Saturday, March 23, 2024

How Can I Treat A Bladder Infection

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You May Pass The Infection To Your Partner

Treating Urinary Tract Infections Naturally – Dr. Mark Ellerkmann – Mercy

A UTI isnt a sexually transmitted infection , and it isnt considered a contagious condition. However, you can pass the bacteria that causes a UTI between partners.

For example,E. coli bacteria may travel from your anus to the vaginal opening or onto a penis. During vaginal sex, a penis can move the bacteria into the vaginal opening, increasing the risk of developing an infection.

In some cases, the UTI may actually be a side effect of an STI, such as chlamydia or trichomoniasis. These infections can be passed between partners.

If you decide you want to engage in sexual activity despite your UTI, there are a number of tips to keep in mind.

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Dont Take Leftover Medicine

Dr. Propst maintains that she typically does not recommend home remedies for the treatment of UTIs. But she also cautions you should also avoid digging around in your medicine cabinet and taking any old leftover antibiotics that you might have stashed there. Those antibiotics may not work at all for UTIs, she says. They may not even get to the bladder.

Plus, you run the risk of contributing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The bacteria youre trying to kill off might survive the mismatched or old antibiotic and survive, but then it may be harder to find another antibiotic that can get rid of it.

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Preventative Measures That May Help You Avoid Utis

There is some very mild evidence that probiotics may help prevent bladder infections, says Goldman. The idea is that probiotics can help restore the healthy bacterial flora or good bacteria in your vagina and along your urinary tract. You can get these probiotics either naturally in your diet from foods like yogurt and kimchi, or in the form of supplements. Probiotics are also available in the form of vaginal suppositories. Some people do well with the vaginal insertion of special probiotics formulated for vagina, says Kim.

While the notion that cranberry juice can cure a UTI is pretty flimsy, there are some studies suggesting it can aid in preventing them. There is some very, very weak evidence that cranberry juice or cranberries or other things in that family, like blueberries may help lower ones risk for infection, says Goldman.

Cranberries contain tannins that are thought to minimize adherence of bacteria to the urinary tract, Kobashi explains, but the thinking is that there is not enough of them to be effective. However, both doctors reason that because its totally harmless, upping your cranberry intake in the name of a UTI-free existence cant hurt.

If youre following your doctors advice and have tried all the tricks and are still getting UTIs after intercourse, there could be something else going on.

Read more about vaginal health:

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Soothe Your Infection With Ginger Tea

  • Add 2 tablespoons of fresh crushed ginger to boiling water.
  • Let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Strain it and drink 2 to 3 cups a day. Add honey for a better taste.

Ginger has antimicrobial properties that work against a variety of bacterial strains.20

While chewing on a piece of ginger will also have positive effects, its best to consume it as a tea to treat your UTI. The more liquid you drink, the faster you flush out UTI bacteria.

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How To Get Rid Of A Uti In 24 Hours

Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Are you experiencing painful urination and a constant need to run to the bathroom? If so, then youre already wondering how to get rid of a UTI in 24 hours. The seven home remedies in this article can help.

If youre still experiencing symptoms after 24 hours, then you need antibiotics. To get your hands on them, youll need to visit the doctor.

The doctors at Oxford Urgent Care will provide you with prompt treatment and relief. Check out our contact information and visit our office as soon as possible to remedy your UTI.

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Manufacturers Respond To The Fda

The FDA received at least three responses to its list ofphenazopyridine questions within a 6-month period. The ConsumerHealthcare Products Association asked the FDA to reviewphenazopyridine, but completely sidestepped the issue ofcarcinogenicity.11 A submission from PolymedicaPharmaceuticals asserted that urinarydiscomfort should be self-treatable, and further argued against warningpatients on product labels that they may need a concomitantantibacterial.12 Polymedica also claimed that phenazopyridinedosages of 190 to 195 mg are safe and effective, but did not submitclinical dosage studies to support its assertions. Polymedica arguedagainst including any carcinogenesis statement. In short, the submissionwas entirely laudatory about phenazopyridine, although it did notreport newly conducted clinical studies, as would have been required bythe FDA to establish safety and efficacy.

A brief submission from Johnson & Johnson made essentially the same arguments as Polymedica, denying theneed for carcinogenicity labeling.13 This submission also failed to include new clinical studies providing evidence of safety and efficacy.

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What Is The Urinary Tract

The urinary tract makes and stores urine, one of the body’s liquid waste products. The urinary tract includes the following parts:

  • Kidneys: These small organs are located on back of your body, just above the hips. They are the filters of your body removing waste and water from your blood. This waste becomes urine.
  • Ureters: The ureters are thin tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to your bladder.
  • Bladder: A sac-like container, the bladder stores your urine before it leaves the body.
  • Urethra: This tube carries the urine from your bladder to the outside of the body.

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Potential Complications Of A Bladder Infection

Without treatment, bacteria from the bladder can travel up to the kidneys and cause a . This can cause pain on the sides of the body . You may also experience fever and chills.

is another possible complication of infection. Although bladder infections can sometimes cause a , it is important to let your doctor know if you experience a high and shaking or chills.

When treating a bladder infection, take the full course of medication, even if you start feeling better. Completing the treatment reduces the risk of complications.

Cystitis In Men And Older People

How to treat UTI?/Home remedies for urinary tract infections…

Men tend to get cystitis later in life. Where trouble with urine flow is a symptom, this may indicate that the underlying cause is a problem with their prostate gland.

Cystitis is common in older people, particularly if they are unwell. Bladder catheters and some urinary-tract operations may also increase the risk of cystitis.

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What Are Urinary Tract Infections In Dogs

Like us humans, UTI in dogs refers to an infection of their urinary tract. Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs in dogs. Bacterial urinary tract infection is a common infectious disease in dogs, period. Bacterial UTIs affect 15 percent of all dogs in their lifetime. This means that your dog may experience a UTI at some point in his life.

Certain factors can increase your dogs risk of getting a urinary tract infection . Often, female dogs are more likely to get UTIs than males, but male dogs can still get them more easily. There is also an increase in the rate of UTIs currently occurring in dogs with other health problems, such as chronic Cushings disease and kidney disease.

When To See A Doctor

Contact your doctor if you have pain or discomfort when you urinate or other symptoms of a bladder infection, especially if the symptoms have been present for two days or more. If an infection lingers for too long, you risk the bacterial infection traveling to other parts of your body, including your kidneys. Therefore, you should seek treatment if you notice symptoms.

Your doctor will complete a physical examination and collect a urine sample to send for lab analysis to determine if an infection is present. Complications from an uncomplicated bladder infection are typically rare with antibiotic treatment. However, if you develop fever, chills, nausea, or confusion, you should immediately contact your doctor. These symptoms suggest a more serious infection that has spread to your kidneys. If you have a kidney infection, you may need an IV treatment of high-dose antibiotics, which may require hospitalization.

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What Not To Do

  • Dont use vaginal deodorants or douches
  • Dont use diaphragms, spermicide or unlubricated condoms
  • Dont hold urine in for long periods of time
  • Dont remain in wet clothes or swimsuits
  • Dont wear non-cotton underwear

As Elizabeth and millions of other women like her know, UTIs can be painful and inconvenient.

The best way to deal with a UTI is to prevent it from happening in the first place, said Kim Chiang, MD, a Stanford primary care physician.

In addition to incorporating the dos and dont of UTI prevention into your life, make sure to ask your doctor or health care provider about other prevention techniques, especially if you have recurrent UTIs.

This is the second post in the seriesUnderstanding UTIs. The goal of this seven-part series is to provide easy-to-understand, scientifically grounded information about UTIs. Patients referenced are composites, compiled from actual patient experiences.

Joanna Langner is a graduate student in Community Health and Prevention Research at Stanford who is interested in health disparities and womens health. She wrote this series with the support of Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and director of the Program on Prevention Outcomes and Practices, and Kim Chiang, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine.

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What Are The Causes Of Utis

How to Prevent Bladder Infections

The presence of bacteria in the urinary tract is the most common cause of UTIs. The bacteria are typically introduced in the urethra and make their way to the bladder, where they multiply. The urinary tract typically fights any foreign body automatically, but these defenses sometimes dont work and fail altogether. When the urinary tract is defenseless against bacteria, then it has the potential to multiply and result in an infection.

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Symptoms Of Urinary Tract Infections

How do you know if you have a UTI? Well, sometimes there are actually no symptoms at all and other times you will experience some pretty noticeable signs.

The most common symptoms associated with UTIs are:

  • Strong, persistent need to urinate
  • Burning sensation when urinating
  • Urine with a strong odor
  • Urinating small amounts frequently
  • Pain in the pelvic area, particularly for women

If the infection has made it to your kidneys, you might have one or more of these symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Pain located below the ribs in your back or side

If you think you have a UTI, especially if you think that its become a kidney infection, its important to see your doctor. They can rule out the cause and prescribe you antibacterial or antibiotic drugs to kill off the bacteria.

How Can You Cure A Uti

For all the anti-antibiotic people out there, I have bad news. You cant cure the infection with natural remedies. Sorry. Though there are natural solutions that might help prevent UTI , all the unsweetened cranberry juice in the world wont actually help you. In fact, in the study Cranberry juice fails to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection, cranberry juice cocktail had the exact same effect as a placebo in recurrent UTIs. Barbosa-Cesnik C, et al. . Cranberry juice fails to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection: Results from a randomized placebo-controlled trial. DOI: Though you probably guessed that from the study title.

The only way to totally get rid of a UTI is with antibiotics. If youre experiencing symptoms, its best to get to the doctor quickly. Theyll test your urine, and if its indeed a UTI, youll get a weeklong course of antibiotics. Usually, your symptoms go away in a few days and you can enjoy pain-free peeing again. But you must continue your antibiotics until youve completed the prescription.

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What Exactly Is A Uti

Unsurprisingly, a UTI is an infection of the urinary tract. Bacteria has gotten into the urinary tract system, which is normally sterile. To put it in less pleasant terms, when material from the lower intestine gets into your urethra, it causes a bladder infection.

Though that sounds horrid, its not uncommon. Sometimes, it can be caused by a lack of proper hygiene, but most of the time it occurs from sex, using a diaphragm, or just being a woman. The Mayo Clinic lists female anatomy as a risk factor for the illness. So, if youre simply walking around town with a vagina, you very well might get a UTI.

The infection itself might be caused by the E. coli bacteria, which goes up the urethra. Sometimes, it hangs out in this urinary hallway without infecting anywhere else. More often, the bacteria gets into the bladder, causing frequent painful peeing, discharges, blood in your urine, and pelvic discomfort. Its not a good time, but a bladder infection is rarely serious, especially if you get treatment right away.

What About Kidney Stones Are They Involved Here Somehow

How to Naturally Treat a UTI or Bladder Infection

Sort of. A kidney stone isnt an infection, but a collection of salt and minerals that hardens and turns into a stone. While some stones may be small others can be much larger. They may stay in the kidney, or begin to move into the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney and the bladder. When this happens, kidney stones can become extremely painful.

Kidney stones can be tricky, since they may have many of the same symptoms as a UTI or a kidney infection pain when urinating, needing to urinate often, and cloudy or strong smelling urine, blood in the urine, fever, nausea or vomiting. And while stones often pass on their own, larger stones sometimes need to be broken up, or removed.

Sometimes, kidney stones can lead to a urinary tract infection or a kidney infection, so its important to get them checked out by your doctor. And, since the symptoms are so similar, getting a checkup is probably a good idea anyway just to rule out the possibility of an infection, and to make sure the stone is moving along as it should.

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How Is Kidney Infection Diagnosed

A kidney infection is usually diagnosed based on your symptoms, a physical exam, and the results of urine tests, indicating bacteria in your urinary tract.

Your doctor will likely ask about your health history and any conditions that might place you at higher risk of a kidney infection, such as having an enlarged prostate gland or a medical condition that can cause urinary retention, such as multiple sclerosis.

Sometimes a doctor will order imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or computerized tomography scan, to look for signs of swelling or other abnormalities in your kidneys or bladder.

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Southern Cross Medical Library

The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.

What Causes Urinary Tract Infections

Symptoms of urinary tract infection and Treatments

Normal urine is sterile and contains fluids, salts, and waste products. It does not contain bacteria, viruses, or fungi. A UTI occurs when germs, most often bacteria from the digestive tract, get into the opening of the urethra and start to multiply.

Most UTIs are caused by E. coli bacteria, which normally live in the colon.

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How Do You Prevent A Bladder Infection

People who have recurrent bladder infections may be able to prevent them in some cases:

  • Drink more fluids
  • Urinate right after intercourse
  • It is believed this will help flush out germs that can enter the bladder. There is no evidence this prevents bladder infections but it is not harmful.
  • Change birth control: avoid spermicides and diaphragms
  • Vaginal estrogen may be recommended for women who have been through menopause
  • A flexible ring worn in the vagina for three months , a small vaginal insert , or a cream .
  • Wiping the bottom from front to back after having a bowel movement
  • Preventive antibiotics or antibiotics taken following intercourse, as recommended by your doctor

    Cranberry juice, cranberry tablets, and a supplement called D-mannose have been promoted to help prevent frequent bladder infections but there are no studies that show these products are effective. However, use of these products probably is not harmful. Tell your doctor before taking any supplements.

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