Bladder Infection Cure

Risk Factors


Some people are more likely than others to get bladder infections. Women tend to get them more often than men due to their urethra being shorter and closer to the anus. Among the women most likely to get bladder infections are women who are pregnant, going through menopause and using a diaphragm for birth control. Men who have prostate inflammation or enlargement will also be more likely to have bladder infections. Risk factors that apply to both men and women are; kidney stones, sexual intercourse with multiple partners, narrowed urethra, immobility such as recovering from hip fracture, not drinking enough fluids, bowel incontinence and catheterization. Elderly people and people with diabetes are also at higher risk of bladder infections.

Children can also be at risk for bladder infections. They are most common in boys before the first birthday and among uncircumcised boys. Girls are most likely to get bladder infections at around three years old when toilet training is usually in progress. Children under five years old who have bladder infections will need follow-up care to prevent later kidney damage.

Symptoms


The symptoms of a bladder infection are varied. A person can have any or all of them. Young children may have only a fever or no symptoms at all. For adults, the symptoms can include; pressure in the lower pelvis, pain or burning with urination, frequent or urgent need to urinate, need to urinate at night, cloudy urine, blood in the urine, foul or strong urine odor, painful sexual intercourse, penis pain, flank pain, vomiting, fever and chills and mental changes or confusion.

Causes


Bacteria entering the urethra cause bladder infections. The bacteria, more often than not, come from the anus. In some children, an abnormality in the anatomy of the urinary tract contributes to frequent infections.

Treatment


Sometimes, a mild bladder infection will clear up on its own. Antibiotics are usually recommended, though, because there is a risk of the infection spreading to the kidneys. In order to protect their developing kidneys, children should be treated promptly with antibiotics. Elderly people should also be treated with antibiotics as soon as possible. If prompt treatment is not started, there is a greater chance of fatal complications.

There are many antibiotics that can be used to treat a bladder infection. They are: Nitrofurantoin, Cephalosporins, Sulfa drugs, Amoxicillin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Doxycycline and Quinolones.

The last two should not be used in children. Women who are not elderly usually only need three days of antibiotics. No matter how many doses are prescribed, the full course of antibiotics must be taken or the infection could return and be harder to clear up. A severe bladder infection may require hospitalization to re-hydrate and receive antibiotics intravenously.

Prevention



Bladder infections can usually be prevented. By following these suggestions, bladder infection can be prevented or the frequency reduced. Keep your genital area clean and wipe from front to back. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid fluids that irritate the bladder, like alcohol and caffeine. Drink cranberry juice unless you have a family history of kidney stones. Wear cotton or some other breathable cloth underwear. Do not douche or use similar feminine hygiene products. Urinate soon after sexual intercourse.

What is a Bladder Infection?

Bladder infection or Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects every part of the urinary system. Normal urine contains salts, waste, and liquids but does not contain bacteria. UTI is caused by bacteria that enters into the bladder and then multiplies. These bacteria are usually found in the intestines and often times on the skin surrounding the rectal and vaginal areas. Around 85 percent of UTI cases are caused by the so-called E. coli or Escherichia coli. When this bacterium passes into the urethra it may easily enter the bladder and cause an infection.

Cystitis, also known as inflammation of the bladder, is an infection that covers a wide range of infections and includes irritations on the lower part of the urinary system. Intestinal bacteria are the most common cause of this infection. The bladder wall may get irritated even scarred. A pinpoint bleeding that is caused by recurrent irritation, also called glomerulations, appears on the bladder wall. It is also possible that a person with a worse case of cystitis urinates of up to 60 times per day. People with this kind of infection often experience painful sexual intercourse.

The most common symptoms of this kind of infection are a burning sensation when urinating, strong or persistent urge for urination, passing frequent small amounts of urine, hematuria or blood in the urine, passing cloudy or strong foul smelling urine, a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen, bladder spasm and low-grade fever. In elderly people, the symptoms can also be weakness, falls, confusion, or fever confusions and also changes in mental state. In cases of young children, UTI is exhibited by enuresis or bed-wetting.

In women, 20 to 40 percent experienced the symptoms of weakness, irritability, reduced appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. This infection occurs mostly in women who have very short urethra. Likewise, women often get worse symptoms during menstruation. In men, a chronic prostate problem increases the risk of bladder infection. Men have the same symptoms as women. There are some cases where symptoms of cystitis vanish without any reason or treatment. Even though these symptoms disappear, they can return after days, weeks, even months or years later.

As of today, scientists have not found any cure for cystitis and are unable to predict which treatment is best for curing the bladder infection. The only good advice is that people should drink sufficient water so that the bladder is completely flushed. The bladder should be thoroughly emptied during urination. Likewise wearing warm clothing on lower parts of the body also stops cystitis. It may also be helpful to drink cranberry juice daily to prevent this infection. Immediate urination after sexual intercourse flushes out bacteria from the urethra. And also it is advised to urinate once every three hours. Most women who pass on urinating for a long period are prone to suffer more infections in their urinary system.

The bladder is connected to the kidneys by two tubes called ureters that carry urine into the bladder, where it is stored until you pass it into the outside world through a single tube called a urethra. An overactive bladder is a condition that results from sudden, involuntary contraction of the muscle in the wall of the urinary bladder. Overactive bladder is also referred to as urge incontinence and is a form of urinary incontinence (unintentional loss of urine). An infection of the bladder is one of the more frequent sites of infections in humans.

Bladder infections are more common among women than men because of their shorter urethra, making it easer for bacteria from the anus or genital area to reach the bladder. Bladder infections often occur in young women who have just become sexually active and have sexual intercourse often. In addition, bladder infections can occur anytime the flow of urine is blocked or emptying of the bladder is incomplete due to an enlarged prostate in men or pregnancy in women.

Symptoms of bladder infections include a burning sensation when urinating. This is the most common symptom of having bladder infection. Any pain or difficulty in urination may also be due to a bladder infection. Frequent urge to urinate or the urine has a strong, foul odor is another sign. Bladder spasms and a fever or chills are other clues that one has a bladder infection. The most common treatment for a bladder infection would be taking an antibiotic. Another thing that is commonly used to help aid treatment would be to increase the amount of water in your diet or drink cranberry juice.

Treatment for Bladder Infections

Bladder infections are usually easily treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria and prevent the spread of infection to the kidneys. Treatment for women is usually short-term; most patients respond within three days. Men do not respond as well to short-term treatment and may require seven to ten days of oral antibiotics. The doctor may also prescribe Pyridium, a medicine that helps reduce the pain and spasm of the bladder during the first couple of days.

For women, taking an antibiotic by mouth for 3 days is usually effective if the infection has not led to any complications, although some doctors prefer to give a single dose. For more stubborn infections, an antibiotic is usually taken for 7 to 10 days. For men, cystitis usually is caused by prostatitis, and antibiotic treatment is usually required for weeks.

Bladder infection treatment using cucumber- Cucumber juice is one of the most used remedy from people suffering from cystitis. It is a very affective diuretic. Juice 1 cucumber and mix in 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Drink this at least 3 times in a 24 hour period.

Azo-Standard is available OTC and often relieves the pain associated with urinary tract infections; however it does not cure the underlying infection and you must see your health care provider for traditional treatment.

Surgery may be necessary to relieve any physical obstruction to the flow of urine or to correct a structural abnormality that makes infection more likely, such as a drooping uterus or bladder. Until surgery can occur, draining urine from an obstructed area through a catheter helps control the infection. Usually, an antibiotic is given before surgery to reduce the risk of the infection spreading throughout the body.

Bladder Infection Cures have been a popular topic lately. It seems that many UTI sufferers are saying the curing their infection took nothing more than a simple remedy and a couple pieces of fruit.

However, doctors are still prescribing expensive antibiotics for treating a urinary tract infection. Because pharmaceutical companies and most medical establishments work hand in hand, this is the best treatment doctors have.

Unfortunately, many patients will continue to be repeat UTI sufferers because antibiotics are not doing the job. In this article, you will learn why treating your infection naturally is the best method to cure and prevent this painful infection.

Why Curing UTI is Simpler than Antibiotics

Sure taking a pill is simple but what if the pill only works a few weeks? That is why about 1 in 4 patients will continue to be diagnosed with infection after infection.

However, some experts say that natural health remedies may be a better treatment. Because urinary tract infections are caused by E coli bacteria, this infection is a simple disease to treat naturally.

Did you know that a simple and common piece of fruit can naturally flush the E coli from your bladder's lining? Did you know that a healthy and balanced diet is one of the quickest ways to balance your urinary tract's good and bad bacteria? Did you know that boosting your immunity can also help cure and prevent this problem?

The following tips will help you begin your home treatment and cure this infection.

Bladder Infection Cures that Work

1. If you have taken antibiotics and they have not worked, the bacteria may have become resistant to the antibiotics. Therefore, you need to begin you treatment with boosting your immunity to fight the E coli. You can do this by supplementing 3 x 1000 mg of vitamin C daily.

You should take the vitamin C with each meal and you can also supplement zinc for helping with the body absorb the ascorbic acid.

2. Flushing your bladder continually is very important. The best 2 ways to do this is with drinking plenty of water and eating vegetables. Men should try to drink at least 12-14 glasses of water daily and women should try to drink 10-12 daily.

You should also eat at least 4-5 servings of vegetables daily which will give you plenty of nutrients, vitamins and minerals but more importantly water soluble fiber which will also flush the urinary tract.

3. Cranberries are important to the treatment because cranberries contain a compound that will actually decling the E coli bacteria from the lining in your bladder.

4. Remedies are also an important part of the treatment. One effective UTI remedy is drinking one cup of nettle leaf tea up to 6 times per day. Nettle tea can help flush your system and help relieve the symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Nettle acts as an anti-inflammatory and can help reduce pain and swelling that often accompanies a urinary tract infection.