The Secret to Instant UTI Relief

Anna Giorgi
·7 min read

Medically reviewed by Monique Rainford, MD

Treating a urinary tract infection (UTI) aims to relieve symptoms, destroy the infection, and prevent it from recurring. Antibiotics can often provide instant UTI relief. There is also evidence that some home remedies can help the problem.

This article explains treatments for instant UTI relief. It also describes home remedies, common drugs, and what to avoid during treatment.

<p>d3sign / Getty Images</p>

d3sign / Getty Images

Home Remedies

Home remedies for providing UTI relief may be a good option if you want to try a natural method and avoid using antibiotics (drugs that treat bacterial infections).

While antibiotics are regarded as a first-line treatment for instant UTI relief, home treatments may help you avoid problems with antibiotic resistance (when the bacteria antibiotics intend to kill defeat the drugs' ability to do so) while reducing symptoms.

Factors such as your symptoms and overall condition can determine whether home remedies are right for you. Depending on the type of infection present, home remedies may be used to fight an infection, prevent new infections, or provide symptom relief while antibiotics attack the bacteria.

Home remedies to provide UTI relief include:

Staying hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can help flush harmful bacteria from your system. Research indicates that increasing your daily water intake by at least 50 ounces (1.5 liters) can help reduce the frequency of UTIs.

While urinating can be painful with a UTI, drinking water to promote voiding can help remove the germs from your body. You can supplement your water intake by consuming foods with high water content like watermelon, soups, oranges, and lettuce.

Urinating frequently

While it may not always be convenient, emptying your bladder as often as needed prevents bacteria from remaining in your bladder longer than necessary. Emptying your bladder every two to three hours may help prevent UTIs.

The longer urine remains in your bladder, the more opportunity bacteria have to grow and multiply, resulting in a UTI. When combined with an increase in water consumption, frequent urination can help dilute and flush out harmful bacteria.

Drinking cranberry juice

While drinking cranberry juice is a common home remedy, its value as a treatment for existing UTI infections is inconclusive.

However, there is evidence that unsweetened cranberry juice and cranberry pills can prevent bacteria cells from attaching to the walls of your urinary tract and causing infection, indicating its value in UTI prevention.

Eating garlic

Garlic extract may be effective in reducing the bacteria that cause UTIs and potentially other microbial infections.

Urinating after sex

During intercourse, bacteria can be pushed into the female urethra and irritate it. Urinating after sex helps push out this potentially harmful bacteria.

Taking a probiotic

Probiotics support the existence of healthy bacteria in your digestive system. Research indicates that supplementing with probiotics may help prevent recurrent UTI episodes by changing the pH of your urine and creating an undesirable environment for harmful bacteria in your urinary tract.

Evaluating your contraception

Certain oral contraceptives may increase your risk of UTIs. Spermicides, diaphragms, and condoms lubricated with spermicides may also increase your risk of UTIs. Your healthcare provider can help you evaluate your options and their impact on your risk of UTIs.

Trying vaginal estrogen

Studies have shown that vaginal estrogen is effective in preventing UTIs in postmenopausal women with recurring UTIs. However, there is no evidence of a link between UTI risk and oral or systemic estrogen therapy. Contact your healthcare provider to determine whether this therapy may be appropriate.

Takiing vitamin C

Boost your vitamin C intake through diet or supplements to increase the acidic content of your urine. This can interfere with the growth of bacteria in your urine.

Trying symptom relief

Some home remedies can relieve symptoms, but they do not treat the bacteria causing your infection. They may be helpful to make you feel more comfortable while you wait for antibiotics to kill the infection:

  • Use a heating pad, warm washcloth, or hot-water bottle to deliver heat to your bladder or pelvic region to ease pain and discomfort. A warm bath may also be soothing.

  • Take an over-the-counter pain reliever to reduce discomfort. Consult your healthcare provider for advice regarding the type of medication to use.

  • Wear loose clothing to prevent moisture from accumulating in your pelvic region, which could worsen your infection. Loose clothing can also be more comfortable.



When to Seek Medical Care for a UTI

While you may prefer to use home remedies before antibiotics, do not wait to contact your healthcare provider if you have UTI symptoms accompanied by any of the following:



Medications

Most UTIs is a bacterial infection. Treatments typically involve antibiotics that provide instant UTI relief within a day or two. These drugs also prevent the spread of infection into your kidneys and the rest of your body.

The specific medication used depends on the type of infection present and your risk for potential complications. Uncomplicated UTIs involve people who are healthy, young, and have no structural abnormalities or comorbidities (accompanying health conditions).

Complicated UTIs involve people who are immunocompromised, male, older, pregnant, or have catheters or compromised kidney function.

Uncomplicated UTIs are typically treated with one of the following oral antibiotics on an outpatient basis:

Your course of treatment can involve taking medication for a few days or longer, depending on the type of infection you have and your risk of complications. You must complete the entire course of treatment as prescribed, even if symptoms subside. This helps prevent reinfection.

Complicated UTIs can be treated with a wide range of antibiotics.

Since antibiotic resistance can be an issue, especially in people with recurring infections, the use of novel antibiotics (those whose ingredients have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA) and combination antibiotic therapy during shorter treatment periods is often considered.

A systematic review reported that the following antibiotics were most often used in treating complicated UTIs:

Depending on your condition, a complicated UTI may require intravenous (IV) antibiotics in the hospital, followed by oral antibiotics upon discharge.

Learn More: What Is a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)?

Things to Avoid

Avoiding the following behaviors can support UTI treatment and recovery. These strategies may also help prevent UTI recurrence:

  • Avoid foods that irritate your bladder and urinary tract: Certain foods, such as sweeteners (artificial and natural), chocolate, dairy, acidic foods, and spicy foods, may interfere with your body's ability to maintain a balance of healthy bacteria in your urinary tract.

  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and artificially sweetened beverages: Research indicates that not drinking beverages that irritate your urinary tract, such as coffee, tea, alcohol, and artificially sweetened drinks, may benefit UTI treatment and improve UTI symptoms of frequency and urgency.

  • Avoid wiping back to front after having a bowel movement: The bacteria that cause a UTI often originate from stool. Practice wiping from front to back after voiding to reduce the spread of bacteria into your urinary tract.

  • Avoid holding your urine: While urinating may be painful with a UTI, holding your urine interferes with ridding the bacteria from your body. Allowing the bacteria to remain in your body longer than necessary gives germs more time to grow.

  • Avoid soaking in the bathtub: While there is no need to compromise hygiene if you have a UTI, choose showers over baths. Sitting in bathwater can increase your risk of irritation from soaps, bacteria, and other chemicals. It can also disrupt the skin's pH balance in your genital area.

Learn More: UTIs: Causes and Risk Factors

Summary

Most UTIs are caused by bacteria that enter your urinary tract from other parts of your body, most often your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. While a mild UTI may not need treatment, painful symptoms can make it hard to wait it out.

Antibiotics are the first-line treatment for UTIs. They often provide urgent UTI relief within a day or two. If you have a mild case and no risk of severe issues, home remedies may help you avoid drugs and cure the problem. However, home treatments can also cause a delay in healing and increase your risk of severe problems.

Contact your healthcare provider if you have UTI symptoms and signs of infection such as a fever or chills. People who are pregnant, male, older, or have other health problems with a UTI should seek medical care before trying home remedies.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.