Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) – Natural Home Remedies

Urinary tract infection is the infection of the organ system that includes the urethra, bladder, and kidneys. Women experience symptoms such as frequent need to urinate, burning sensation when urinating, blood or pus in the urine, and sometime lower pelvic pain.

The infection is caused by bacteria that enter into the urethral opening and spreading rapidly either to the bladder or the kidney. Frequent intercourse is also the most common cause by which bacteria enter the urethra due to the thrusting motion of intercourse. Poor hygiene such as wiping the genital from back to front after bowel movements can also introduce bacteria to the urethra.

There are different types of infection associated with urinary tract infection and these include urethritis, cystitis, and pyelonephritis. Urethritis is infection caused by bacteria infecting the urethra, cystitis or bladder infection is caused by bacteria that travel into the bladder and pyelonephritis or kidney infection is caused by bacteria that travel further up into the kidney through the ureters.

Symptoms that are associated with bladder infection may include cloudy or reddish discharge, burning sensation during urination, frequent need to urinate even though the bladder is not full. Symptoms associated with kidney infection may include high fever, pain in the back, nausea and vomiting. Most people may experience some of the symptoms associated with urinary tract infection and others may experience no symptoms at all.

Women get UTI more easily because the urethra is short allowing bacteria to spread quickly to the bladder and also because woman’s urethral opening is close to the anus and vagina which increases the likelihood of bacteria entering into the urethra. Men suffering from enlarged prostate also have high risk of getting UTI caused by slow urine flow.

Women who use diaphragm as a method of birth control are more likely to get UTI and men who use male condoms with spermicidal foam also increase the risk of his partner getting infected with UTI. Other factors that increase the risk of getting UTI include people with diabetes, kidney stone, old age, abnormal urinary tract, and the use of catheter which is a urinary tube that is inserted into the urinary tract to assist individual who cannot control their bladder.

The most common drugs used to treat uncomplicated UTI include trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, nitrofurantoin, and ampicillin. Most doctors recommend that you finish taking all the drugs prescribed to you to ensure the infection has been completed cured even though symptoms may disappear initially when you begin taking the drugs. In more severe cases of kidney infection where individual is too sick to take oral medication or drink fluids, they may be hospitalized for several weeks and require antibiotic treatment taken through a vein.

Some women may experience frequent recurrences of the infection and there are different treatment options that are recommended by doctor and these include taking a single dose of an antibiotic after sexual intercourse, or taking low doses of antibiotic daily for the duration of 6 months or longer, or taking a 2-day course of antibiotics based on individual symptoms that appear during the recurrences.

Some of the best practices to minimize the risk of infection include drinking plenty of fluids daily and carefully wiping the genitals from front to back after urination or bowel movements helps keep bacteria away from the urethra. Both partners washing their hands and genitals before and after intercourse and assuming intercourse position that cause less friction to the urethra also help minimize the risk of infection. Take showers instead of bath and avoid douching with the use of feminine hygiene sprays or powders.

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