What Causes A Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections are caused by microorganisms usually bacteria that enter the urethra and bladder, causing inflammation and infection. Though a UTI most commonly happens in the urethra and bladder, bacteria can also travel up the ureters and infect your kidneys.
More than 90% of bladder infection cases are caused by E. coli, a bacterium normally found in the intestines.
How To Treat A Cat Uti At Home
A cat UTI is more common in female cats than male cats.
However, male cats can have serious complications from UTIs as well.
Cats diagnosed with idiopathic cystitis can also have crystal formation. Male cats may experience blockage in their narrow urethras, which can become deadly.
Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria grows in the bladder.
UTIs and bladder infections usually cause physical discomfort, although some show no signs at all.
Cats with UTIs typically exhibit:
- Blood in urine
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Treatment From A Gp For Utis That Keep Coming Back
If your UTI comes back after treatment, or you have 2 UTIs in 6 months, a GP may:
- prescribe a different antibiotic or prescribe a low-dose antibiotic to take for up to 6 months
- prescribe a vaginal cream containing oestrogen, if you have gone through the menopause
- refer you to a specialist for further tests and treatments
In some people, antibiotics do not work or urine tests do not pick up an infection, even though you have UTI symptoms.
This may mean you have a long-term UTI that is not picked up by current urine tests. Ask the GP for a referral to a specialist for further tests and treatments.
Long-term UTIs are linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer in people aged 60 and over.
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Natural Remedies For Urinary Tract Infection
Many people who are prone to UTIs experience them frequently. They take antibiotics or other antibacterial treatments, but the infection comes right back. Sometimes its a new type of bacteria, but other times its the same one. They just didnt get killed off by the drug like they were supposed to.
Luckily, there are a variety of natural home remedies for urinary tract infections that are effective. By using these natural remedies for UTIs, you can stop your infections from ever coming back:
1. Cranberry juice: One of the most effective natural treatments for UTIs is cranberry juice. Cranberry juice contains acidic substances that make it harder for bacteria to get a hold in your urethra and cause an infection. Cranberries are a scientifically proven treatment. Studies have shown that it is of particular benefit for women who get recurrent UTI infections. For other groups of people, the benefits are less clear.
3. Vitamin C: When your urine is more acidic, bacteria has a more difficult time growing. Any home remedy that can make your urine more acidic will also make it harder for infections to occur. Vitamin C stops the growth of bacterial infections by acidifying your urine. You can take Vitamin C as a supplement, or you can eat foods loaded with the vitamin, such as oranges, bell peppers, and certain types of juice. Drinking orange juice will not only help stop the growth of bacteria, but it will also help flush out your urinary tract in the same way that water does.
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.
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Is It Safe To Treat Utis Without Antibiotics
Antibiotics are effective treatments for UTIs. Sometimes, the body can resolve minor, uncomplicated UTIs on its own, without antibiotics.
Complicated UTIs require medical treatment. These are some factors that can make the infection complicated:
- changes in the urinary tract or organs, such as a swollen prostate or reduced flow of urine
Bladder Wall Thickening In Men And Women
The underlying causes of a thickened bladder wall can differ between men and women.
BOO is more common among men, because its often linked to prostate problems. An enlarged prostate forces the bladder to work harder to empty itself of urine. This in turn causes the bladder wall to thicken. Prostate treatment can help reduce the burden on the bladder.
UTIs are more common among women. Thorough treatment can ease the strain on the bladder and allow thickened bladder walls to return to normal.
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Urgent Advice: Ask For An Urgent Gp Appointment Or Get Help From Nhs 111 If:
You think you, your child or someone you care for may have a urinary tract infection and:
- a very high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- a very low temperature below 36C
- are confused, drowsy or have difficulty speaking
- have not been for a pee all day
- have pain in the lower tummy or in the back, just under the ribs
- can see blood in their pee
These symptoms could mean you have a kidney infection, which can be serious if it’s not treated as it could cause .
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
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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What Is Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is the need to urinate more than you normally would. The urge can strike suddenly and cause you to lose control of your bladder. It can feel uncomfortable, like your bladder is extremely full.
Frequent urination is the primary symptom of the condition overactive bladder , and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Urinary tract infections are another common cause of frequent urination.
According to the Urology Care Foundation, frequent urination is when you need to go at least 8 times in a 24-hour period.
The key to treating frequent urination is addressing the underlying cause.
Why Are Females At A Higher Risk For Utis
People with female reproductive organs are at a higher risk for UTIs because of their anatomy. The female urethra, the tube which empties urine from your bladder out of your body, is shorter than someone born with male anatomy.
The female urethra is also quite close to female reproductive organs. That means bacteria from sexual intercourse as well as products like spermicide can be in close contact with the urethra and bladder.
Females also experience menopause and pregnancy. These two biological events change the bacteria in your reproductive and digestive tracts and create conditions that make UTIs more likely.
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When To See A Doctor For Your Uti
If your symptoms persist beyond a few days with no sign of improvement, or if your infection keeps recurring, its best to see a doctor. While many home remedies may ease symptoms if they persist your doctor will be able to determine the cause and prescribe a course of antibiotics that should help take care of your UTI right away and prevent it from leading to a worsening condition or infection.
Have you tried any of the above natural remedies for UTIs, or other home treatments to treat your urinary tract infection? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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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How To Prevent Utis
Additionally, there are a few general lifestyle behaviors you can practice to help prevent UTIs before they occur, including:
- When you feel like you have to urinate, go don’t hold it.
- After urinating and especially after a bowel movement, wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from entering your urethra.
- Urinate before and after having sex.
- Avoid using scented soaps, bubble baths, or douches.
- Avoid tight pants.
Can You Treat A Uti Without Antibiotics
For some women with no other serious health problems, it can be possible to treat a UTI at home without antibiotics. For instance, mild or uncomplicated UTIs may clear out of the bladder naturally, as a strong immune system can help resolve these infections.
But if you’re experiencing the symptoms of a UTI, you should always check in with your doctor first. They can help you determine whether you’re able to treat your UTI at home, without antibiotics.
Because they’re at higher risk for complications, men and pregnant women should never try to treat a UTI at home, according to Rena Malik, M.D., a urologist and director of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
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Be Aware Of Your Bathroom Habits
Take enough time to fully empty your bladder when urinatingdont rush it. Urinate after sex to flush away bacteria that may have entered the urethra during sex. Clean the genital area before and after sex.
If youre a woman, wipe from front to back, especially after a bowel movement, to keep bacteria from getting into the urethra.
When To See A Vet
These at-home treatments and remedies may be effective for clearing up minor infections, but more serious infections need to be treated by a professional animal doctor.
If your cat is experiencing mild or moderate symptoms, you can try these remedies to relieve their symptoms. If their symptoms show no sign of improvement in a few days, talk to a veterinarian. If your cat seems to be in pain or is unable to pass urine, see a vet immediately. This could be a sign of urethral obstruction, which can be fatal if not treated within 24 to 48 hours.
A vet may be able to prescribe antibiotics to target the harmful bacteria. Be sure to give your cat the full dose of prescribed antibiotics to prevent the UTI from returning or becoming resistant to treatment.
Even if youre pursuing professional treatment, these remedies can be effectively used alongside antibiotics to strengthen the bladder and balance your cats pH levels. Some can also be used as a daily supplement to prevent the UTI from coming back.
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Avoid Alcohol And Coffee
The kidneys most important role is to filter out harmful substances and toxins, and both alcohol and caffeine can require extra work from the kidneys. This may hinder the process of healing from an infection.
Alcohol and antibiotics also shouldnt be mixed, so avoid alcohol during your treatment for this reason as well.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Products At Walgreens
Urinary tract infections are infections that occur when bacteria enter a persons urethra and infect the urinary tract. UTIs can be painful and uncomfortable and may require medical care. Most UTIs can be treated at home with antibiotics from your healthcare provider, and symptoms may be eased with certain pain-relief products. Walgreens offers options to detect infections and prevent or ease symptoms, such as UTI test strips, urinary pain relief tablets and chewable cranberry tablets.
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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 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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Up Your Vitamin C Intake
Theres some scientific evidence that increasing your vitamin C intake can help your body fight off infections, including those in the urinary tract. Thats because vitamin C can increase urine acidity, giving it antibacterial capabilities.
Inone study, pregnant women who took 100 mg of vitamin C had less than half the risk of developing a UTI than the control group.
If you want to use vitamin C to treat or prevent a UTI, talk to your provider, who can help you decide how much to supplement. Another way to increase vitamin C intake is by eating foods that are rich in the vitamin, like red peppers, kiwi, and citrus fruits.
If you have a current UTI, citrus fruit and juice may irritate your bladder, so be sure to monitor your symptoms if you decide to up your vitamin C intake.
Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections 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
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do not use scented soap
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do not hold your pee in if you feel the urge to go
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do not rush when going for a pee try to fully empty your bladder
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do not wear tight, synthetic underwear, such as nylon
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do not drink lots of alcoholic drinks, as they may irritate your bladder
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do not have lots of sugary food or drinks, as they may encourage bacteria to grow
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do not use condoms or a diaphragm or cap with spermicidal lube on them try non-spermicidal lube or a different type of contraception
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Sip Some Cranberry Juice
Studies into the effectiveness of cranberry juice for UTI treatment have produced mixed results. However, anecdotal evidence and some small studies indicate that cranberry juice may aid in healing by making it difficult for bacteria to stick to the lining of the urinary tract. If you wish to try this traditional folk remedy, choose a juice that lists cranberries as its first ingredient and is free of artificial sweeteners and added sugar.
Avoid Bladder Irritating Foods When You Have A Uti
Certain foods are known bladder irritants citrus or very acidic foods, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol these can all irritate the bladder, leading to bladder leaks. And, if you currently have a UTI, they may affect you even more. Try to watch out for these common bladder irritants to prevent further irritation to your bladder and UTI.
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How Can You Improve Your Kidney Health
Lifestyle habits that benefit your overall health, like staying hydrated and exercising regularly, can be vastly beneficial to your kidney health.
Similarly, you shouldnt smoke, and you should go see your doctor for regular checkups to monitor your blood pressure. If youre at risk for kidney infections, you should have your kidneys tested and monitored.