Comments on: How to Treat Urinary Tract Infections

on 12/5/2007 I've had one UTI about ever 3 to 6 months for the past 7 years. Trying to avoide the inevitable antibiotics (tried them all, eventually each stops working), I've tried everything natural: Cranberry Juice and supplements, Goldenseal, Echinacea, vinegar. My last bout with antibiotics put me in the ER when I suddenly developed a rare allergy (Macrobid gave me head-to-toe hives). Thanks top this forum, now I finally found the "silver bullet" for me: Calcium Citrate. I take a double dose at the first sign of irritation and then drink extra water and continue regular doses for 24 hours. I back this up with Mannose (better than Cranberry) supplements. The Calcium Citrate apparently akalinizes the urine, killing all bacteria in its path. About 6 hours after I begin this "silver bullet" method, I start to feel normal.

on 9/27/2006 In the early stages of a UTI you can short circuit the problem quite easily and 100% naturally. This is going to sound odd but trust me it has worked 100% of the time for me.

Cranberry juice.
Two 8 oz glasses of it per day for one week.
Normally within the first day the symptoms will completely vanish. Dose for the full week to make sure that the juice components that actually work against the infection have had time to fully eradicate the problem.

As ever, if you experience bleeding or excessive pain consult a doctor as the UTI may have progressed to the point of requiring medical attention.

on 7/21/2006 Taking several cranberry supplement pills every hour and drinking lots of water helped rid me of one of the most painful UTIs I have had.

on 6/30/2006 Don't take the two together. Taking cranberry juice (or pills, tablets, etc.) acidifies the urine, while uva ursi acts as an antiseptic/diuretic and it alkalizes urine. They counteract each other.

Also, mega doses of bio-K+ acidophilus, CranActin pill (sometimes two every half hour) combined with D-mannose is a good combination for me. It has saved me from going for the antibiotics several times! D-mannose is a sugar from aloe that will not breed bacteria like most sugars, but instead, it lures the bacteria away from the urethra and bladder walls, so it can be flushed out.

The bio-K+ is the most amazing acidophilus supplement. It boosts your immune system by introducing heaps of friendly bacteria. It's about the equivalent of 250 freeze-dried pills or 100 cups of yogurt in it's bio-activity.

The CranActin works by acidifying the urine, and keeps bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract, so it can be flushed out.

on 1/27/2006 First off, do not buy regular cranberry juice. There is a lot of sugar in it that the bacteria loves!

Get "cranactin" and "uva ursi" tincture. Then go to the doctor and get antibiotics.

on 1/16/2006 I second the Cran-Aid tip. I had completely forgotten about this tea, but I used to use it and it did help, much more than drinking cranberry juice.

Also, make sure if you drink cranberry juice that you're drinking the 100% kind and not the cocktails, which are diluted and full of sugar.

on 11/22/2005 I'm prone to getting UTI often, for reasons yet unknown. I follow all the standard UTI preventative protocol; urination after sex, cranberry supplements, cotton panties, massive water consumption, etc. However, it doesn't always work. The pain I get is often crippling. And it is horrible waiting for test results and antibiotic prescriptions. Although I do take Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride for pain relief, it is still no cure and often while on antibiotics, the pain still resides for days, lessening slowly. Very recently, though, I discovered a tea by Traditional Medicinals called Cran-Aid. It contains an herb called Uva Ursi, which, until antibiotics were discovered, was used to cure UTI. It has antimicrobial properties which act as a natural antibiotic. Thus, unlike cranberry which is a preventative or Phenazopyridine Hydrochloride which is just a pain killer, one can actually use this tea to begin the curing and pain relief process in wait for their antibiotic prescriptions. It's good to have it on hand for emergencies and there's no wait because it's over the counter. It's available online or in grocery stores that supply organic and healthy foods.

on 11/22/2005 I did not have apple cider vinegar but instead I had white vinegar when the tract infection occurred. As the pain was unbearable, I mixed about 2 ounces of vinegar with 16 ounces of water, and within 15 minutes, I could feel the pain slowly going away. I had also tried to drink cranberry juice, but it did not seem to work for me.

on 11/22/2005 There are 3 main parts to the urinary tract infection problem: the bladder, urethra, and outside. To clean the bladder, you drink water with either cranberry pills or a calcium carbonate/goldenseal combination (don't mix them since they'll counteract each other). To clean the outside, you take tons of baths with antibacterial soap, and spray yourself with a vinegar/water solution each time you pee. However, no one talks about how to clean the urethra. Sometimes, the bladder infection gets WAY out of hand to the point that you feel like you're going to pee in your pants before you make it to the doctor because the urethra is loaded with bacteria that can't be cleaned out by peeing alone. I've found that I've been able to totally improve the state of my UTI when I'm completely desperate for something that works instantly if I disinfect the opening with either Hand Sanitizer or Listerine. However, only do this when you're incredibly desperate because boy does it hurt - for about 5 seconds. But you will feel 100 times better after you do this and it will improve your state instantly and tremendously. It's sort of like drinking a strong vodka or whiskey shot when you have a sore throat. Note that this works most of the time because most Urinary Tract Infections are caused by bacteria like E. Coli - not yeast. If you think you have a yeast infection that's causing the urinary tract infection, then turn to Monistat.

on 11/22/2005 Although there remains some controversy about what pH is most conducive to bacteria growth in the urinary tract, most evidence seems to indicate that the majority of UTIs benefit from an alkaline pH. The easiest way to alkalize the urine is with minerals, specifically potassium citrate and sodium citrate. All citrates will encourage an alkaline shift; so if you are already taking a calcium/magnesium supplement, switch to a calcium citrate/magnesium citrate preparation. (Citrical has a form of calcium citrate pills.) Take your mineral supplement before bedtime, as this is a time when urine sits in the bladder where it may irritate the tissue and promote an infection.
Goldenseal is reputed to help treat many types of infections. It contains berberine, an alkaloid which prevents UTIs by inhibiting bacteria from adhering to the wall of the urinary bladder. Goldenseal and other plants containing berberine (such as Oregon grape) may help in the treatment of recurrent urinary tract infections.

on 11/22/2005 Urinate after sexual intercourse, even if your bladder isn't full. This way, bacteria is flushed out and does not have time to cause trouble.

on 11/22/2005 My doctor also mentioned that you can help prevent UTI's by wearing cotton panties. I have noticed that this has helped me.

on 11/22/2005 The makers of Monistat now manufacture an over-the-counter painkiller for UTIs under the brand name Uristat. This will not cure the UTI, but it will make the symptoms more bearable while you're waiting for your prescription treatment to be phoned in!