By Nathaniel Crouch
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) hurt. It’s a ruiner of days and causes shudders down the spines of those who have endured them. UTIs affect millions of people a year and while many get prescribed antibiotics, home remedies can prove helpful for curing and preventing further infections. Clinic wait times can be long, so The Eye put together a list of UTI hacks that will help you survive and thrive when your urinary tract isn’t at its best.
Drink plenty of water
Drink lots of water so you can pee out all of the bacteria in your system! UTIs can also be caused by dehydration, so drink up.
Drink unsweetened cranberry juice?
Well, no, actually. Recent studies suggest there isn’t much benefit in drinking the all-natural crap juice. So skip the sour stuff—you’ll be much better off.
Treat with heat
UTIs that are inflamed or irritated are commonly known for causing burning or pressure-like pain in the pubic region. Applying a heating pad can help to soothe the area. A common practice is avoiding direct contact with the pained area and to cycle between 15 minutes of applying the heat pad and 15 minutes off. But don’t burn yourself!
Increase Vitamin C
Be on the lookout for foods with high Vitamin C—this includes most citric fruits, broccoli and potatoes—as large amounts of the vitamin make urine more acidic. This acidic urine then inhibits the growth of bacteria in your urinary tract.
Pee when you need to
When you’ve got to go, just fucking go, dude. It doesn’t matter what’s on TV or how comfortable you are in the moment. Your UTI will celebrate every moment you hold your bladder, so disappoint it and take a leak.
Cut bladder irritants from your diet
Caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, nicotine, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners can further irritate your infection. By creating a diet that focuses on high-fibre carbs like oatmeal and bananas, your digestive health will get the kick in the pants it needs to fight your UTI.
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