Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHome RemediesMedicationsThings to Avoid
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Home Remedies
Medications
Things to Avoid
Treating aurinary tract infection (UTI)aims to relieve symptoms, destroy the infection, and prevent it from recurring.Antibioticscan often provide instant UTI relief. There is also evidence that some home remedies can help the problem.
This article explains treatments for instant UTI relief. It also describes home remedies, common drugs, and what to avoid during treatment.
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How to Sleep With UTI Discomfort: Home Remedies and Treatments
Home remedies for providing UTI relief may be a good option if you want to try a natural method and avoid using antibiotics (drugs that treat bacterial infections).
While antibiotics are regarded as a first-line treatment for instant UTI relief, home treatments may help you avoid problems withantibiotic resistance(when the bacteria antibiotics intend to kill defeat the drugs' ability to do so) while reducing symptoms.
Factors such as your symptoms and overall condition can determine whether home remedies are right for you. Depending on the type of infection present, home remedies may be used to fight an infection, prevent new infections, or provide symptom relief while antibiotics attack the bacteria.
Home remedies to provide UTI relief include:
Staying hydrated
Urinating frequently
While it may not always be convenient, emptying your bladder as often as needed prevents bacteria from remaining in yourbladderlonger than necessary. Emptying your bladder every two to three hours may help prevent UTIs.
The longer urine remains in your bladder, the more opportunity bacteria have to grow and multiply, resulting in a UTI. When combined with an increase in water consumption, frequent urination can help dilute and flush out harmful bacteria.
Drinkingcranberry juice
While drinking cranberry juice is a common home remedy, its value as a treatment for existing UTI infections is inconclusive.
However, there is evidence that unsweetened cranberry juice and cranberry pills can prevent bacteria cells from attaching to the walls of your urinary tract and causing infection, indicating its value in UTI prevention.
Eatinggarlic
Garlic extract may be effective in reducing the bacteria that cause UTIs and potentially other microbial infections.
Urinating after sex
During intercourse, bacteria can be pushed into the femaleurethraand irritate it. Urinating after sex helps push out this potentially harmful bacteria.
Taking aprobiotic
Evaluating your contraception
Certainoral contraceptivesmay increase your risk of UTIs.Spermicides,diaphragms, andcondoms lubricated with spermicidesmay also increase your risk of UTIs. Your healthcare provider can help you evaluate your options and their impact on your risk of UTIs.
Trying vaginal estrogen
Studies have shown that vaginalestrogenis effective in preventing UTIs inpostmenopausal womenwith recurring UTIs. However, there is no evidence of a link between UTI risk and oral or systemic estrogen therapy. Contact your healthcare provider to determine whether this therapy may be appropriate.
Takiingvitamin C
Boost your vitamin C intake through diet or supplements to increase the acidic content of your urine. This can interfere with the growth of bacteria in your urine.
Trying symptom relief
Some home remedies can relieve symptoms, but they do not treat the bacteria causing your infection. They may be helpful to make you feel more comfortable while you wait for antibiotics to kill the infection:
When to Seek Medical Care for a UTI
Most UTIs is a bacterial infection. Treatments typically involve antibiotics that provide instant UTI relief within a day or two. These drugs also prevent the spread of infection into your kidneys and the rest of your body.
The specific medication used depends on the type of infection present and your risk for potential complications. Uncomplicated UTIs involve people who are healthy, young, and have no structural abnormalities or comorbidities (accompanying health conditions).
Complicated UTIs involve people who areimmunocompromised, male, older, pregnant, or havecathetersor compromised kidney function.
Uncomplicated UTIs are typically treated with one of the following oral antibiotics on an outpatient basis:
Your course of treatment can involve taking medication for a few days or longer, depending on the type of infection you have and your risk of complications. You must complete the entire course of treatment as prescribed, even if symptoms subside. This helps prevent reinfection.
Complicated UTIs can be treated with a wide range of antibiotics.
A systematic review reported that the following antibiotics were most often used in treating complicated UTIs:
What Is a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)?
Avoiding the following behaviors can support UTI treatment and recovery. These strategies may also help prevent UTI recurrence:
UTIs: Causes and Risk Factors
A Word From Verywell
—MONIQUE RAINFORD, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Summary
Antibiotics are the first-line treatment for UTIs. They often provide urgent UTI relief within a day or two. If you have a mild case and no risk of severe issues, home remedies may help you avoid drugs and cure the problem. However, home treatments can also cause a delay in healing and increase your risk of severe problems.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have UTI symptoms and signs of infection such as a fever or chills. People who are pregnant, male, older, or have other health problems with a UTI should seek medical care before trying home remedies.
23 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medicine Health Care.Urinary tract infection treatment.National Women’s Health Network.What is a UTI, and how can I prevent one?McCollum BJ, Garigan T, Earwood J.PURL: Can drinking more water prevent urinary tract infections?J Fam Pract. 2020 Apr;69(3):E19-E20.National Association for Continence.12 best home remedies for UTIs.American Medical Association (AMA).What doctors wish patients knew about UTI prevention.Office on Women’s Health.Urinary tract infections.Das S.Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections—a review.Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2020;6(1):64. doi:10.1186/s43094-020-00086-2Science News.Using garlic to combat antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections.Nebraska Medicine.9 home remedies for UTIs: how to get rid of bladder infections.Akgül T, Karakan T.The role of probiotics in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.Turk J Urol. 2018 Sep;44(5):377-383. doi:10.5152/tud.2018.48742American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).Urinary tract infections (UTIs).National Association for Continence.Urinary tract infections: causes and treatment.Anger J et al..Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline.J Urol. 2019 Aug;202(2):282-289. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000296Wagenlehner FME, Bjerklund Johansen TE, Cai T, Koves B, Kranz J et al.Epidemiology, definition and treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.Nat Rev Urol. 2020 Oct;17(10):586-600. doi:10.1038/s41585-020-0362-4Houston Methodist.When to see a doctor for a urinary tract infection (UTI).Bishop J, Caliendo, T.Differentiating and treating urinary tract infections.US Pharm. 2023;48(4):8-13.Stanford Medicine.Treatment options for urinary tract infections/understanding UTIs, part 5.Ong LT.Antibiotics for complicated urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis: A systematic review.World Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;10(3):33-41. doi:10.5495/wjcid.v10.i3.33Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.National Association for Continence.Preventing incontinence before it starts.Miller JM, Garcia CE, Hortsch SB, Guo Y, Schimpf MO.Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective trial.J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2016;43(1):69-79. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000197.Edward-Elmhurst Health.What to eat (and what to avoid) during a UTI.Seattle Children’s.Urinary tract infection - female.
23 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Medicine Health Care.Urinary tract infection treatment.National Women’s Health Network.What is a UTI, and how can I prevent one?McCollum BJ, Garigan T, Earwood J.PURL: Can drinking more water prevent urinary tract infections?J Fam Pract. 2020 Apr;69(3):E19-E20.National Association for Continence.12 best home remedies for UTIs.American Medical Association (AMA).What doctors wish patients knew about UTI prevention.Office on Women’s Health.Urinary tract infections.Das S.Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections—a review.Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2020;6(1):64. doi:10.1186/s43094-020-00086-2Science News.Using garlic to combat antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections.Nebraska Medicine.9 home remedies for UTIs: how to get rid of bladder infections.Akgül T, Karakan T.The role of probiotics in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.Turk J Urol. 2018 Sep;44(5):377-383. doi:10.5152/tud.2018.48742American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).Urinary tract infections (UTIs).National Association for Continence.Urinary tract infections: causes and treatment.Anger J et al..Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline.J Urol. 2019 Aug;202(2):282-289. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000296Wagenlehner FME, Bjerklund Johansen TE, Cai T, Koves B, Kranz J et al.Epidemiology, definition and treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.Nat Rev Urol. 2020 Oct;17(10):586-600. doi:10.1038/s41585-020-0362-4Houston Methodist.When to see a doctor for a urinary tract infection (UTI).Bishop J, Caliendo, T.Differentiating and treating urinary tract infections.US Pharm. 2023;48(4):8-13.Stanford Medicine.Treatment options for urinary tract infections/understanding UTIs, part 5.Ong LT.Antibiotics for complicated urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis: A systematic review.World Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;10(3):33-41. doi:10.5495/wjcid.v10.i3.33Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.National Association for Continence.Preventing incontinence before it starts.Miller JM, Garcia CE, Hortsch SB, Guo Y, Schimpf MO.Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective trial.J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2016;43(1):69-79. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000197.Edward-Elmhurst Health.What to eat (and what to avoid) during a UTI.Seattle Children’s.Urinary tract infection - female.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Stanford Medicine Health Care.Urinary tract infection treatment.National Women’s Health Network.What is a UTI, and how can I prevent one?McCollum BJ, Garigan T, Earwood J.PURL: Can drinking more water prevent urinary tract infections?J Fam Pract. 2020 Apr;69(3):E19-E20.National Association for Continence.12 best home remedies for UTIs.American Medical Association (AMA).What doctors wish patients knew about UTI prevention.Office on Women’s Health.Urinary tract infections.Das S.Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections—a review.Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2020;6(1):64. doi:10.1186/s43094-020-00086-2Science News.Using garlic to combat antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections.Nebraska Medicine.9 home remedies for UTIs: how to get rid of bladder infections.Akgül T, Karakan T.The role of probiotics in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.Turk J Urol. 2018 Sep;44(5):377-383. doi:10.5152/tud.2018.48742American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).Urinary tract infections (UTIs).National Association for Continence.Urinary tract infections: causes and treatment.Anger J et al..Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline.J Urol. 2019 Aug;202(2):282-289. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000296Wagenlehner FME, Bjerklund Johansen TE, Cai T, Koves B, Kranz J et al.Epidemiology, definition and treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.Nat Rev Urol. 2020 Oct;17(10):586-600. doi:10.1038/s41585-020-0362-4Houston Methodist.When to see a doctor for a urinary tract infection (UTI).Bishop J, Caliendo, T.Differentiating and treating urinary tract infections.US Pharm. 2023;48(4):8-13.Stanford Medicine.Treatment options for urinary tract infections/understanding UTIs, part 5.Ong LT.Antibiotics for complicated urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis: A systematic review.World Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;10(3):33-41. doi:10.5495/wjcid.v10.i3.33Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.National Association for Continence.Preventing incontinence before it starts.Miller JM, Garcia CE, Hortsch SB, Guo Y, Schimpf MO.Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective trial.J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2016;43(1):69-79. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000197.Edward-Elmhurst Health.What to eat (and what to avoid) during a UTI.Seattle Children’s.Urinary tract infection - female.
Stanford Medicine Health Care.Urinary tract infection treatment.
National Women’s Health Network.What is a UTI, and how can I prevent one?
McCollum BJ, Garigan T, Earwood J.PURL: Can drinking more water prevent urinary tract infections?J Fam Pract. 2020 Apr;69(3):E19-E20.
National Association for Continence.12 best home remedies for UTIs.
American Medical Association (AMA).What doctors wish patients knew about UTI prevention.
Office on Women’s Health.Urinary tract infections.
Das S.Natural therapeutics for urinary tract infections—a review.Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2020;6(1):64. doi:10.1186/s43094-020-00086-2
Science News.Using garlic to combat antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections.
Nebraska Medicine.9 home remedies for UTIs: how to get rid of bladder infections.
Akgül T, Karakan T.The role of probiotics in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.Turk J Urol. 2018 Sep;44(5):377-383. doi:10.5152/tud.2018.48742
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).Urinary tract infections (UTIs).
National Association for Continence.Urinary tract infections: causes and treatment.
Anger J et al..Recurrent uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline.J Urol. 2019 Aug;202(2):282-289. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000000296
Wagenlehner FME, Bjerklund Johansen TE, Cai T, Koves B, Kranz J et al.Epidemiology, definition and treatment of complicated urinary tract infections.Nat Rev Urol. 2020 Oct;17(10):586-600. doi:10.1038/s41585-020-0362-4
Houston Methodist.When to see a doctor for a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Bishop J, Caliendo, T.Differentiating and treating urinary tract infections.US Pharm. 2023;48(4):8-13.
Stanford Medicine.Treatment options for urinary tract infections/understanding UTIs, part 5.
Ong LT.Antibiotics for complicated urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis: A systematic review.World Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2020;10(3):33-41. doi:10.5495/wjcid.v10.i3.33
Urology Care Foundation.Urinary tract infections in adults.
National Association for Continence.Preventing incontinence before it starts.
Miller JM, Garcia CE, Hortsch SB, Guo Y, Schimpf MO.Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective trial.J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2016;43(1):69-79. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000197.
Edward-Elmhurst Health.What to eat (and what to avoid) during a UTI.
Seattle Children’s.Urinary tract infection - female.
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