Simple Home remedies for Frequent Urination and UTI

Home remedies for Frequent Urination

This is my third blog on Frequent Urination problem. In this blog you will see Simple Home remedies for Frequent Urination and UTI.

 

What is frequent urination?

Frequent urination, where you feel an urge to pass urine more often than usual, is not just a a nuisance and a cause of poor sleep, it can be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Polyuria is a medical term that refers to the excessive passing of urine (frequent urination).

Unfortunately many people soldier on, perhaps accepting it as something they have to put up with, or they don't think it is worth bothering the doctor about, or maybe they are scared it might signify something serious.  But often, when they seek diagnosis and treatment, patients find the cause is not serious or harmful, and it is possible to return to normal urinary habits

 

Normal person urine

Urine is a waste product made in the kidneys. The kidneys spurt urine into the ureters which then pass it into the bladder, where it collects ready to be expelled from the body via the urethra. Normal urine is a clear, transparent, amber-colored fluid made of urea, uric acid, and water. Some diseases cause other substances to appear in urine, such as sugar (diabetes), albumin (kidney disease), and bile pigments (jaundice).

The average person probably excretes about 5 to 8 cups or 1 to 1.8 litres of urine every 24 hours.

Frequent Urination and Associated Symptoms

Frequent urination is where you pass urine more often than usual. This can sometimes occur with urgent urination: a sudden, compelling urge to urinate, along with discomfort in the bladder.

Most people can sleep for 6 to 8 hours without having to urinate, but many have to get up in the night to relieve themselves. This frequent need to urinate at night is called nocturia, and is common in both men and women. By disturbing sleep, nocturia can significantly affect quality of life.

Frequent urination is not the same as urinary incontinence, which is where there is no voluntary control of bladder function, reminiscent of the infant's involuntary reflex. However, urinary incontinence can be a cause of frequent urination, and/or the two can occur together.

When doctors assess urinary symptoms, they try to distinguish among several possibilities, such as nocturia, daytime frequent urination, urinary incontinence, obstructive symptom (such as poor, intermittent stream or terminal dribble), and irritative symptoms (such as urgency, burning sensation).

Common Cause

The most common causes of frequent urination are diabetes, pregnancy and prostate problems.

Other causes of frequent urination include:

Anxiety,

Medication, for example diuretics,

Stroke, or other brain or nervous system condition,

Infection of the prostate gland (prostatitis),

Enlarged prostate,

Kidney infection,

Tumor or mass in the pelvic area,

Interstitial cystitis (inflammation of the bladder wall),

Overactive bladder syndrome (unexplained, uncontrolled bladder contractions),

Cancer of the bladder,

Dysfunction of the bladder,

Bladder stones,

Urinary incontinence,

Abnormal opening (fistula) in the urinary tract,

Radiation of the pelvis, e.g. to treat cancer, and

Diverticulitis (inflammation of diverticulosis, small, bulging sacs or pouches that can develop on the inner lining of the large intestine).

Home remedies

Kegel exercises

These regular daily exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvis and urethra and support the bladder. It is important to learn the correct technique and practise at the recommended frequency (at least 30 to 80 times a day for at least 8 weeks).

Biofeedback

 Used with with Kegel exercises, this helps improve awareness and control of pelvic muscles.

Bladder training

 

The aim is to train the bladder to hold urine longer and thus urinate less often. It involves increasing the period between visits to the toilet to empty the bladder and is done gradually over two to three months.

Monitoring fluid intake

It could be that drinking before bedtime is the main cause of frequent urination.

Changing diet

 to avoid foods that irritate the bladder or act as a diuretic, for instance caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, spicy foods, artificial sweeteners. Eating high-fiber foods can help reduce the constipation that worsens an overactive bladder.

Try Baking Soda

At the first sign of having Urinary Tract Infection, you need to prevent it from spreading with the help of baking soda. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water and drink it once or twice in a day. The baking soda will raise the acid-base balance of the acidic urine and will give you relief from the pain. Once the acidity in the urine is neutralized, it will help in fast recovery. In fact, people who consume one teaspoon of baking soda added to a glass of water can never suffer from this kind of infection.

Eat Blueberries

Blueberries have got bacteria-inhibiting properties that can help a lot in the treatment of Urinary Tract Infection. You can add some fresh blueberries in your favorite cereal and have it for breakfast. Else you can make your own fresh blueberry juice and have it daily in the morning and night for quick results. You must not add any artificial sweetener to this juice. The antioxidant present in blueberries is good for the immune system and it restricts and prevents growth of bacteria that causes UTI. In fact, including fresh blueberries juice in your daily diet is a good way to keep away from Urinary Tract Infection.

 

Drink Cranberry Juice

Regularly drinking cranberry juice is one of the easiest ways to avoid urinary tract infections. Drinking half glass of cranberry juice daily will keep your bladder infection free. Those suffering from Urinary Tract Infection must drink at least three to four glasses of cranberry juice in a day to prevent the infection from causing any kind of damage to the kidneys. There are certain compounds like proanthocyanidins found in cranberries which prevent the bacteria from reaching the walls of the urethra that cause UTIs. At the same time cranberry juice has a very mild antibiotic affect. You must drink the unsweetened cranberry juice, or else you can mix it with apple juice to enhance the taste.

Eat Pineapple

Pineapple contains an enzyme called Bromelain which has got anti-inflammatory properties that may reduce UTI symptoms. When a cupful of pineapple is consumed on regular basis it can help cure the urinary tract infection. In case you do not like the taste of this fruit, you can make juice of half pineapple and then drink it. Along with the pineapple you must also take the antibiotics prescribed by your doctor to quickly get rid of this kind infection. It is recommended by experts to eat fresh pineapple instead of the canned ones as they contain preservatives.

Drink more Water

If suffering from urinary tract infection, the very first thing that you need to do is drink plenty of water. Try to drink at least eight to ten glasses of water in a day. When you drink more water you will urinate more which is very essential while dealing with this kind of infection. By drinking lots of water, your urine will become less concentrated and the infection-causing bacteria will get flush out from your system and soon you will recover. Along with water, you can also drink fruit and vegetable juices in order to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it requires to fight off the infection.

Try Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a rich source of enzymes and potassium and other useful minerals that can prevent the bacteria that cause UTIs from multiplying or growing. Those suffering from UTI can use apple cider vinegar as a natural antibiotic to treat the infection. To get rid of your urinary tract infection, add two to here teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water, add one teaspoon of honey and mix it properly. It is recommenced by experts to drink this mixture at least three times a day to get faster results

 

Summary

Above mentioned home remedies are effective in dealing with Urinary Tract Infection/frequent urination. But you should immediately consult a doctor if the urinary tract infection is accompanied by symptoms like blood in the urine, vomiting and high fever.