7 Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

Antibiotics are usually used to get rid of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Home remedies for a UTI may include applying heat to your abdomen, drinking plenty of fluids, and trying cranberry supplements.

Heat can be an effective home remedy for UTI pain in adults and children. Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your abdomen or back to ease discomfort.

Cranberry supplements do not treat UTIs, but they may help prevent them, although research is limited and mixed.

Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins. These chemicals prevent bacteria from sticking to the cells lining the urinary tract.

Cranberry juice may increase your risk of bleeding if you take warfarin (a blood thinner).

The acidity may also trigger symptoms in people with interstitial cystitis, which causes pain and pressure around the bladder.

Drinking plenty of water helps treat an active UTI and prevent future infections.

Fluids will help flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract and provide relief, and water dilutes urine, so it’s less irritating when you pee.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications like AZO contain phenazopyridine, which eases urinary frequency, burning, pain, and urgency. Phenazopyridine is also available in prescription strength under brand names like Pyridium.

Some people take vitamin C, which contains ascorbic acid, to prevent UTIs, but this is not a proven method of prevention.

The idea is that vitamin C may increase the acidity of urine, which may stave off bacteria.

D-mannose is a simple sugar that sticks to the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and possibly helps prevent UTIs from clinging to the bladder and causing infection.

More research is needed to determine the optimal doses and side effects. Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting D-mannose.

Peeing every four hours, even if you do not feel the urge to go, may flush out bacteria that cause UTIs.

Holding in your pee may not be a good idea. The longer you hold in urine, the more time you give bacteria to stick to the urinary tract and cause an infection.

Some UTIs can resolve on their own, while others require antibiotics.

With treatment, you may start to feel relief in a few days, but it may take about one week for a UTI to clear up entirely.

Here are some other tips to help ease your symptoms and prevent future infections:

• Do not douche: Feminine hygiene products and other sanitary products that contain perfumes may lead to UTIs. These products can alter vaginal pH, predisposing to the growth of harmful bacteria.
• Maintain hygiene: Cleanse your genital area, including before and after sexual activity. Opt for showers instead of baths.
• Wear loose clothing: Tight clothing may worsen irritation. Wear cotton underwear and quickly change out of wet or sweaty clothing to ease discomfort and prevent UTIs.
• Wipe properly: After going to the bathroom, wipe front to back to prevent fecal bacteria from entering the urethra.

It’s important to contact a healthcare provider if you develop UTI symptoms. They can test a urine sample.

A healthcare provider will usually prescribe antibiotics to treat a UTI and prevent the infection from spreading.

Get medical attention right away if you have kidney infection symptoms, including:

• Fever and chills
• Pain in your back or sides
• Vomiting

Talk to a healthcare provider if you are post-menopausal and have recurrent UTIs. They may prescribe vaginal estrogen, which helps build your body’s defense against bacteria.

Consult a pediatrician if your child has UTI symptoms, including bloody, cloudy, or foul-smelling urine. A child who has been potty-trained may also have wetting problems.

Seek medical attention right away if your child has a fever and other signs of illness for more than 24 hours. Young children are at risk of kidney damage from UTIs.

Antibiotics for a UTI

Make sure to take antibiotics if a healthcare provider prescribes them, and take the full dose, even if your symptoms go away sooner. A UTI might recur and be difficult to treat.

Take antibiotics only as prescribed, no more or less. The overuse of antibiotics can render them ineffective against future infections, including recurrent UTIs.