Urinary Tract Infection

So you had what my emergency room doctor referred to as “vigorous sexual intercourse,” and now you’re peeing blood. Or maybe it just burns when you pee, which is confusing because you’re pretty sure you don’t have an STI. There are other symptoms, too, like you have a fever, you feel like you have to pee all the time even when you don’t, you ache, and it really, really hurts when you have to pee. I mean, really. Like, you won’t drink any water, anything just so you don’t have to pee anymore. But if it is just a urinary tract infection, don’t worry. You won’t die, even if you want to. There is help.

Urinary tract infections may be caused by many different things, but a common cause is the introduction of bacteria into the urethra. Women are more likely to get urinary tract infections than men because their urethra is much shorter and bacteria find it easier to get into the bladder via that short distance. Vigorous sexual intercourse can push bacteria into the urethra where it travels to the bladder. Once bacteria has made it into the bladder, then they reproduce quickly, causing all kinds of nasty symptoms.

Warnings

While drinking water and cranberry juice and taking AZO can get rid of urinary tract infection symptoms, it will not get rid of an infection. Only an antibiotic can get rid of a urinary tract infection. Natural remedies are not a cure for UTIs: doctors and antibiotics are.

Best Ways to Get Rid of UTIs

Get rid of a urinary tract infection by drinking water.

If these symptoms of a urinary tract infection start showing up, the peeing frequently, the pain when peeing, the fever and the aching, then start drinking water. Though it seems a little contrary to what you’re feeling at the time, the water will work the voodoo that it does do and will get rid of the UTI symptoms for a little while. This, however, will only buy you time. The infection in your bladder will remain and can get worse. The water only makes you feel human enough to get to the doctor without peeing all over yourself. And yes, after 15 UTIs, I have peed on myself. Don’t be ashamed. Sometimes you can’t help it.

See a doctor about your urinary tract infection.

UTIs are bacterial infections, and that means that you need an antibiotic. Some bacterial infections will go away on their own, but this one will just get worse and worse until you want to die. Really, the pain can be quite bad. And the infection can get backed up into your kidneys and become quite serious if you wait too long. So, go and visit your doctor. Your doctor will also be able to properly diagnose you and eliminate other serious illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, such as a sexually transmitted disease or kidney infection.

Cure a urinary tract infection with antibiotics.

The only way to really get rid of a UTI is with antibiotics. A quick appointment with your doctor, a small urine sample to check for bacteria in your urine, and a quick keep-your-clothes-on-exam is all you need. Most UTIs are fairly simple and require only a three day course of cheap antibiotics to clear up. What’s even better is that the antibiotics are so fast working that the scream-while-you’re-peeing pain that comes with the UTI is gone in less than a day. Usually by the time you’re on your second dose, you’re not afraid of the sound of running water.

Use AZO to get rid of urinary tract infection symptoms.

Once you have your antibiotics and your water, then it’s all about treating your symptoms. AZO can do that. There are other brands, but this is the one I use. It is a urinary anesthetic. It relieves the pain, burning, urgency and frequency of urinating with a UTI behind. Other pain relievers like ibuprofin or asprin don’t touch any of those common urinary tract infection symptoms. But AZO does. You can treat your symptoms within half an hour, instead of twelve. And, if you’re as much a fan of vigorous sexual intercourse as I am, you’ll have a full box in your medicine cabinet, just in case. You can order AZO from Amazon.

Remain urinary tract infection free by abstaining from sex.

Your doctor should explain this to you, but in case you missed it: Yes, you should abstain from sex until you have completed your cycle of antibiotics. Of course you’ll miss the vigorous sexual intercourse (I really like saying that), but the memory of the agony of the pain can help you keep the muffin shop closed. Leave your body enough time to heal. But don’t worry, your course of antibiotics should only last about three days. And then it’s back to your vigorous “hobbies.”

How to prevent urinary tract infections

Fear not. This plague of your nether regions is not inevitable. And no, you don’t have to give up vigorous sexual intercourse, either. Just take a couple of these following steps and you can significantly reduce the number of UTIs that you have, barring any major medical issue, of course.

First, urinate before, but most especially after, sexual intercourse. This will keep your bladder empty so the bacteria doesn’t have a swimming pool in which to reproduce, and it will flush bacteria out of the urethra. If you’ve got the skills for it, urinate in a stop-and-go manner. This will increase the chance that bacteria will be flushed out.

Always stay hydrated. Water will help you do everything, including lose weight, get rid of acne, have more energy and stay healthy. But it will also keep your urethra clean by making you pee as your normally should. Also, never hold it. That’s right. Live life to the fullest and pee when you’re feeling it. You’ll thank me later.

If these steps don’t work for you, go in and talk to your doctor again. There is the option of a low dose of antibiotics that you can take after sex to prevent a urinary tract infection. This can only be prescribed by your doctor and is meant only for chronic infections. And, if you ask me, it’s a more fun alternative to abstinence.

Best Natural UTI Remedies

AZO. This over the counter medication can be found at most Walmarts and most drug stores. A single dose of Azo will get rid of your urinary tract infections within the hour and last for quite a while. It will, however, turn your urine a consciousness-altering shade of orange. Do not panic. Or wear white underwear. Also, Azo does NOT treat the infection, so you still have to see your doctor.

Cranberry juice is a tart and tangy way to relieve the symptoms of a UTI, help prevent a UTI, promote urinary tract health and get a healthy dose of Vitamin C. Drinking a few ounces of this a day will help you pee right. And if you do end up with a urinary tract infection, cranberry juice will help get rid of the urge to pee when you don’t have to, and get rid of the burning when you do pee. If you live in a place like we do where the grocery stores kind of stink for options, you can find Cranberry Juice online at Amazon.

Water. Drink lots of it. You gotta hydrate. Drinking water will help dilute the icky infection in your urinary tract infection. That constant urge to pee will lessen, as will the sensation that you are whizzing out hydrochloric acid. Water is critical to a healthy lifestyle anyways, so you should really keep on that one anyway. Clean water is easy to find for free or to purchase, so you have no excuse.

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About the Author

Erin Eliason

Erin Eliason