How to get rid of urinary tract infections (UTIs) quickly

Video: Mayo Clinic Minute: Treating Urinary Tract Infections

Content

Steps
Method 1 of 3: Medical Treatment of UTIs
Method 2 of 3: Home remedies
Method 3 of 3: Maintain Hygiene
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are not the most pleasant of diseases and cause extreme discomfort, so the desire of UTI sufferers to get rid of the infection as soon as possible is not surprising. Prompt treatment is also important to prevent further development of UTIs, which can develop into more serious illness. Sometimes UTIs go away on their own within four to five days. There are also several home treatments for UTIs, but for the fastest and most effective treatment, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of a urologist.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult a urologist.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Medical Treatment of UTIs

1 Recognize the symptoms. A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a fairly common and unpleasant disease that causes extreme discomfort. UTIs include an infection of the upper urinary tract (kidneys and ureters), infection of the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra), or both.
- If you have a UTI, you will feel a burning sensation when you urinate, and you will urinate much more often.
- You may also feel pain in the lower abdomen.
2 Know the differences between the symptoms of an upper and lower urinary tract infection. Different infections have different symptoms. Analyze your symptoms so that you can clearly describe them when you visit your urologist. Symptoms of a lower urinary tract infection include the need to urinate more frequently, cloudy or bloody urine, back pain, very foul-smelling urine, and feeling unwell.
- If you have an upper urinary tract infection, you may have a fever (over 38 ° C).
- You may also start to feel sick and shiver.
- Other symptoms also include vomiting and diarrhea.
3 Know when to seek medical attention. 25-40% of mild cases of UTI go away on their own, but this is not a reason to refuse to go to the doctor. You may be at risk if you do not seek medical attention in time. Many people have complications with UTIs - keep this in mind. If you develop a UTI, fever, or other symptoms, you should make an appointment with your doctor right away.
- If you are pregnant or have diabetes, see your doctor right away.
- Seeing a doctor will help you get an accurate diagnosis. What you think is a UTI could be vaginal candidiasis or something else.
- Your doctor may order a urinalysis to determine if you have a UTI or not, and if so, which bacteria is causing the infection. Test results usually come in 48 hours.
4 Take a course of antibiotics. Because a UTI is a bacterial infection, a prescribed course of antibiotics is the fastest and most effective treatment for urinary tract infections. Antibiotics are especially recommended for women with frequent UTIs.Taking long courses of antibiotics will help prevent the infection from reoccurring.
- The antibiotics commonly prescribed for UTIs include nitrofurantoin - Furadaonin, Furadonin Avexima - and co-trimoxazole (sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim) - Bactrim, Septrin. For UTIs, you may also be prescribed ciprofloxacin (Ciprolet ), fosfomycin ("Monural") and levofloxacin ("Tavanik", "Glevo").
- You may also be prescribed a broad-spectrum bacteriostatic antibiotic - azithromycin (Sumamed).
5 Complete the course of antibiotics. Take a one to seven day course of antibiotics as directed by your doctor. Most women receive a prescription for a course of 3-5 days. Men, on the other hand, may need a course of antibiotics for 7-14 days. Although the symptoms of a UTI usually resolve after three days of starting antibiotics, the infection in the urethra itself usually does not resolve until the fifth day. For men, this may take longer.
- Be sure to take the full course of antibiotics as directed by your doctor.
- If you stop taking antibiotics before the end of the course, they may not completely kill the infection.
- If your symptoms persist after taking all of the antibiotics prescribed, or if you do not feel better after a few days, see your doctor.
6 Be aware of potential complications. Severe UTIs can cause serious complications that can lead to kidney failure or toxemia (blood poisoning). They are quite rare and usually affect people with pre-existing health problems, such as diabetics. If you have a weakened immune system, you are more prone to complications and infections.
- Pregnant women with UTI are at increased risk of life-threatening complications and should always be seen by a doctor.
- Men with recurrent UTIs can develop inflammation of the prostate, also known as prostatitis.
- For severe cases of upper urinary tract infections or complications, you may need hospital treatment.
- You will still receive antibiotics during your hospital treatment, but you will be closely monitored and may even be given a drip to prevent dehydration.

Method 2 of 3: Home remedies

1 Drink plenty of water. Antibiotics are the only treatment that truly cures UTIs, but given the fact that UTIs often go away on their own after a few days, there are steps you can take to ease your symptoms and prevent re-infection. The simplest of these is to drink plenty of water throughout the day, about a glass of water per hour.
- Every time you empty your bladder, you are clearing bacteria from it.
- Don't hold back urination. Containment can worsen UTIs and increase the number of bacteria in the genitourinary system.
2 Drink cranberry juice. Drinking cranberry juice is often considered a home remedy for UTIs. While there is little evidence that cranberry juice actually fights infection, it can prevent it. If UTIs recur, take a high cranberry supplement. As with water, drinking large volumes of fluids will help cleanse your system.
- Do not drink cranberry juice if you or your family have had a kidney infection.
- You should not take cranberry supplements if you are taking blood thinners.
- There is no definite dose of cranberry juice prescribed for treating UTIs, as its effectiveness has not yet been proven.
- One study found positive results in women who took one tablet of cranberry concentrate a day or drank 240 ml of unsweetened cranberry juice three times a day for a year.
3 Take vitamin C. Consuming vitamin C at the first onset of UTI symptoms will help stop the infection in the early stages of development. Vitamin C restores the acid balance of urine by fighting harmful bacteria in the bladder, and also helps to strengthen the immune system.
- Take 500 mg of vitamin C every hour, but stop if it causes stomach upset.
- You can combine your vitamin C intake with anti-inflammatory teas like yellow root tea, echinacea, or nettle.
- If symptoms persist after a few days, make an appointment with your doctor.
4 Avoid consuming irritants. Some of the foods we eat can be irritating and can be more effective if you have a UTI. The most harmful are caffeine and alcohol. They not only irritate the bladder, but also lead to dehydration, which makes it harder to flush bacteria out of the urinary tract.
- Until you get rid of your UTI, you should also avoid soft drinks that contain citrus juice.
- If you are susceptible to recurrent urinary tract infections, we recommend limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake to prevent recurrent UTIs.

Method 3 of 3: Maintain Hygiene

1 Carefully keep your genitals clean. Good hygiene is generally considered a preventive measure against urinary tract infections, but it also plays an important role in a speedy recovery. The better you stick to personal hygiene, the sooner you will get better.
- After using the toilet, wipe from front to back. This moment of personal hygiene is especially important for women, as they should always wipe in this way.
2 Empty your bladder before and after intercourse. Sex is one way of transferring bacteria into a woman's urethra, after which they enter the bladder. The genitals and the anal area must be washed before and after intercourse. Women must also empty their bladder before and after intercourse. Do not use lotions and massage oils as lubricants unless they are specifically designed to do so.
- Urination after intercourse empties the bladder and flushes bacteria away.
- UTIs are not contagious, so it is impossible to catch them from another person.
3 Wear the right clothes. Certain types of clothing can make it harder for you to get rid of your UTI. Tight underwear made from non-breathable fabrics can create a moist and bacteria-friendly environment near the bladder. For this reason, we recommend wearing cotton underwear instead of poorly absorbent items such as nylon.
- Avoid tight pants and shorts. Tight clothing can promote sweat and moisture build-up, creating ideal conditions for bacteria to germinate and grow.
- The right underwear will help prevent infections from developing and worsening, but they will not cure them.

Tips

Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water.
Do not have sex while treating a UTI. You can bring in new bacteria and reduce the chances of a full recovery.
Take ibuprofen for pain relief with other medicines.
Drink plenty of water and take medications prescribed by your doctor.
Do not use lotions, massage oils as lubricants, unless they are intended for this. The chemical ingredients in these products can cause UTIs.
Use a heating pad to reduce discomfort. While a heating pad will not cure a UTI, it may relieve symptoms of the infection. The heating pad should be warm, but not hot, and should be applied to the lower abdomen to relieve pain, pressure, and other discomfort associated with a UTI.
Cranberry juice and tablets will temporarily relieve the pain, but after that, your condition may worsen.Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water (240 ml) and drink; after an hour, drink a glass of water with a lemon wedge. Alternate drinks every hour until the bladder pain subsides.

Warnings

If you do not see a significant improvement in symptoms within 24 to 36 hours after starting home remedies for UTIs, seek immediate medical attention.
Even though home remedies have helped relieve most of the symptoms of the infection, we still recommend that you have a urine test to check your body for any remaining bacteria.
Even the mildest cases of UTI can develop into fatal kidney infections if left untreated.
Be careful with cranberry juice - it is very acidic, and acidic foods and drinks can irritate an already inflamed bladder.
It is better to drink cranberry juice for prevention. With a urinary tract infection in the acute stage, it can only aggravate the situation.