Is there ways on how to get rid of a UTI without going to the doctor? Urinary tract infection can create a lot of discomforts and that is the reason why many patients suffering from it would like to have got it rid very fast. Therefore get more insight on how long does a UTI last after using medicines and some of the ways to get rid of it fast.
How Long Does UTI Symptoms Last?
A UTI is defined as an infection in the urinary tract of a person. This is a part of the body that stores and removes urine from the body. Some of the common organs that make up the urinary tract include;
- Kidney
- Ureter
- Bladder
- Urethra
The recent research shows that the infection is caused by a certain type of bacteria. The infection happens in the following ways:
- When an individual wipes from the back to the front after bowel movement. This enhances entry of bacteria into the urethra.
- Having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person. The bacteria get pushed into the urethra.
- Overstaying of urine in the bladder that creates a conducive atmosphere for the multiplication of the bacteria resulting in UTI.
- Using certain methods of birth control such as diaphragm or spermicides (creams that kill sperm) with a diaphragm or on a condom.
- Some medical conditions such as diabetes and patients with kidney stones
- Hormonal imbalances such as reduced the levels of estrogen and change in the vagina during menopause.
- Having had a catheter in place.
It is recommended to consult a medical professional after detecting the following symptoms which last for a short period after medication depending on the health condition of a person.
Some of the common symptoms include:
- Frequent urge to pass urine
- Pain accompanied when urinating
- Pressure on the lower belly
- Urine that smells bad or looks milky, cloudy, or reddish in color.
- Having fever.
How Long Does UTI Last In Male?
Can males get UTI from females? What does UTI discharge look like? Urinary tract infection is rare in men before the age of 50 years but in case it occurs at age of 50, it may have no symptoms. UTI is less common among men when compared to women since they have the longer bladder that makes it hard to spread out.
Urinary tract infection may be caused by a sexually transmitted disease. Sometimes a kidney stone in the urinary tract blocks the flow of urine and causes an infection. In older men, an enlarged prostate can cause a urinary tract infection by keeping urine from draining out of the bladder completely.
Infection might also be caused by the use of a catheter used to drain the bladder or by urethral stricture, which is a narrowing of the urethra by scar tissue from previous infections or surgical procedures.
After treatment of the infection in men, it only takes 24hours for the symptoms to disappear. If it is not treated, the infection can permanently damage the bladder and kidneys, or it may spread to the blood. If the infection spreads to the blood, it can be fatal.
How Long Does a UTI Last With Antibiotics?
UTI is caused by a certain bacteria in the urethra and in the process; the use of antibiotics can help to get rid of these bacteria causing the UTIs. Antibiotics are mostly used to treat UTIs effectively within 1 or 2 days.
For the antibiotics to be effective, it is recommended to finish the dose prescribed by the doctor. Most people begin to feel better soon after they begin the medicine. Once the patient stops the medication on the way, the infection will reoccur again.
These antibiotics are prescribed to the following form of people:
- Women who have recurrent UTIs
- Pregnant women who had recurrent UTIs before getting pregnant or during pregnancy.
- People who have spinal cord injuries or other nervous system conditions that affect urination.
- People who have had a kidney transplant.
- People who are going to have surgery involving the urinary tract.
However, the recent studies show that antibiotics reduce the number of recurrent UTIs but the type of treatment is said to be short acting.
How Long Does a UTI Last Without Antibiotics?
Here are some of the common ways to combat UTI in the body without using antibiotics. The ways include:
- Change to Healthier Habits
According to the research done by NIDDK, it is recommended to change lifestyle in order to help the body fight and recover from UTI. Good lifestyle habit helps to even prevent further UTI in the body.
- Consider Herbal Remedies
The use of certain herbs such as herb uva ursi (bearberry leaf) can help curb the lower urinary tract infections. The research recommends the use of the herb for a shorter period of time in order to prevent liver damage.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the use of the herb goldenseal may also be used as a remedy for UTIs.
- Go Ahead, Empty Your Bladder Again
It is recommended to pee anytime you feel the urge of urinating to help flush out the bacteria causing the infection, according to the NIDDK.
- Cut Bladder Irritants from Your Diet
Patients with UTI are recommended to avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, nicotine, carbonated drinks, and artificial sweeteners since it can irritate the bladder further and this makes it hard for the body to heal.
According to Dr. Lucille, get focus on healthy foods, such as high-fiber carbohydrates, which are good for your digestive health.
- Soothe UTI Pain with Heat
Inflammation and irritation from UTIs can result in burning sensation, pressure, and pain below the belly. Applying a heating pad can help soothe the area. Keep the heat setting low, don’t apply it directly to the skin, and limit your use to 15 minutes at a time to avoid burns.
- Load Up on Vitamin C in the diet
Getting plenty of foods high in vitamin C is important because large amounts of vitamin C make urine more acidic. This inhibits the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine health library.
- Drink plenty of water
Drinking water can help flush away the bacteria that are causing urinary tract infection, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and at the same time, it puts an individual back on the right track for recovery.
How Long Does a UTI Last Untreated
In case UTI is left untreated, it could result in more complicated situations that could also be fatal to an infected person.
Some of the complications include:
- Infected bladder
Signs and symptoms of a bladder infection include; pain during urination, pain in the lower back and frequent urge of urination by producing very little pee. Increased intake of water can help pain and fasten the healing process.
Recurrent UTIs can be avoided by simultaneously treating problems with the digestive system in women and prostate problems in men. It helps to be proactive and prevent UTI by the following cleanliness after bowel movement and also eating a good healthy diet. Cranberry juice and supplements are known, to an extent, to prevent UTIs.
- Infected ureters
UTI left untreated for weeks after the incidence of primary symptoms, causes the bacteria colonizing the bladder to move upwards, infecting the ureters. This leads to accumulation of urine in the ureters as well.
When ureters are not completely emptied of urine, there is a swelling and intense pain. The urine smells foul and patient develops a high fever. Although painful and time-consuming, treating UTI at this stage is necessary to prevent further damage.
- Infected kidney
UTI untreated for weeks even after the ureters are infected leads to kidney infection. Symptoms are bloody urine, severe pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, and high fever. Eventually it leads to kidney failure. Antibiotics administered through IV fluids and hospitalization is often the only solution.
- Sepsis
The next stage of infection of UTI untreated for weeks is the infection of the blood. Since blood courses through the entire body, it leads to a severe shock, failure of multiple organs, and even death. If treated in time, death can be prevented but failed organs need to be removed and replaced and limbs could be amputated.
How Long Does It Take To Flush Out a UTI?
It involves the following ways:
- Drinking plenty of water
Once the person starts experiencing certain symptoms associated with UTI like frequent peeing, pain below the belly, fever, and aching, it is recommended to take plenty of water. Intake of plenty of water brings out the urge of urinating and in the process helps to flush out the infection.
- Visit a doctor
UTIs are bacterial infections, therefore, an infected person needs an antibiotic. Some bacterial infections will go away on their own, but this one will just get worse and worse until you want to die since the pain can be quite bad.
And the infection can get backed up into the kidneys and become quite serious if the person waits too long. So, go and visit your doctor. Your doctor will also be able to properly diagnose you and eliminate other serious illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, such as a sexually transmitted disease or kidney infection.
- Use AZO
It is a urinary anesthetic. It relieves the pain, burning, urgency, and frequency of urinating with a UTI behind. It helps to alleviate the symptoms of UTI and together with antibiotics, it flushes out UTI.
- Abstain from sex
It is recommended to abstain from sex until you have completed your cycle of antibiotics. This will give the body enough time to heal. Also, it is recommended to finish the dose so that all the bacteria causing the infection are flushed out.
How Do I Get Rid Of My UTI without Antibiotics
It is possible to get rid of UTI from the body without the use of any form of antibiotics. This method of treating UTI last for short period but recur again and again. Also, most of these remedies are aimed at easing the symptoms.
Some of the common remedies used at home include:
- Drinking or consumption of plenty of water
- Drinking cranberry juice
- Baking soda for UTI
- Apple cider vinegar for UTI.
Can You Self Treat a UTI
Treating UTI on your own is possible but it will reoccur at a later time and that is why it is recommended to consult a specialist to conduct some test and examine the cause before being prescribed certain antibiotic drugs.
The following are some of the natural remedies an infected person can use to alleviate the symptoms associated with UTIs. The remedies include:
- Water
Drinking plenty of water will help dilute the itchy infection in the urinary tract infection. That constant urge to pee will lessen, as will the sensation that you are whizzing out hydrochloric acid.
- Cranberry juice
Drinking cranberry juice helps to relieve the symptoms of a UTI, help prevent a UTI, promote urinary tract health and get a healthy dose of Vitamin C.
- Use of AZO
This over the counter medication can be found at most Walmarts and most drug stores. A single dose of Azo will get rid of the urinary tract infections within the hour and last for quite a while. Before using the dose, consult a medical professional about its side effects.
How to Get Rid Of A UTI Fast
This involves the use of the following home remedies:
- Try cranberries
The juice from cranberries contains properties that prevent the bacteria from attaching on the walls of the urinary bladder. To alleviate the symptoms associated with the UTI, the patient may use unsweetened cranberry juice, cranberry supplements, or by snacking on dried cranberries.
Note: For those patients taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin, or NSAIDs like aspirin, it is not recommended to drink cranberries juice.
- Drink plenty of water
An individual with UTI usually experiences pain while urinating but it is recommended to drink an adequate amount of fluids as much as possible to help flush out harmful bacteria from the urinary tract.
- Pee when you need to
People with the habit of holding or ignoring the urge to urinate are likely to experience multiplication of bacteria in the urinary tract that may increase the chance of getting UTI. Therefore, it is recommended to use the washroom when there is a feel to pee.
- Take probiotics
Probiotics have the ability to promote good health especially in digestion and immunity. This property makes it be effective in getting rid of UTI and also prevent it from coming again. With a UTI, bad bacteria replace good bacteria called vaginal lactobacilli. Probiotics can restore good bacteria and reduce symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
- Eat garlic
The recent study shows that garlic has components that contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune system booster that helps the body to fight UTI in the urethra.
- Try apple cider vinegar
The apple cider vinegar has acidic content that makes the urine to be acidic and in the process, it inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause UTI. Due to many sides effect associated with the apple cider vinegar, it is recommended to consult the professional medical officer before using it.
- Get more vitamin C
Vitamin C has properties that help to strengthen the immune system of the body to help fight the infection. Therefore, it is recommended to take adequate amount of vitamin C that may help treat a urinary tract infection.
- Drink Coriander tea
It has ingredients that help to fight urinary tract infection from the body. Infuse the seeds in hot water for two to three hours, and drink either hot or cold.
- Try Marshmallow root tea
The research shows that it has helped a lot of people when it comes to alleviating abdominal pain, as well as pain during urination. Soak some crushed marshmallow root in a bowl and add lukewarm water at a ratio of about 1:4. Let it settle for four hours or even overnight. Strain the tea as it will be a little thick and slimy, and then drink it several times a day.
- Coconut water & coconut milk
The two components have the antimicrobial property that may help get rid of UTI in the body. Drinking adequate amount of coconut water and milk help to flush out the bacteria causing the UTI in the urethra.
- D-Mannose
It is a type of sugar that has similar features to glucose. The recent research shows that it is used to prevent certain bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. Some studies have suggested that D-mannose powder is effective for recurrent UTIs.
- Try Clove oil
The oil has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It is often used to relieve pain and promote the healing process. It is recommended that clove oil be taken under the care of a qualified healthcare professional.
- Drink soda
Baking soda is a basic substance, which can neutralize the acidic content in the urine. Many people who have tried this say it helps lessen the burning sensation of a UTI. Stir one teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water until it dissolves and drinks it first thing in the morning, but don’t do it for more than a week since the soda is high in sodium.