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Home Remedies For UTI By Dr. Siddharth Gupta

By Dr Siddharth Gupta +2 more

Introduction: 

Did you know that urinary tract infections are more common in women than men because they have a shorter urethra? Shockingly but unfortunately, it’s true. The urethra, which is the tube that carries the urine outside, is shorter in women and closer to the anus. This is an area where the common causative organism of urinary tract infection, the bacteria E. coli, resides. The urinary tract infection (UTI) is a prevalent infection of the urinary system and typically involves the urethra (infection is called urethritis), urinary bladder (infection is called cystitis) or kidneys (infection is called polynephritis). Your doctor might prescribe you medicines to deal with urinary tract infections. Read along to learn more about it.1 

home remedies for UTI

Did you know?

  • Lifestyle changes, such as improving personal hygiene and increasing fluid intake, are recommended as non-antibiotic prophylactic measures for recurrent UTIs. source: NCBI 
  • Methenamine prophylaxis has been shown to be effective in reducing recurrent UTIs and avoiding the need for systemic antibiotics. source: NCBI
  • Antibiotic prophylaxis is generally successful in controlling recurrent UTIs, but alternative non-antibiotic means are recommended first to minimize bacterial resistance and side effects. source: NCBI

What Causes Urinary Tract Infection? 

The urinary tract includes the urethra and bladder. Any infection by micro-organisms involving this tract is called urinary tract infection (UTI). Usually, bacteria are the micro-organisms involved in UTIs. The infection may also affect the ureters and might infect the kidneys.1  

Also Read: Simple Home Remedies for Frequent Urination

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection: 

UTI is associated with irritation (inflammation) and redness of the urinary tract lining. The following symptoms may be experienced by a person having a UTI: 

  • Pressure in the lower groin region 
  • Frequent urge to urinate, an urgency to pass urine or incontinence (urinary leakage) 
  • Need to urinate at night 
  • Pain while urinating (dysuria)  
  • Blood in urine 
  • Abnormal colour of your urine (cloudy urine) and a strong or foul smell emitting from your urine 
  • A pain in the side or flank, groin area or abdomen.1 

Other symptoms that you might notice if you have a UTI are: 

  • Fever 
  • Pain during sex 
  • Vomiting 
  • Mental changes or confusion 
  • Pain in penis  
  • Unexplained fatigue.1 

Also Read: Home Remedies For Vaginal Yeast Infection By Dr. Siddharth Gupta

Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection: 

What I have observed is that regular consumption of cranberry juice or hibiscus tea by women who were suffering from repeated attacks of uti reduced the frequency of uti in them. Other factors like good hygiene are equally important.

Dr. Nikhil Yadav, MBBS MD, CCEBDM

Also Read: Non-Sexual Causes of UTIs: Understanding the Risk Factors

Research is being conducted worldwide to discover natural and safe methods to treat diseases. Limited evidence is present regarding the use of natural products for urinary tract infections. Home remedies for urinary tract infections discussed here must be backed up by more research to prove their effectiveness. However, some of the herbs having the potential to be helpful for UTIs are described below. 

1. Cranberry juice 

Cranberry juice might help against urinary tract infections. It has been used for the treatment of UTIs for centuries. The use of cranberry juice in UTIs is due to its potential antibacterial property. Cranberry juice has many bioactive compounds (flavonoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, etc.), which might result in the excretion of hippuric acid.  Thus, Hippuric acid being a potent antibacterial agent might play a role in bringing down the bacterial count against bacteria causing UTIs. However, more research is required to prove these claims. Kindly consult a doctor before use.2 

2. Bearberry  

Bearberry is also known as Arctostaphylos uva-ursi or upland cranberry. The leaves of this plant might exhibit potent antibacterial properties. It might be a potent herb for bladder infections. It might specifically have antibacterial activity against E. coli, which is known to be the primary causative agent of UTIs. It contains a compound, arbutin, which might be responsible for its diuretic (increased urine production and excretion) and astringent (acidic or bitter) property, which might be helpful against UTIs. However, more research is necessary to prove these effects.2  

3. Cinnamon  

It is known that cinnamon might have an action against the bacteria causing UTIs in long- term catheter users. This activity might be due to its potential effect of preventing the bacteria from coating the urinary tract. Therefore, cinnamon might be an effective natural remedy for UTIs. However, more research is required to prove such claims. Kindly do not self-medicate.2 

4. Probiotics  

Probiotics are gut-friendly bacteria that might be helpful against UTIs as well. They might be helpful against UTIs. They mainly contain bacteria such as Lactobacillus, which apparently adhere to the wall of the urinary tract, thus forming a barrier against the UTI causing bacteria. However, more research is required to state the use of probiotics for UTIs.2 

5. Coconut water  

Narikela or coconut has many benefits in many different forms. It is known as narial, coconut palm and many other names in various parts of India. Drinking coconut water regularly might be helpful for those suffering from UTI and to enhance urinary health in general.  It acts as a diuretic (facilitates urine formation and urination).  It might help in flushing the kidneys too.  However, more research is required to ascertain these effects.3 

6. Punarnava 

Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa) belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae. It is also known as horse puselene and Hog weed in English. It might be helpful in recurrent urinary tract infections. Your Ayurvedic physician might prescribe you a decoction containing the leaves of Punarnava, Tribulus (Gokshura) and coriander for UTIs. This decoction might also be helpful in treating pain or burning sensation felt during urination in people not having UTIs. However, these claims need to be backed up by more research. Kindly do not self-medicate.3 

7. Asparagus (satavari) 

Asparagus is also known as satavar or satavari. It is also referred to as Satmull or Satamuli. It belongs to the family Asparagaceae and has the scientific name Asparagus racemosus. The root powder of this herb might be helpful for this disease. Your doctor might recommend using of the root powder of asparagus at night for UTIs. However, more research will be required to ascertain such claims.3 

8. Drinking Fluids 

Your doctor might recommend that you increase the intake of fluids, especially water. This habit might be helpful in urinary tract infections as it might help fight against bacterial infection.  Therefore, you should be drinking the daily recommendation of six to eight glasses of water. However, please note that urinary tract infection is a condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated by a doctor. Kindly consult a doctor as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment, do not reach conclusions on your own.1 

Though studies show the benefits of the given herb and home remedies in the condition, these are insufficient. There is a need for large-scale human studies to establish the true extent of the benefits of these home remedies on human health. Thus, these should only be taken with caution and never as a substitute for medical treatment.  

Also Read: Simple Home Remedies For Skin Allergies and Rashes

When to Seek Medical Help:  

You should seek medical advice if you are experiencing the symptoms of urinary tract infection, as mentioned above. You should revisit your doctor if your UTIs symptoms get worse. The worsening of symptoms might indicate the need for a change in the treatment plan. Immediate medical help should be sought if one or more of the following symptoms are experienced: 

  • Vomiting 
  • Fever 
  • Back pain 

A urinary tract infection can spread to various other parts of your body, but timely treatment can prevent this. Therefore, you should visit a doctor as soon as you notice the symptoms of a urinary tract infection.1 

You must not rely on home remedies alone for the treatment of UTIs. You should consult a qualified doctor for any advice if the condition does not improve with home remedies.   

Conclusion: 

Urinary tract infection is an infection of the urinary tract (urethra, bladder, etc.). It is more common in women than men because they have a shorter urethra. This infection is mainly caused by a bacteria called E. coli. Pain in the flank, burning sensation and smelly and cloudy urine, etc., might be noticed if you have a UTI. A few natural products might act as home remedies for urinary tract infections, such as cranberry juice, cinnamon, bearberry, coconut water, etc. However, more research is required to ascertain the potential of these possible home remedies for urine infection. Moreover, UTI can be a severe condition if not treated properly and must be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.  

Also Read: Effective Home Remedies For Vaginal Dryness 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

What are the home remedies for urine infection? 

The possible home remedies for urine infection, including cranberry juice, coconut water, cinnamon, bearberry, etc., might potentially help against UTIs. However, more research is required to prove such claims. Moreover, you should consult a doctor and not rely on home remedies for UTIs.1–3 

Can cranberry juice be used for UTI treatment at home? 

Cranberry juice might have a potential antibacterial property and might help against UTIs. Therefore, cranberry juice might help for UTI treatment at home. However, more research is required. So, ensure that you consult a doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment of UTIs.2 

What can we do for instant UTI relief? 

You should consult a doctor who might prescribe you medicines and suggests ways to help with UTIs. Kindly do not self-medicate. Always consult a doctor for health-related issues. 

Is cinnamon really useful for urine infection home treatment? 

Cinnamon might potentially help against urine infections in patients using catheter for a long time. Therefore, it might be helpful for urinary tract infections. However, more research is required to prove such claims. Kindly consult a doctor for UTIs. Do not self-medicate.2 

Is drinking coconut water one of the UTI remedies? 

Yes, drinking coconut water might be helpful to flush out the excess bacteria by possibly increasing urine production. However, more research is necessary for this. Kindly consult a doctor.3 

References: 

1. Urinary Tract Infections [Internet]. Cleaveland Clinic. [cited 2022 Jul 13]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9135-urinary-tract-infections 

2. Das S. Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections — a review. Futur J Pharm Scciences [Internet]. 2020;2. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7498302/ 

3. AYUSH. Ayurveda Offering Herbal Healing [Internet]. 1–128 p. Available from: https://www.esic.nic.in/attachments/publicationfile/7d11b02e5abb4717d53b4ce05efabd21.pdf 

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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