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You wake up with a flaming hot bowling ball in your lower body. When you go to relieve yourself, it feels like fire.
If you have frequent bladder infections, you don’t always have the time or money to go to the doctor for a cure. Here are eight home remedies that work as at-home bladder infection treatment.
Pain in your bladder can come from many causes. Sometimes, you can test negative even if you have an infection because current tests don’t always detect small quantities of bacteria. Other times, another issue such as endometriosis or interstitial cystitis can produce identical symptoms.
The beauty of at-home bladder infection treatment is that these holistic remedies work by bolstering your body’s natural defenses. Therefore, they won’t hurt or cause antibiotic resistance the way unnecessarily popping a pill can if the problem turns out to be something else.
The bottom line is that you should seek treatment if your symptoms don’t go away in a few days. In some cases, the infection can spread to your kidneys, causing severe problems. However, excessive antibiotic use can lead to worsening future infections, so it’s wise to make these remedies your first line of defense.
If you want home bladder infection remedies that work, try the following eight holistic treatments.
Increasing your fluid intake is your best defense against and remedy for bladder infections. If you don’t have a refillable water bottle, please invest in one now.
The more you drink, the more you dilute your urine. Bladder infections occur when germs invade cell walls, and ample hydration can ensure they get flushed away before they can. It also keeps existing germs from multiplying and making the current problem worse.
Herbalists have long turned to mother nature to cure what ails you, and you can do the same. One tea to try is bearberry. This supplement effectively suppressed further infection in a study of 57 women with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Another remedy might grow wild in your backyard — dandelion. Please avoid harvesting yours if you already used a chemical weed killer. However, the entire plant has healing properties if you don’t treat your lawn, and a tea made from the leaves acts as a diuretic. It makes you go more frequently, helping to flush away the bladder infection.
You probably heard the conventional wisdom to drink cranberry juice for the antioxidant and pH-balancing effects. While this remedy does work, pomegranate is an even more potent tool in your arsenal.
Pomegranates contain every kind of antioxidant currently known to prevent bacteria from attaching to bladder walls. It also gives you a megadose of vitamin C to bolster your immune response.
Your body contains a rich microbiome of bacteria. While many of the strains cause problems when they get in the wrong place, others provide considerable benefits — like fighting infection.
Your gut is a large part of your immune system, producing antibodies and sending signals to your brain when signs of trouble strike. Balancing your belly helps your body’s natural defenses function at their best.
People use apple cider vinegar for multiple purposes, including an at-home bladder infection treatment. This substance has antibacterial and antifungal properties that combat the most frequent causes of pain.
It is sour — try adding two teaspoons to a glass of water or seltzer. If you are prone to frequent infections, you might take some daily as a preventative.
Have you ever wondered how over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers work? Some, like Tylenol, work on parts of your brain that receive pain messages. However, ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin fall into the NSAID category.
This term means they reduce the level of prostaglandins, substances that cause inflammation. They’re your best best for calming the burn and getting lasting relief.
If your bladder infection is so bad you live on the toilet, an Epsom salt bath may help. This substance contains magnesium, which helps to relax your muscles. Anecdotal evidence suggests it absorbs through the skin, and it could quiet the painful spasms that make you run to the bathroom every few minutes.
The best bladder infection treatment is prevention. Whenever possible, try not to hold your urine — doing so allows bacteria to accumulate.
Pay attention to your toilet paper brand, too. Those that contain artificial fragrances can irritate the skin and make you more prone to infection. Likewise, choose soaps and laundry detergent with care. Those with added fragrance can cause allergic reactions in some, and bacteria can readily enter inflamed cell walls.
When you need bladder infection treatment, you don’t always have access to a doctor — and you may not need one. Try the eight remedies above as your first line of defense.
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