Treatments for Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections are caused due to the infestation of bacteria, fungi or parasites in the urinary tract region and can cause problems ranging from pain, discomfort, organ damage to even death. It is estimated that more than 50 million people in the world get treated for urinary tract infections every year. Urinary tract infections caused due to sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia can be extremely dangerous which is why in such cases you need to take prompt action. In this article, we discuss the various treatments available for urinary tract infection.

The treatment for urinary tract infection should basically be designed for each person individually depending on three basic factors - how sick the person is, the pathogen which is infecting him and the susceptibility of the pathogen to treatments. Patients who are extremely ill usually require IV antibiotics and immediate admission to the hospital. They are usually found to have kidney infections that spread through the bloodstream and this therefore requires immediate attention. On the other hand, individuals with milder levels of infections may get well with oral medications such as doxycycline. However these should be taken all on the advice of a reputed specialist.

There are also several natural or home remedies that can help to cure urinary tract infections. These include drinking cranberry juice which has been used for well over 100 years for exactly such type of infections. It contains an acid called as proanthocyanins which prevent the bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract. This causes the bacteria to get washed away with the urine and it is a highly effective method to treat urinary tract infections. The only thing to be noted here is that the cranberry juice should be unsweetened.

Yet another medication is Uva Ursi, a medicinal herb that can treat certain types of urinary tract infections. It has an active component called as arbutin that can kill the bacteria causing the infection. However people with kidney disease, liver problems, children and pregnant women are advised not to take uva ursi since it has a propensity of causing side effects. Eating pineapple is also recommended when suffering from urinary tracts infections as its anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce the symptoms. Yogurt, oregan grape fruit and aromatherapy are other homemade remedies to treat this problem.

However if the situation continues to aggravate despite the usage of these products, do not delay and immediately consult a medical practitioner because if improperly treated the infection may spread to the kidneys putting the person at grave risks.

Urinary tract infection may seem harmless at first but it can be extremely uncomfortable for the person and therefore steps should be taken to eliminate it at the earliest.