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5 natural treatments for urinary tract infection

natural treatments for urinary tract infection
How do you flush out a urinary tract infection in the home? Burning sensation during urination, urge to urinate often... You know what it is. These 5 natural treatments will help relieve a urinary tract infection, whether occasional or recurring.
Urinary tract infections can be of bacterial, fungal or viral origin. They affect the upper or lower parts of the urinary system, such as the bladder.
A few good practices can help reduce their recurrences or relieve symptoms while waiting to consult your doctor.
First, you should drink enough water. ANSES recommends drinking about 1.5 L per day. And in case of strong heat or physical activity, our needs are even higher!
Staying hydrated can reduce the concentration of germs in the urinary tract. It is also recommended not to wait when you want to urinate and relieve yourself quickly.

5 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections

Here are five natural treatments to prevent urinary tract infections and relieve their symptoms. See you after the list to find out more about this infection which primarily affects women.
Precaution: it may be necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible, depending on the symptoms and your predispositions. Before taking a food supplement, it is recommended to talk about it with your doctor to check the risk of contraindication.

1. Cranberry juice

5 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections
A well-known grandmother's remedy, cranberry juice, is indicated to prevent recurrences of urinary tract infections.
It contains compounds called proanthocyanidins which prevent bacteria from attaching and growing on the bladder walls. That's what some studies have shown.
How to consume it: we prefer cranberry juice without added sugar and organic if possible. You can dilute the juice in water to reduce its acidity, and there are also capsules based on cranberry extracts. Favour the highest concentrations of proanthocyanidins.

2. Bearberry

flush out a urinary tract infection in the home
Bearberry is a plant with small red berries, and it is its leaves concentrate its therapeutic virtues.
Its active principle called arbutin would be at the origin of its beneficial action in case of urinary tract infection. This study presents its effect on recurrent cystitis.
How to consume it: you can find dried bearberry in herbal medicine as a decoction. You can sip 2 to 3 cups a day, and it also exists in the form of mother tincture or capsules.

3. Garlic

What is a urinary tract infection?
Condiment at the centre of Mediterranean gastronomy, garlic is a bulb with many medicinal properties!
It contains a compound called allicin, responsible for its diuretic, purifying and antibacterial properties. This study focuses on its action on E.coli populations.
How to eat it: raw crushed garlic cloves can be added to salads, and garlic can also be consumed as an infusion. Finally, there are food supplements based on garlic extract.

4. Green tea

Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections

Green tea (Camellia sinensis), in addition to being delicious and energizing, has many virtues. Including antimicrobial, detoxifying and diuretic.
As this study suggests, it is its epigallocatechin compound, a powerful antioxidant that is believed to be the source of its beneficial action on urinary tract infections. Human research is awaited to confirm these results.
How to consume it: preferably choose organic green tea. Because of its caffeine content, it is best to finish it in the morning. You can also drink matcha produced from crushed green tea leaves.

5. Nettle

5 Home Remedies For UTIs

The nettle is a plant that can reach 1.60 meters in height. Its bitter leaves cause itching, but they are excellent food, infusion, and dietary supplements.
It contains many active ingredients: phytosterols, lignans and polysaccharides. Increasing the volume of urine helps prevent urinary tract infections.
How to consume it: it can be consumed as an infusion at 2 to 3 cups per day. It can also be found in pill or powder form, and powder can be incorporated into smoothie recipes or salads.

What is a urinary tract infection?

Most urinary tract infections are of bacterial origin, but they can also be due to fungi and, in rare cases, viruses.
Different areas of the urinary tract can be affected. It is often the urethra (duct evacuating urine) or the bladder.
In rare, more severe cases, the kidneys and ureters (ducts that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder) can be affected.
Most of the time, the bacteria go up via the urethra and will colonize the bladder (cystitis).
Urinary tract infections peak during the summer season due in particular to dehydration.
Women are more prone to it, which some explain because of anatomical differences. Women are recommended to wipe themselves, for example, from front to back when they go to the toilet.
Urinating after sex may also decrease the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract. Constipation is also likely to promote the migration of bacteria to the urinary system.

UTI Symptoms

Among the most common symptoms of urinary tract infection are:
  • the persistent need to urinate
  • a burning sensation when urinating
  • the presence of blood and pus in the urine
  • the impression that his bladder is not completely emptied after urination
Severe urinary tract infections are accompanied by a feverish state, chills or even nausea and vomiting. This is the case of acute pyelonephritis.

5 Home Remedies For UTIs

During a visit to the doctor, he usually performs a urine test with a reactive dipstick to confirm the presence of bacteria. He completes his analysis with an ECBU (cytobacteriological examination) to adapt the antibiotic treatment.
The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a significant health issue, and urinary infections caused by bacteria resistant to antibiotics are the subject of studies. Natural solutions to support treatments or prevent infections represent an opportunity to fight against this scourge.