Does UTI Treatment at Home Work? 8 Suggestions

Medically reviewed by Monique Rainford, MD

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common type of bladder infection that often require antibiotic treatment. That said, mild or occasional UTIs can go away on their own.

You may wish to try some at-home remedies, such as nutrients and probiotics, to help relieve symptoms and potentially help support your body's ability to fight infection and prevent new infections.

This article discusses home remedies that may help support the healing process for a UTI infection.

When to Treat a UTI at Home vs. With Antibiotics

Because bacteria cause UTIs, they're typically treated with an antibiotic medication that can kill off the harmful germs and clear the infection.

While some people with a mild UTI may choose to try at-home remedies, others may be at greater risk of the UTI developing into a severe infection. Experts often strongly recommend getting on antibiotic treatment if you:

• Are pregnant

• Are immunocompromised

• Have a chronic condition like diabetes or AIDS or an infection like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

• Experience recurrent or complicated UTIs

• Have experienced a kidney transplant or kidney failure

• Have abnormal bladder or urinary function

If you're unsure whether you should treat a potential UTI at home or with medical care, check with a healthcare provider to ensure you're taking the best course of action for your health.

At-Home UTI Treatments

While there aren't any over-the-counter (OTC) treatments that are proven to cure a UTI, there are some at-home strategies you may consider to help relieve symptoms and potentially help your body fight the infection and prevent new infections. Try at-home treatments, such as:

• Drink plenty of water: Water helps flush harmful bacteria out of your system and may help the body fight an infection. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of water daily and include foods with a high water count, like watermelon, soups, oranges, and lettuce.

• Urinate often: Urinating when you feel the urge to pee or emptying your bladder every couple of hours is recommended. This assists with flushing out the urinary tract system.

• Drink cranberry juice: Scientific evidence on cranberry juice for UTI support is mixed. While unsweetened cranberry juice and cranberry pills have been shown to potentially decrease the risk of getting a UTI, more research is needed around precisely how long they need to be taken and in what amounts to get these positive effects.

• Try a probiotic: This helps encourage healthy bacteria in the digestive system. Studies have shown that these nutrients may prevent harmful bacteria in the urinary tract by adjusting the pH of your urine to make it an undesirable environment.

• Avoid certain foods: Some foods may irritate your bladder and urinary tract, such as alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, or acidic foods like citrus. In the absence of these items, your body may be in a position to balance any bacteria in the urinary tract system.

• Wipe from front to back: When using the bathroom, the best way to prevent spreading even more harmful bacteria from the anus to the urethra is to wipe toilet paper from front to back instead of vice versa. This may be helpful when trying to clear an existing mild infection.

• Consider switching birth control: Some studies suggest that certain oral contraceptives may increase the risk for UTIs. Check with a healthcare provider before changing any medications you're taking.

• Try vaginal estrogen: This tactic is sometimes recommended in postmenopausal people with recurrent UTIs. Ask a healthcare provider whether vaginal estrogen in a cream, tablet, or ring may suit you.
  

Will Home Remedies Clear a UTI?

Some studies have shown that in healthy individuals who don't experience chronic or recurring UTIs, about 25% of those mild infections may clear without antibiotics.

However, experts still typically recommend antibiotic treatment because of the possible risks of not treating a UTI, which may include the infection spreading to other body parts, like the kidneys or the bloodstream, which is rare but can be life-threatening.

If your infection does clear on its own, studies have shown that most symptoms improve in the first nine days.

How to Manage UTI Symptoms at Home

In addition to using home remedies to support urinary tract health, experts suggest a couple of tactics for managing and alleviating painful UTI symptoms at home. These include:

• Using a heating pad to ease discomfort in the pelvic region

• Taking an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever for temporary symptom relief

• Trying a bladder anesthetic like AZO (phenazopyridine), which temporarily relieves the burning, pain, and urgent feeling of needing to pee

• Showering instead of bathing and avoiding douching to reduce the risk for bacterial growth
  

While these strategies may help provide some relief, they aren't proven to treat the bacterial infection.

UTI Not Getting Better at Home

Antibiotic treatment for UTIs can start clearing infections within a couple of days.

But if you've tried at-home remedies without success, seek medical attention. This is particularly important if you're experiencing any of the following symptoms, which may be a sign of a possible kidney infection or another health issue:

• Chills

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Pain in your back or your side

Summary

Antibiotics are commonly used to cure UTIs. But for people with mild symptoms or uncomplicated infections, it may be appropriate to first try at-home remedies.

Strategies to reduce the likelihood of infections or help them to improve include drinking more water, using vaginal estrogens (if you are past menopause), and urinating often to help flush the infection from your system.

If nothing helps, consult with a healthcare provider about antibiotics and the safety of self-care practices in the future.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.