a great way to start your day.

 

Baking Soda

The use of baking soda is also one of the effective bladder infection home remedies that is rather popular. While most bladder infections that are left untreated for two or more days require medical intervention, you can effectively fight off the infection with baking soda.

Drink a mixture of baking soda with water can make your urine more acidic. Similar to how cranberry works, a drop in pH of the urine creates a hostile environment for the bacteria and therefore stunning its growth. In fact, you will be able to speed up the recovery process too.

Baking soda is a component that is used for cleaning purposes for practically everything. In fact, it is an ingredient that is known to fight many other infections in the human body.

However, as you know that baking soda is a cleansing agent, it is actually poisonous to the human body. It is referred to as a caustic poison which means it should not be taken in large doses.

Also as a side note, when practicing this remedy, it is very important to get a baking soda that is aluminum-free (also known as “natural baking soda” or “pharmaceutical grade baking soda”) as aluminum can cause toxicity to the human body.

This is why keeping a tab on the amount of baking soda used as a cure for bladder infection should be done carefully. Because of this, assessing your medical history prior to practicing is highly recommended.

For instance, consuming large amounts of baking soda can have a harmful effect on the kidneys. Therefore, if you have any current issues with your kidneys, this bladder infection remedy might not be suitable for you.

As baking soda in actuality is sodium bicarbonate, it contains a high level of sodium too. It is therefore not recommended for people who have hypertension and those who are undergoing a low sodium diet. As with anything, moderation is the key here. In fact, taking too much baking soda can even cause stomach pain, loss of appetite, headache or even seizure. So use with caution!

While baking soda is one of the great bladder infection home remedies, its effectiveness is limited without Vitamin C. Baking soda has a natural reaction that helps to balance the acid from Vitamin C with the alkaline levels in the body. By doing this, the balanced levels will instantly activate the immune system allowing the body to fight off the infection on its own.

Since baking soda is really only effective when taken with Vitamin C, you will need to increase your consumption of nutrients during this process. Vitamin C should be increased to its maximum intake as this will benefit the most. However, baking soda is also known to decrease levels of Vitamin B and Folic Acid, and due to this, it would be wise to add these vitamins onto your daily intake too.

So, what is the best way to ingest the baking soda? It’s very simple; take half a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it into an 8 ounce glass of water. You can add some lemon juice if you like or if you prefer to add more water to help with taste, that would be fine, however, it is not recommended to add more baking soda. The best advice for consumption is that less is better; so keep your intake to a minimum. You can do this once a day for about three days, but no longer than this until the following week if symptoms persist.

The side effects are basically the same as enduring a bladder infection which includes the need to urinate often as well as small amounts of nausea. Regardless, it is still one of the very popular bladder infection home remedies that is known to be effective.

So, if you happen to experience these often and need some type of solutions, baking soda may be the answer. Life can be hectic at times and visiting the doctor frequently can also cause additional stress which never helps with the healing process. As with any great solutions, there are side effects too. So, it’s important to monitor intake and research your medical history prior to use. But, the good news is that it is a natural treatment and can help you take some control in fighting these infections yourself.

While the bladder infection home remedies above work their way to get rid of the infection, you can speed the recovery too by following these 3 simple steps.

Avoid Alcohol And Caffeinated Beverages

Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake can help with the recovery process as these substances are known to irritate the bladder wall.

Avoid Sexual Relations

In addition, you should also try to avoid sexual relations too. It’s better to wait until your body is fully recovered or when you feel completely better. Having sex with a full-blown infection may be painful due to the inflamed urinary tract.

Take Vitamin C

Another method to speed up the recovery is to take Vitamin C tablet at night before you go to bed. Vitamin C helps builds up stronger immune system while you are recovering during rest. A stronger immune system would definitely aid your recovery.

So, never wait when you experience the first sign of an UTI. As soon as you begin to know of a bladder infection you should act fast to clear it up. However, if after you have tried and none of these home remedies seems to help with your bladder infection, you should always consult your physicians for advice. Your doctor will prescribe the best treatment for your condition.

Also read about possible causes of burning sensation after urinating here.