Urinary Tract infection prevention, treatment, and care
UTI’s often come to mind when we think about post-vaginal intercourse care, and in relation to kidney stones when chronic and left untreated. Although accurate, we should all have more knowledge on causes, prevention, mechanisms, and treatment of UTI’s as a whole, beyond these basics. Effecting 40-60% of women at least once in their lifetime and roughly 25% of these cases being chronic, these infections are largely prevalent and can become a big issue. This blog is going to in depth cover what exactly a UTI is, how to gain an understanding on prevention methods, and treatment when you are suffering from one so that they don’t lead to bigger issues down the line.
What is a UTI?
A UTI, or Urinary Tract Infection, occurs when microbes enter the urinary tract and cause an infection. The most common bacteria that enters the urethra, travels to the bladder, and is the culprit of infection, is E. Coli. Although commonly associated with sex, it is important to understand the difference between a UTI and an STI. A UTI is not contracted from another person, although sexual intercourse can lead to or worsen the symptoms of a UTI by pushing bacteria into the urethra. This bacteria often originates from the skin or rectum and causes irritation when it is pushed into the urethra. The only way to treat this would be to flush or wipe out the bacteria overall. We will get into treatment options later.
Symptoms of a UTI
Most women are familiar with the first time they felt the sensation of a UTI. Although symptoms and severity can vary depending on concurring health issues, a history of chronic UTI’s, and how far the infection has spread, there are some universal tell tale signs that you have a UTI.
Feeling a constant urge to urinate. This is due to extreme irritation and pressure in the bladder making you feel the need to pee even when the bladder is empty
Pain and burning sensation when you urinate. This is often the worst symptom of a UTI as you constantly feel the need to go and when you do, the pain can be excruciating
Urine the is cloudy or contains blood/pus
Cramping and pressure that extends into your lower back, pelvic, and abdominal area
If the UTI is left untreated too long and becomes severe, you may notice symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and severe back pain. If this is the case, please contact your doctor and formulate a plan immediately.
Treatment Options
The first line of defense for a UTI is often immediately an antibiotic. Rightfully so, as mentioned previously, if a UTI is left alone long enough it can cause serious kidney infections. Any infection ignored can spread throughout then body and cause complications.
The most commonly prescribed antibiotic with the highest effectiveness rate is Nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin, Macrobid). This specific medication is taken typically for 5 days and has an 83-93% success rate
Another commonly prescribed antibiotic is Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. A benefit to this medication is that it can treat a UTI in 3 days instead of 5. A drawback is that it is a common allergy so be sure to discuss this with your provider.
It is possible that some minor UTI’s can go away on their own in a few days. Research shows that about 25-42% of them are able to and you tend to be symptom free after a week. If you have no current/past symptoms of a kidney infection and you are not currently pregnant, you may opt to wait it out for a bit and see if your body can heal.
If you are hesitant to take an antibiotic or want to know ways to help your body heal and flush out the bacteria on its’ own, here are some treatment options that don’t involve taking a prescription
Drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated allows for your body to produce a lot of urine and flush out the bacteria quicker. This will also help support your bodily systems in general and support your body in fighting off infection
Use a heating pad on your abdominal and pelvic regions if you are experiencing pain. You also can incorporate a lot of anti inflammatory foods and herbs such as turmeric, garlic, ACV, cruciferous/green vegetables, whole grains, green tea, and more.
D-mannose is esteemed for its ability to prevent E.coli from attaching to urinary tract walls. It is an extract of a simple sugar found in fruits and vegetables and is shown to have very promising results
Cranberry. Possibly the most well known treatment option, and for good reason. D-mannose can actually be extracted from cranberry alongside hippuric acid and anthocyanis, all of which prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. It can be considered a natural antibiotic. If you are drinking the juice, make sure it is pure with no added sugar or concentrate
Uva-ursi (bearberry). This is a very popular folk remedy that is derived from a wild, flowering plant and is very antimicrobial and anti inflammatory. It is esteemed for its compound Arbutin which has a strong anti-bacterial effect on E.coli. Please be sure to work with your ND if taking this as it can lead to liver/kidney complications if taken in excess
Parsley, chamomile, mint, and green tea all have various anti-bacterial and anti inflammatory effects and can be consumed daily for support
Please keep in mind there are ways to still support your body if you do take antibiotics for your UTI as well.
Supporting Your Body on Antibiotics
If you opt to go on antibiotics for your UTI, it’s okay and is life saving if the UTI has spread to the kidneys! There are ways you can support your microbiome against the harmful effects before, during, and after your round of antibiotics.
Take probiotics. When you kill off a plethora of harmful bacteria with an antibiotic, you are unfortunately killing off all the helpful and critical bacteria in your microbiome as well. Lactobacillus has specifically been noted to be helpful for women’s vaginal health, so you can both support your diversity and help fight off the UTI simultaneously. The best strains to take alongside UTI antibiotics are Lactobacillus acidophilus Rosell-52, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Bifidobacterium lactis Lafti B94. Take the anti and pro biotic separate from each other so they don’t cancel each other out, at least 2 hours!
Eat a diverse diet with high fiber, fermented, and prebiotic foods. These include miso, sauerkraut, sourdough, legumes, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, yogurt, artichoke, squash, garlic, onions, and leeks
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners. You don’t want to be incorporating anything that puts extra strain on your body right now or harms your gut/liver health even further
Bone broth and aloe vera juice can be very healing and soothing to your gut during and after antibiotics to deter the harmful effects and unpleasant side effects such as gastrointestinal distress that some people experience
Remember that UTI’s are common and although they can be frightening and painful, you have many options on how to treat and care for yourself if it happens. If you are not currently suffering from one now, you can focus on prevention by staying hydrated and hygienic, always urinating after vaginal intercourse, and even taking a daily cranberry supplement if this is a common concern for you.
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