We all know the feeling: you realize you've needed to pee a few too many times today or notice a slight burning sensation when you go, and suddenly, you're worried that a UTI is coming on. Urinary tract infections can be a pain, but they can sometimes resolve on their own before taking hold fully or needing any treatment and there's plenty you can do to prevent a full-blown UTI. At Doylestown Women's Health Center, our mission is to help the women of Doylestown, PA stay healthy with high-quality women’s healthcare treatments. Here are our tips on how you can treat or reverse a UTI before it gets serious.
The Best Ways to Prevent a UTI
While you may need antibiotics if you have a true UTI, if you're still in the earliest stages of the infection, there are a few things you can do to help prevent the UTI from running its course. Try these methods to fight an early-stage UTI and stop it in its tracks:
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Lots of Water: UTIs occur when bacteria infiltrate the urethra and attach to the walls of the urethra and the bladder, colonizing and infecting the urinary tract. To that end, your mission is to prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the bladder. Drinking lots of water is a great way to help this, as increased urination will help flush your system and remove bacteria from the urinary tract.
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Real Cranberry Juice: It's a timeless folk remedy, and there is some research to indicate that cranberry juice contains compounds that help prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder wall. You can try either cranberry extract pills or high-quality cranberry juice to get the effects, just make sure you're drinking real cranberry juice instead of grape juice with flavoring.
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Abstain from Penetrative Sex: Penetrative vagin*l sex can push bacteria on the outside of the vagin* into the urethra, so if you feel a UTI coming on, it's best to abstain until the infection subsides completely.
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OTC Medicine: Some over the counter UTI medications contain antibiotics that can nip a UTI in the bud before it starts. Keep in mind, though, that if the infection progresses fully, you may need to get a doctor-prescribed course of antibiotics.
Contact Your Doylestown OB-GYN
These simple tips can go a long way in controlling and preventing UTIs, and if you have more questions about how to keep your nether regions in good health or you think your UTI might require more professional treatment, Doylestown Women's Health Center is here to help. Feel free to contact us with any questions about managing UTIs or to schedule an appointment with one of our Doylestown gynecologists. We look forward to hearing from you, and we wish you luck in preventing UTIs!
