Will a UTI go away on it's own?
Minor UTIs will often resolve themselves without the need for antibiotics. It has been estimated that up to half will clear up on their own – and usually within a few days or up to a week. Steps such as keeping hydrated, minimising sugar, employing herbal remedies or supporting the immune system will all help with this process.
What happens when you get a UTI?
A urinary tract infection (UTI) occurs when bacteria enters the urethra and then travels up and into the urinary tract. And that bacteria can then reside at various points. So, we have the urethra, then there's the bladder, the ureters, and the kidneys as well. And where they reside, they can create inflammation; they can infect your cells and cause a bit of discomfort, and that's when you get all the symptoms as well.
So, this is what's happening, and then we are relying on our bodies to respond appropriately to this as well. With any invasion of bacteria or viruses or anything like that, we are really relying on our immune system to become aware of the infection, to react quickly, and then to try and kill the bacteria or virus and/or remove it from the body. So, there is also an immune element in there that you're relying on as well as when it comes to urinary tract infections.
Then you've also got the helpful physical functions as well such as going to the toilet and the liquid in your urinary tract, depending on this has been influenced by our diet, for example.
All of these processes will have a bearing on how quickly and effectively you are able to overcome that infection. Now, which factors could you influence in order to hopefully manage UTIs better from home, potentially without the need for antibiotics?
1. Support your immune system
Immune support is an important consideration, especially if you suffer from recurrent UTIs. Both our Echinaforce drops and our Echinaforce tablets licensed for the symptomatic relief of cold and flu infections by strengthening the immune system.
A tell-tale sign that your immune system needs some assistance is if you have recurrent colds and flus, or other infections for that matter, so this might be something that you want to consider and add into your regime.
As I've explained, we really do rely on our immune system to be working properly and effectively in order to get on top of any UTIs if they are to occur.
2. Drink plenty of water
Keeping yourself properly hydrated is a really important part of managing UTIs naturally. And as I'm sure most of you will understand, when we drink water, it flushes through from your mouth right through eventually to your urinary tract, and then it leaves your body.
So, this flushing of liquid, especially a nice dilute liquid which we can achieve by drinking plenty of water (at least 2l daily) helps keep your urine nicely dilute, and this means it is less inflammatory; it creates a a more favourable environment within your bladder, but also just physically, that motion of going to the toilet will help keep your urinary tract flushing through, and help to flush any bad bacteria out as well.
3. Minimise refined sugar
Moving on, we are now going to consider other drinks and dietary components apart from water, such as sugar. So, ideally, we want to minimise refined sugar. Sugars can risk feeding these bad bacteria and that can be either in the urinary tract, throughout your digestive tract, or elsewhere in the body.
Sugars generally act as a source of food for the bad bacteria or yeasts throughout your system. So, we really want to try and limit refined sources, particularly, refined sources of sugar (remember, all carbs are technically made up from simple sugars). But these simple, refined forms which are often stripped of all their fibre and nutrients, can get into your system really, really quickly.
Moving into more helpful sources of sugar, we have cranberry, for example. So, your whole fruits, cranberry being a good example, contains elements that can help to divert the bacteria, which can outweigh any concerns regarding a small dose of naturally occurring sugars.
See, the bacteria are tricked into sticking to elements contained withing the cranberry, rather than your urinary tract, and therefore, end up being flushed out.
So, cranberry can be just a nice one to generally have in your routine; more so to help with the prevention of UTIs, so to stop that bacteria sticking to your urinary tract in the first place.
Now, back to other whole fruits and vegetables and things that contain lots of vitamin C. Why are they so helpful? For a start, vitamin C is very protective of your cells.
It can help to protect the cells of your urinary tract from damage by bacteria, and also helps with the repair processes if your cells were to become damaged. With recurrent cystitis, for example, sometimes your cells become damaged, and then, they're much more likely to become re-infected and that can turn into quite a vicious cycle.
So, vitamin C can help to repair those tissues and hopefully be an important part of breaking that vicious cycle.
4. Introduce Uva-ursi & Echinacea
Last on my list is talking through a remedy that you can take at home. So, when we're considering the need for antibiotics, but we might feel that we want to try a remedy first; a little step up from the usual water and cranberry juice, is where your Uva-ursi & Echinacea would come in.
This is a licensed remedy for relieving minor urinary symptoms, such as those related to cystitis. It contains the echinacea ingredient that I had previously mentioned, but crucially combined with the herbal ingredient uva-ursi. And together, they are licensed to help support your urinary tract and help to relieve those symptoms.
We would just say that if symptoms don't improve within seven days of taking the Uva-ursi & Echinacea, then it would be time to go to your doctor to review your need for any medications. So, if your symptoms persist, or if your symptoms are very severe, then we would say to go to the doctor. So, any back pain or anything, that could suggest that the bacteria has traveled further up towards the kidneys, for example, then we would say to go to your doctor.
Uva-ursi
Uva-ursi, or bearberry, is a traditional herbal remedy for treating UTIs. It's fast-acting and has an antibacterial effect directly in the urinary tract. Unlike antibiotics, it does not trigger thrush. It is not a remedy that should be taken long term, so for recurrent UTIs, I recommend having a bottle of Uva-ursi tincture at home to start taking at the first sign of infection.
The antibiotic properties seem to be due to a compound called arbutin; but, as it is a whole plant extract, it has lots of other side benefits too, rather than side effects. It has astringent properties and contains allantoin, which helps to heal inflamed and irritated urinary passages.
It is recommended to take Uva-ursi for one week, and symptoms should improve after just 4 days of use. If symptoms do not improve, it is important to see your doctor.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a great antibacterial and anti-inflammatory herb, which is used to treat many infections. It is well-known as a remedy for colds and flu, but it is also effective in treating urinary tract infections. Its antibacterial properties help to fight the infection, and its anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties will help prevent a recurrence.
Echinacea helps to support the immune system, so it can be taken on an ongoing basis to support immunity and prevent infection. If you do start to notice the symptoms of an infection, I recommend taking your Echinacea more regularly. So perhaps you might take it twice a day as prevention and five times a day if you are experiencing any symptoms of an infection.
Foods to avoid
While there are lots of foods that can help, it is also important to also avoid or limit your intake of certain foods that can make symptoms worse.
To learn more about which foods to avoid: check out my blog "Foods to avoid with a UTI."
