Sometimes you can avoid taking an antibiotic for a urinary tract infection if you catch it early. There are several natural treatments that have proven to be effective, either for preventing UTIs or clearing up a UTI.
Here are some top natural UTI treatments you can try at home:
- Probiotic supplements or drinks like kefir or kombucha that contain probiotics put good bacteria into your urinary tract and make it harder for the bad bacteria to grow and thrive.
- High doses of vitamin C make your urine more acidic. Bacteria has a difficult time growing in an acidic environment, so vitamin C can keep your urinary tract healthy and free from infection. It can either be taken in supplement form or by eating foods rich in vitamin C.
- Garlic also stops the growth of bacteria in your urinary tract because it is a natural antibacterial food. It can be an effective way of treating a UTI, either raw or in a supplement.
- Many people have heard cranberry juice helps with UTIs, but the evidence of its effectiveness is somewhat lacking. It does have vitamin C and has sometimes proven to be helpful, so it’s worth a try.
- Diet changes can also help. Spicy foods, caffeine, carbonated drinks, sugar and alcohol are all bladder irritants. If you can avoid these things when you have a UTI, your body is able to fight the infection better.