How Long Does It Take For A Uti To Go Away Without Antibiotics?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are usually caused by a bacterial infection, so doctors usually treat them with antibiotics. On the other hand, is it achievable to treat a UTI without antibiotics?

UTIs are among the very most common bacterial infections in the United States of America. They are especially rampant in women. About fifty-five percent of them are likely to have one during an individual’s lifetime. UTIs is also very likely to reoccur.

Increasingly, people want to be aware of whether non-antibiotic treatments can possibly resolve UTIs. We look into this possibility here and give seven evidence-based home treatments that can help to take care of UTIs.

Can a UTI be Treated Without Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are very effective means of treatment for UTIs. However, in some cases, the body can often resolve minor and uncomplicated UTIs on its own without antibiotics.

Following some estimates, about 25-42 percent of uncomplicated UTI infections are usually clear on their own. In these cases, people may most likely try a number of home remedies to speed up recovery.

Complicated UTIs require medical treatment. Such UTIs involve at least one of the fundamental factors:

Change in the urinary system or organs, in the form of a swollen prostate as well a reduced flow of urine

Kinds of bacteria that may be resistant to antibiotics

Problems that affect the immune system, such as HIV, cardiovascular disease, or lupus

How Long Can It Take A UTI To Clear Fast without Antibiotics?

Fortunately, a few tested methods of natural treatment and prevention have worked immensely well for some patients. Even to the extent that they no longer worry about the UTI re-occurring.

These types of treatments don’t require prescriptions, they are not expensive, and they are completely drug-free. Some doctors may not be aware of them, I really hope this article will help you completely avoid UTIs, or at least largely reduce their persistence and severity.

However, the application of natural treatments, for a normal UTI, has proven to be effective. Such treatment may take the space of 3 days for women and 7 to 14 days for men to clear. The time frame is slightly different for anyone who is pregnant or has diabetes or has a mild kidney infection. For this group of people, treatment often takes 7 to 14 days.

The Risks of Antibiotics for UTIs

Even while antibiotics usually treat UTIs quickly and effectively, people can be allergic to them. The user can also carry certain risks.

For example, in estimating, 22 percent of the women getting treatment for uncomplicated UTIs to develop a vaginal Candida infection. This is actually a type of fungal infection.

Other side effects of antibiotics pertaining to UTI treatments with antibiotics include:

Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Rash
Abnormal liver function tests

Further severe risks of using antibiotics include:

1. Creating stronger strains of bacteria:

Over a space of time, some categories of bacteria have become resistant to traditional antibiotics. There are many categories of E. coli that are showing increasing drug resistance, and these are the basic cause of UTIs.

Whenever people use an antibiotic, there is a high risk of the bacteria showing resistance to it. This is even more possible when people do not obey the doctor’s instructions by not completing the full prescribed course of treatment.

As a result of this, doctors are making effort to cut down the use of antibiotics. Especially as other treatments may be effective or when illnesses can clear on their own.

It is very important to continue a course of antibiotics until the end date that the doctor provides. People should also never share antibiotics with other individuals.

2. Damaging good bacteria

The entire body contains a community of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live harmoniously and help with body performance. Antibiotics may destroy some of these bacteria, may possibly increase the likelihood of other infections occurring.

Seven Methods For Treating UTIs Without Antibiotics

While scientific research supports some at-home or natural UTI remedies, others have been a part of traditional medicinal practice systems for thousands of years.

To treat a UTI without antibiotics, you can try the following home remedies:

1. Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water is amongst the easiest ways to aid the prevention and treatment of UTIs.

Water helps the urinary system remove waste out of the body efficiently while retaining vital nutrients and electrolytes.

The state of being hydrated dilutes the urine and speeds its journey through the system. This makes it harder for bacteria to get to the cells, which line urinary organs and cause infection.

There is no specific recommendation for the quantity of water people should drink daily. It depends on the different person’s water needs. Normally, people should drink at least six to eight-ounce (oz), glasses of water daily.

2. Urinate when the need arises

Bacteria in the urinary tract is always under pressure during frequent urination. This can help to clear them out.

It also brings down the amount of time that bacteria in the urine are exposed to cells in the urinary tract. Urinating at the right time usually reduces the risk associated with attaching and forming an infection.

It is advisable to always urinate as soon as possible when the urge comes in order to help prevent and treat UTIs.

3. Drink cranberry juice

One of the very well-established natural treatments for UTI is cranberry juice. It has been used by people to traditionally help clear general infections and speed up wound recovery time.

Studies on the effectiveness of cranberry juice for UTIs have had mixed outcomes. According to a review, cranberry juice contains compounds that may prevent E. coli cells from attaching to cells in the urinary tract.

Cranberry juice also contains antioxidants, including polyphenols, which have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory features.

However, there is no set guideline regarding how much cranberry juice to drink to treat a UTI, but a common recommendation is to drink around 400 milliliters (mL) of at least 25-percent cranberry juice every day to prevent or treat UTIs.

4. Use probiotics

Beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics, can help keep the urinary tract healthy and free from harmful bacteria.

In particular, a group of probiotics called lactobacilli can certainly help with treating and preventing UTIs. They may get this done by:

Preventing harmful bacteria from attaching to urinary tract cells

Producing hydrogen peroxide in urine, which is really a strong antibacterial

Reducing urine pH, making conditions less favorable for bacteria

People taking lactobacillus supplements while on antibiotics for UTIs may develop less antibiotic resistance than people not taking them.

Probiotics occur in a variety of fermented and dairy products, including:

Yogurts
Kefir
Some types of cheese
Sauerkraut

People can also take probiotic supplements, which are usually in the form of just a capsule or a powder that mixes into water or other beverages.

5. Get enough vitamin C

Vitamin C as an antioxidant helps to improve immune system function.

Vitamin C also reacts to nitrates in the urine to build up nitrogen oxides that can kill bacteria. It can lower the pH of urine, making it more unlikely that bacteria will cope.

As with cranberry juice, people have been using vitamin C in many forms to treat UTIs for centuries. But there is an absence of quality research to substantiate whether or not increasing vitamin C intake can prevent or treat UTIs.

Based on the limited research available, taking other supplements alongside vitamin C may maximize its amazing advantages.

In a 2016 study, 38 women with recurrent UTIs took vitamin C, probiotics, and cranberries thrice daily for twenty days. Then they stopped for ten days. This cycle was repeated for three months. The conclusion of the researchers was that this could be a safe and effective treatment approach for UTIs.

The National Institutes of Health propose that for people aged 19 and above, women should get at least 75 mg of vitamin c per day. The men would need around 90 mg per day. Adults who smoke would take 35 mg of the vitamin in addition.

6. Wipe from front to back

Many UTIs form when bacteria from the rectum or feces gain access to the urethra. This is through the small channel that allows urine to flow out of the body.

As soon as the bacteria are in the urethra, they can move up into other urinary tract organs where they can lead to infections.

After urinating, it is ideal to wipe in order to prevent bacteria from coming into contact with the genitals. A separate piece of toilet paper can be used to wipe the genitals and anus.

7. Practice good sexual hygiene

Sexual intercourse is another means of introducing bacteria and other microbes from outside the body to the urinary tract. It is very wise to practice good sexual hygiene. It can help to reduce the number of bacteria that people can transfer during intercourse and other sexual acts.

Examples of good sexual hygiene include:

Urinating before and immediately after sex
Using barrier contraception, such as a condom
Washing the genitals, especially the foreskin, before and after engaging in sexual acts or intercourse
Washing the genitals or changing condoms if switching from anal sex to vaginal sex
To ensure that sexual partners are aware of any current or previous UTIs

Researchers are currently trying to design vaccines that would prevent many types of bacteria from being able to attach to body cells properly.

They are also working on creating other UTI vaccines that would stop bacteria from being able to grow and cause infection. Up till now, only one type of UTI vaccine has got to preliminary human trials. There are ongoing studies on the rest using animals and tissue samples.