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your answers on
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you would prefer
to skip the intro and background information and get to the part about
how to treat your UTI pain at home, then scroll about halfway down the
page or click here: "First
Aid -
Self Help Process".
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Anyone
who is seeking information
on urinary tract infection treatment knows how debilitating the pain
from a UTI, or bladder infection, can be. Other than being
told
to go to the doctor and get antibiotics, finding information on
treatment of a UTI can be difficult and frustrating. This
website
aims to help those seeking alternative treatment for their
UTI's.
On this page is the first of three articles on the subject.
This
first article discusses what to do at home immediately when you feel
yourself coming down with a UTI. The second
article
discusses
causes of UTI's, and the third
article
discusses what you
can do to prevent any
more in the future, depending on what is causing yours. I am
going to assume that anyone reading this article knows the symptoms of
a UTI and is quite sure, or even positive, that is what they have and
we are not going to discuss symptoms here.
I
understand all too
well the pain and frustration of recurring
UTI’s. What I am going to share with you in this
three-part series is some very valuable information that I have
discovered through my own painful experiences and determined research
that has kept me UTI-free now for the last three years —and
this is coming from someone who used to get infections at least four
times a year. It begins here with an at-home first aid
treatment, which is discussed in detail below, and goes on to determine
the cause of your infections and what you can do to prevent future ones.
Why
was I so desperate to find an immediate solution, and so determined
to share what my research has uncovered? It's the unbearable
pain, the suffering, and the indifference of so many who just don't
understand. The suffering that ensues from a UTI until you
finally get to the point of relief from medication can drag on and
on. You have to drive to the doctor’s office,
suffer throughout your waiting and your appointment. Then you
have to drive to the pharmacy to get antibiotics, often with a wait of
at least an hour before the prescription will be
ready. And still, you then have to wait for the
medicine to have done enough work to provide relief, which can
sometimes take another day, even more. Every minute when you
are feeling that sharp burning pain can feel like an hour.
Not to mention the effect of the car vibrations on your bladder when
having to drive to the doctor, pharmacy, and then back home.
And if that infection kicked in at 2 in the morning, and
you’ve already been suffering all night. Keep
reading if you never want to have to experience something like that
again!
Besides
causing the horrible burning sensation and frequent urination
often tinged with blood from the urethra, a urinary tract infection can
sometimes quickly travel further than the bladder. If the
bacteria travels up the ureters (the small tubes that connect your
bladder to your kidneys) to the kidneys, this usually causes a dull
ache in the back, a high temperature, and malaise. Bacteria
in the kidneys can be dangerous. Left unchecked, it can cause
scarring and a slight decrease in kidney function. That is
why we want to stop the bacteria in its tracks, before it ever goes
that route!
There
seems to be a serious lack of information available on urinary tract
infection treatment plans that don't include going straight to the
doctor in debilitating pain and getting antibiotics. At least, a lack
of this information that is free of charge. That's where I come in. If
you suffer from chronic cystitis or urinary tract infections, and are
seeking help, then look no further! The only cure for chronic cystitis
and UTIs is SELF HELP.
You
see, doctors are only given a small amount of training on how to treat
this medical condition that mostly consists of testing the urine and
prescribing antibiotics. They may occasionally give a kidney x-ray or
perform an exploratory bladder operation called a cystoscopy.
Not
only is this only a band-aid treatment, and sometimes not effective
because of antibiotic overuse, but it can cause side effects as well,
such as nausea and vomiting. Antibiotics kill not only bad bacteria in
the body, but good bacteria as well. They can also remain active in the
body for months after the last dose was taken, and it can take your
body that long to re-establish its natural balance. A supply of good
vitamins can help with this. Taking antibiotics also often causes yeast
infections, especially in women, by killing off the bacteria that
balances out the yeast. That yeast infection can lead to another
urinary tract infection, and hence the cycle continues. There are ways
to stop the infection before antibiotics are needed. Though, in some
cases the only way to wipe out the bacteria is antibiotics, so take
them if needed! Then, you can work on UTI prevention. I understand that
not all urinary tract irritation is due to bacteria, which we will
discuss in parts II and III of this series. The self-help first aid
outlined below can help bladder irritation of several kinds. If you are
feeling pain or urgency when urinating, give it a try.
The
way to diminish, or even wipe out completely, an oncoming urinary tract
infection is to treat it while it is still in the urethritis stage.
Urethritis comes before the bladder is affected. It is the initial
inflammation of the urethra, when the bacteria starts working its way
up there. Symptoms of urethritis are described as a
“thin” feeling of pain,
“prickings”, or “knifelike”. It
may be a slight burning sensation. It can then take only an hour or so
for this to reach the bladder. This point in time before pain reaches
the bladder is the critical moment to take steps to nip it in the bud.
Take action at the very first “twinge.” Do not wait
and see if it will go away on its own. It won’t, and then you
will be in a lot more pain.
First
Aid - Self Help Process
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Remember,
you must begin this process at the first twinge you feel in the urethra
for maximum effectiveness! Follow these instructions and you will feel
relief. Read this completely before trying it so you understand the
whole process and will have everything ready for when the next attack
hits.
Step
1: Keep a sterile jar
with a lid for a
urine sample. Go
into the bathroom with the jar. Wash your hands, then swab the urethra
with a wet cotton swab or cleansing wipe from front to back. Let the
first bit of urine go into the toilet, then most of the rest should go
in the jar. Wash hands and again swab urethra front to back.
Refrigerate the jar until you can get it to a lab. You may want to get
it to a lab as soon as possible, because bacteria do not live for long
in a jar. The reason you want it tested is because different types of
bacteria can require different degrees of intervention to be
eliminated. E.coli can be easier to eliminate than a streptococcal
infection. The e.coli may actually get flushed out completely with the
following first aid regimen, but streptococcal will likely require a
short and sharp antibiotic treatment to get rid of it, which will have
to be prescribed by your doctor. Infection can be caused by other germs
as well. Vaginitis can cause a UTI and must be addressed in order to
eliminate the urethra problems. So, if you have recurring issues with
your bladder, and nothing shows up in the urine, definitely get a
vaginal swab to see if something there is the root of the problem.
Step
2: Start flushing out
your bladder at the
first sign of pain. You want to flush out the bacteria as much as
possible, maybe even completely. You want your urine to run colorless
for at least three hours. Colorless urine does not burn. Drink water,
or water-based liquids, such as a weak, caffeine-free tea. DO NOT drink
juices or concentrates of any kind, or consume any caffeine. Mix a
teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate, more commonly known as baking soda,
into your first pint of liquid. This will stop the urine from burning,
as it is an alkaloid that will neutralize the acid of the urine. If
sodium bicarbonate makes you queasy, use potassium citrate instead. The
traditional advice of drinking cranberry juice can make the bladder an
unwelcome environment for bacteria to breed, but the acid causes
immense pain. Drink at least one half-pint of liquid every 20 minutes
for three hours. You can slowly reduce it after that if you like.
Step
3: Repeat the teaspoon of
sodium
bicarbonate once an hour
for three or four hours. If
you have blood
pressure problems or a heart condition, discuss this treatment with a
doctor first.
Step
4: Take some Extra
Strength Tylenol or
similar over-the-counter pain medication. Now, between the water,
bicarbonate, and the analgesic you have three painkillers working in
your favor. Feeling better yet?
Step
5: Lay back and relax.
Rest in bed if
possible, as that is the best thing.
Step
6: Apply heat. A heating
pad or a hot
water bottle can provide additional pain relief when placed on the
lower stomach or back. Heat applied to the urethra can do wonders as
well. Hold a clean, wrapped hot water bottle against the urethra while
laying back with your knees up. Or, if you can, get in the shower and
run the water as hot as is comfortable, and aim the water at your lower
stomach and urethra. Try it; you will be surprised at how relieving it
can be.
Step
7: Make sure you are
emptying your
bladder frequently. Most likely you have been feeling the urge to
urinate frequently anyway, but with all of these pain killers in place
that sensation may go away, so make sure you urinate frequently. All of
that liquid will do no good if you don’t rid your bladder of
it.
Step
8: Use a wet cotton swab
or cleansing
wipe to clean the urethra, front to back, after each time you urinate.
This will help wipe away the bacteria you are expelling.
Now,
this urinary tract infection treatment plan will possibly eliminate the
infection altogether, depending on what type of bacteria is causing it.
The most common is e.coli, which is the easiest to rid of. If it does
not eliminate the infection, there is still a major advantage to using
this technique. Instead of being in pain while running to the doctor
for a hit-or-miss prescription, you can be comfortable while you wait
for the lab results, which can take two days, in order for your doctor
to prescribe the exact needed medication. No more unnecessary
antibiotics and unbearable pain!
In
the event that this first aid plan does not eliminate the infection,
there are other alternatives I would like to suggest besides
antibiotics. There are natural remedies to get rid of these nasty
infections that don't have the harmful side affects you get from
antibiotics, that can both clear up an infection and help you to
prevent future ones. The two that I would most highly suggest looking
into would be UTI-Clear
by Native Remedies
and Waterfall D-Mannose. These
are all-natural solutions that have helped a lot of people and may help
you as well. Just check them out and you can decide for yourself
whether they sound right for you. You can also check out the info on Waterfall
D-Mannose usage here. Take advantage of
the special offer from Native Remedies - UTI-Clear
- Buy 2, Get 1 FREE!
For
a variety of interesting topics, including plenty (especially to come
soon) on natural remedies, treatments, and maintaining your health and
wellness, check out the blog Spirit of Lotus.
To learn more about the best natural treatment of all, and
get
yourself set up with an appointment for those in the Houston area, stop
by Spirit
of Lotus Massage Therapy!
Now,
the next step to take is to prevent the onset of a UTI to begin with
– and in order to do that, we must figure out the cause. Read
on in Self
Help Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Plan Part II
to find a diagnosis for the root of your problem.
Medical
Disclaimer
THIS
SITE DOES NOT
PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The
content on this
site is for informational purposes only. The
content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical
advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your
physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may
have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional
medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have
read on this site.
If
you think you may
have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911
immediately. Reliance on any information provided on this site is
solely at your own risk.
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