Home remedy for bladder infectionzA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is a medical condition where bacteria has invaded the urinary tract and begun to grow. The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most often the bacteria enters series from either through migration from the rectum or vagina during sexual intercourse. The bacteria then begins to grow in the urethra and can migrate up to the bladder and even into the kidneys.
A urinary tract infection can develop into a very painful condition and a major cause of the stress in your life. If it is not contained in the early stages is likely to spread to the kidneys which will become a serious health issue. Permanent kidney damage can be caused by bacterial infections which go untreated. This permanent damage can negatively affect your health and lead to the complete shutdown of the kidneys.
Urinary tract infections can affect anyone from children to seniors and men and women. However, women, in their childbearing years, are more susceptible than any other group. In fact, if a boy or girl is diagnosed with a urinary tract infection before sexual maturity it is an indication that further urological workout should be done in order to determine whether the child has a structural abnormality that has led to the infection.
Most of the home remedies for urinary tract infections center around changing the acid-base environment of the urine and therefore setting up a hostile environment for the bacteria. This can be accomplished by drinking several glasses of cranberry juice a day, drinking a mixture of one half teaspoon of baking soda in an 8 ounce glass of water, and taking large doses of vitamin C or diet rich in vitamin C.
Along with changing the acidity of the urine to a more hostile environment it is also important to increase the amount of fluid intake during the day in order to flush out the bacteria from the urinary tract. During treatments, women should drink approximately 8 to 10 ounces of water every two hours and urinate frequently. It is important to empty the bladder fully so there is no environments conducive to bacterial growth.
Some women find relief from hot compresses over their lower abdomen which can help decrease the bladder spasms from the your occasion of the bacteria. Both during treatments and afterwords, women should avoid artificial sweeteners because they increase the amount of glucose secreted by the body which is basically food for the bacteria.
Never prolong urination because this stretches the bladder and weakens the muscle. When you do not allow the bladder to completely empty itself in the urine which remains will increase the chance of infection. It\’s important to urinates immediately after sexual intercourse in order to decrease the risk of bladder infections.
When considering home remedies for urinary tract infection never attempt to treat yourself for more than 24 hours without seeing a significant improvement in the condition. This is because it does not take very long for the bacteria to travel to the kidneys where home remedies will be ineffective. These treatments are best begun when symptoms are first noticed and if symptoms are not alleviated within 24 to 36 hours since, it is important to seek the advice and care of your primary care physician in order to decrease the risk of a possible kidney infection and permanent damage to urinary tract system.
RESOURCES
Earth Clinic: Bladder Infection
KidsHealth: Urinary Tract Infections
Dr. Weil: Bladder Infections
Womens Health Specialists: Preventing Bladder Infections
MayoClinic: Urinary Tract Infection
MedlinePlus: Urinary Tract Infections