One of the most annoying and common health conditions among women and men is a urinary tract infection. The symptoms can be life-disrupting, embarrassing, and challenging to treat as well as prevent. To make matters worse, recurring urinary tract infections are common as well.
What is a urinary tract infection?
A urinary tract infection is a condition typically caused by bacteria that infiltrate the urinary tract through the urethra. In some cases, the microorganisms travel up into the kidneys and bladder and cause pyelonephritis and cystitis, respectively. Most of the infections affect the bladder and urethra alone.
About 8 million people a year in the United States experience a urinary tract infection. Although urinary tract infections are more common among women, men are affected as well. You are more likely to develop an infection as you get older, if you are sexually active, if you have diabetes or kidney stones, if you use a catheter, if you are obese, if you use a spermicide or a diaphragm, or if you have had recent urinary tract surgery.
Urinary tract infections frequently occur among women who are in their menopausal years. Often it is hard to tell if you are experiencing vaginal dryness that is common with menopause or a urinary tract infection.
Read about 4 natural remedies for urinary tract infections.
How do I know if I have a urinary tract infection?
The most common symptoms of a urinary tract infection include:
- A strong urge to urinate.
- Passing frequent and small amounts of urine.
- Cloudy urine.
- Burning sensation when urinating.
- Urine that is pink, cola-colored, or red indicates the presence of blood in the urine.
- Strong-smelling urine.
You can talk to your doctor about your symptoms, and she can run some tests, or you can run a do-it-yourself (DIY) test using a kit offered by Utiva. This product includes DIY test strips that you can use at home to screen whether you have a urinary tract infection. It’s the same test your doctor uses as a first-line test to check for UTIs. If you test positive, then you should see your doctor and get the UTI treated while also start taking a supplement daily with a high concentration of cranberry PACs for your urinary tract health. Always consult with your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.
How do I get rid of a urinary tract infection without antibiotics?
Antibiotics are typically prescribed to treat urinary tract infections. However, antibiotics are associated with numerous side effects, including antibiotic resistance, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
In natural medicine, significant research has looked at the benefits of using cranberries and cranberry supplements to improve urinary tract health. Cranberries are unique because they contain proanthocyanidins (PACs), which have been shown to prevent Escherichia coli from attaching to the urinary tract wall. These bacteria are the cause of about 85 percent of urinary tract infections and 90 percent of acute pyelonephritis.
Proanthocyanidins have been extracted from cranberries and have shown powerful bacterial anti-adhesion activity. Utiva has a cranberry supplement that has isolated the clinically proven dose of 36mg of PACs from the fruit. Utiva is recommended by specialists all over North America, and PACs are recommended in Urology guidelines. These molecules can help prevent bad molecules from adhering to the urinary tract wall and promote urinary health.
The use of a cranberry supplement that contains super concentrated PACs makes the product more expensive. However, you will be getting ingredients shown to improve urinary tract health. For women and men who have recurring urinary tract infections, cranberry supplements may provide much-needed relief.
Read about how to heal and prevent urinary tract infections naturally.
How much cranberry do you need for urinary tract health?
Study results show that at least 36 milligrams of proanthocyanidins, the exact dose in each Utiva capsule, daily are necessary to help with urinary tract infections. For example, in a double-blind, randomized study, the researchers found that a minimum of 36 mg of PACs were needed to promote non-adhesion of the bacteria to the urinary tract. In a university study, the use of a 36 mg PAC supplement helped to prevent and reduce urinary tract infections associated with catheter use.
Finally, Sophie A. Fletcher, MD, made the following observation in Today’s Geriatric Medicine. She noted that “Evidence-based cranberry prophylaxis (preventatively) with 36 mg PAC represents an opportunity for a reset in health care providers’ approach to the management of UTIs.”
What are the complications of a urinary tract infection?
If you ignore a urinary tract infection, you run the risk of developing any of the following complications.
- Recurring urinary tract infections, especially among women who have two or more infections during a six-month period.
- Sepsis, especially if it travels up the urinary tract to the kidneys.
- Permanent kidney damage is associated with an acute or chronic kidney infection (pyelonephritis).
- Narrowing of the urethra in men.
- Higher risk of low-birth-weight or premature delivery among pregnant women.
How to help prevent urinary tract infections
You can take several steps to help prevent urinary tract infections.
- Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of water. Water helps dilute your urine and promote urination, which flushes away harmful bacteria.
- Take cranberry supplements, which help promote urinary tract health.
- Empty your bladder after sexual intercourse.
- If you use a diaphragm or un-lubricated or spermicide-treated condoms, consider changing to another birth control method, as these contribute to bacterial growth.
- After urinating or a bowel movement, wipe from front to back to help prevent bacteria from entering the vagina and urethra.
- Avoid using deodorant sprays, douches, or other feminine products that can irritate the urethra.
Bottom line
Urinary tract infections are a significant health issue that can be aided with the use of natural remedies. The PACs in cranberries have been shown to support urinary tract health.
Editor’s Note: Utiva Urinary Tract Infection test strips and supplements with PACs can be purchased on their website. They also have a free eBook "The Ultimate UTI Guide" to help you improve your bladder health and other tips.
