Painful! Annoying! Irritating! Uncomfortable! All words anyone who has experienced a urinary tract infection can relate to. The frequent urge to pee, a burning sensation when you do pee, trouble passing urine and even abdomen or lower back pain are symptoms of UTI, an infliction most commonly experienced by women than men. In worst case scenario, a UTI can lead to kidney damage and can be cause by sex, diabetes pregnancy, menopause, or even holding on to urine for a prolonged duration. If you’re interested in natural remedies for UTIs, there are a few:
1 Cranberry Juice
Most commonly associated with cystitis, Cranberry juice is an excellent choice when you have a UTI. The acidic nature of cranberry makes it difficult for the bacterium that causes urinary tract infections to cling onto the lining of the urethra. Be sure to drink at least half glass of cranberry juice daily to prevent UTIs. Increase the number of glasses to 4 at least if you're already suffering from UTI.
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2 Blueberries
Just like cranberries, blueberries may also help ward off potential UTIs. Drinking fresh blueberry juice will help, but it is a bit hard to come by and is usually mixed with things like apple or grape juice. In this case, you will be better off consuming fresh blueberries for better effects. Eat a few for breakfast to treat infections.
3 Drink Soda
Hold your horses! We're not talking about soda as in a sugary soft drink – it's soda as in baking soda. This alkaline substance can help you with everything from heartburn to urinary tract infections. Simply blend half teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water and drink it to neutralize the acidity in your urine. Don't use this remedy for more than a week though because baking soda is high in sodium.
4 Enjoy Cucumbers
One of the best ways to treat UTI is to get extra fluid through your system, and there's nothing better than eating a few cucumber slices that have high water content. It's a perfect remedy when you think you cannot drink enough water. Simply take a cucumber, rinse it, and cut into slices. Enjoy!
5 Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water. Add a teaspoon of honey for flavor if you like. Blend these ingredients well and drink it three times a day.
6 Vitamin C
Adding vitamin-C rich foods to your diet will also help treat your urinary tract infections. Anything like guava, tomato, papaya, orange, etc., will do. All these foods contain enough vitamin C to restrict the growth of bacteria in your body.
7 Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a great remedy for UTIs because it clears the infection and also helps relieve the pain. Add 10 drops of tea tree oil in water and use it to wash your urethral opening. For better effects, add sandalwood oil and juniper oil to tea tree oil and apply it on your abdominal region. Repeat for 3-4 days to see results.
8 Pineapple
Pineapple has the enzyme called bromelain that gives it anti-inflammatory properties and makes it an effective remedy for UTIs. Consume a cup of pineapple or fresh pineapple juice regularly to prevent UTI symptoms. Be sure to avoid the canned juice.
9 Water
Drinking plenty of water is one of the easiest natural remedies for urinary tract infections. Fluids help you in two ways: They dilute your urine and flush bacteria out of your bladder. Concentrated, dark urine is always more acidic and may be more painful to pass when you have a UTI. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day will definitely help relieve pain and inflammation.
10 Hot Water Compresses
Peeing will hurt when you have a UTI, but the irritation and inflammation can also cause a nagging discomfort that often makes you feel cramped up. Applying heat over your bladder will help make you feel better. Get a water bottle and fill it up with hot water. Put it on your lower abdomen for 10 minutes or so. Do it regularly to reduce inflammation.
With a UTI it’s a case of trying a few of the above out to see which works best. What have you tried? What works best for you?
