Urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection is caused by bacteria that affect the urinary tract or the urinary bladder- a sack-like organ situated in the lower abdomen. Ureters- the narrow tubes carry urine from kidneys to the bladder. Urine is stored in the bladder and emptied through urethra. An average human adult passes about a quart and a half of urine each day (on the basis of consumption of fluids and foods.) Urinary tract naturally prevents any kind of infection as the ureters and bladder, in normal conditions, prevent urine from backing up toward the kidneys. The flow of urine from the bladder helps wash bacteria out of the body. However, urinary tract infection can still occur due to many reasons.

Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection

As soon as you feel one or see signs of UTI, you must start your home treatment for UTI. This is the list of symptoms of urinary tract infection.

• • Frequent urge to urinate.
• • Pain or a burning sensation during urination.
• • Passing of milky cloudy urine due to pus present in the urine. Sometimes, urine might contain traces of blood.
• • Men having urinary tract infection can feel pain or pressure in the rectum.
• • Women having urinary tract infection can feel pain or pressure within the area of pubic bone.
• • Weakness and tiredness.
• • Sometimes pain in the back or below the ribs is there. Nausea and even vomiting can occur.
• • Fever, only when the urinary tract infection has gone up to the kidneys and blood too.
• • Bleeding, only when the kidney are also infected.

Remedies for Urinary Tract Infection

There are many natural remedies for bladder infection but the foremost UTI cure is the prevention of factors that might cause urinary tract infection. Drink lots of water to help flush out bacteria and other toxins from body, avoid unhygienic conditions like public toilets, keep your genitals clean, avoid having multiple sexual partners and exercise all cautions during sexual activities. Apart from taking these preventive measures for UTI, adopt the following home treatment for UTI in the form of easy and simple remedies if you catch the infection.

• • Drink lots of water and other liquids to help flush out the waste substances from body.
• • Add 1/2 tsp baking soda in a glass of water as soon as you see the first symptoms of urinary tract infection.
• • Have cranberry juice that inhibits growth of bacteria and prevent them from clinging to the cells of urinary tract. You can even add apple juice to it.
• • Take equal parts of sandalwood, bergamot, tea tree, frankincense and juniper. Mix them to make herbal oil and rub this over your bladder area. Do massage with this oil for 2-3 days till the symptoms of UTI begin subsiding.
• • Increase intake of vitamin C. Amla (Emblica Officinalis or Gooseberry), lime juice, citrus fruits etc. are rich sources of Vitamin C.
• • Avoid tea, coffee and other drinks with caffeine. Also avoid spicy food as well as processed food like cheese, chocolate, and dairy products. Avoid artificial sweeteners.
• • Avoid alcohol and cigarettes, carbonated drinks like beer, soda or any other drink with fizz. All these foods and drinks promote growth of bacteria.
• • Include antibacterial herbs in your daily food. Many Indian herbs, spices and condiments like garlic, clove, basil, turmeric etc. have effective antibacterial properties. Use them while cooking your food. Get the list of antibacterial herbs