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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause considerable misery. They can keep you awake and running to the bathroom all night long, leaving many wondering how to relieve UTI pain at night specifically. UTIs also make daily tasks like reporting to work difficult. Even if you manage to make it to the office, UTIs can negatively impact your productivity.
Some UTIs require professional medical care to treat. However, mild infections generally clear up on their own with a little self-care. Read on to discover how to relieve UTI pain at night and get some much-needed Zs, as well as learn when to give the doctor a call.
If you’re suffering from a UTI, the more hydrated you remain, the better. Drinking tons of water helps dilute your urine and allows you to flush germs out of your body more quickly.
In addition to aiding in combating UTIs, drinking more water offers a host of other health benefits. Staying hydrated keeps your skin soft and glowing and also activates your metabolism, making weight loss easier.
When you have a UTI, the less time bacteria has to stay in your body, the better. Even though it may feel like you’re running to the restroom every 15 minutes, go as soon as you feel the need to do so. This helps flush away bacteria more quickly.
During the day, an electric heating pad on your lap can aid UTI pain, but experts advise against using one while you sleep due to the risk of fire. A hot water bottle poses no such risk, and using one answers the question of how to relieve UTI pain at night. Put the water bottle between you and your blankets, and your body heat will keep it warm while you sleep.
Despite the best educational efforts of medical professionals, many women continue to wipe from back to front instead of vice versa. When using the restroom, always wipe from front to back. Doing the opposite allows E. coli bacteria from the anus to enter the bladder. Given the shorter length of the female urethra when compared to men, this practice causes many UTIs.
What’s better than a romp in the sheets after a long day? Not much, but sexual intercourse can cause pain during and after the act if you have an underlying UTI. It can also push bacteria up the urethra, so bumping uglies can result in an infection even if you didn’t have one previously.
Reduce your chances of catching a post-coital UTI by using the restroom immediately after having sexual intercourse. Make sure to in between each act — you always can use the excuse of wanting to freshen up.
While recent research revealed little connection between drinking cranberry juice and curing UTIs, pomegranate juice may do the trick when it comes to how to relieve UTI pain at night. Pomegranates are rich in nearly every antioxidant known to man. Store-bought juice can contain added sugar, so for best results, hit the natural food store for organic pomegranate juice with no additives.
When people hear the term antibiotic, most think of taking a prescription pill. However, many herbs act as natural antibiotics. Here are a few to try when you’re down with a UTI:
If your UTI persists for longer than a few days, it’s time to give your doctor a call. Sometimes, what you suspect is a UTI is actually a sign of a different underlying health problem. For example, interstitial cystitis refers to a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder that causes symptoms similar to those of an infection.
Allowing a UTI to remain untreated for too long can cause the condition to worsen. Bacteria can travel up the ureters, the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. This can result in kidney infection and even a more serious condition called sepsis when bacteria enter the bloodstream. This condition requires emergency medical treatment or death can occur.
UTIs cause considerable pain and suffering and costs countless dollars in lost productivity each year. Plus, the pain and urgency related to the infection can keep you up at night. By practicing solid self-care and seeing the doctor when necessary, you can alleviate UTIs and return to health quickly.
