Bladder infection treatment mostly involves broad spectrum antibiotics for three days in order to kill the cause of infection. However, if you suffer from chronic recurring type of bladder infection, clinical treatments can take a toll on you. It may be worth your while looking for ways to get rid of bladder infection naturally. Which brings us to the question, how do you get rid of bladder infection naturally? Bladder infection treatment without antibiotics would involve a two-step approach:
- Incorporating good hygienic habits in life to prevent the bacteria from reaching the bladder and;
- Taking particular care of boosting your immunity so that your body is able to fight the infection on its own
E.coli, which usually lives in the intestines, is the most common cause of bladder infection. 
It is regularly passed out with excrement and can be found on the skin around the anus. Poor wiping habits can often lead to the E.coli to spread. Wiping back to forward, after a bowel movement, is the most common cause of contamination of the urethral opening from where the infection spreads into the bladder. This is more common in woman due to their shorter urethra.
The other cause of infection is usually lower immunity. Natural acidity of vagina prevents bacteria from multiplying in normal conditions. However if this defense system is weakened, bacteria will thrive and enter the urethra.
Besides E.coli, bladder may also get infected by fungal/yeast infections caused by Candida, as well as organisms that cause sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Table 1 lists the frequency of pathogens that have been found in a urine culture causing Urinary text infection.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is when an infection originates from, or can spread to any part of the urinary tract including kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Isolated bladder infections are called cystitis.
Predisposing Factors For Chronic, Recurrent Cystitis or Bladder Infections
In Women
The most embarrassing type of cystitis is the recurrent one that keeps coming back. Several risk factors facilitate recurrent bladder infections. Some of which include:
- Bladder or kidney stones
- Diabetes
- Birth defects in the urinary tract that can cause incomplete emptying of the bladder
- Recent urological operations
- A weak immune system
- Old age
- Immobility
- Dehydration
- Use of urinary catheter
- Pregnancy
- Bowel incontinence
The lower urinary tract (from the bladder to urethra) also seems to react to estrogen levels, which is why some women get recurrent bladder infections after menopause.
In Men
Chronic, recurrent cystitis is very rare in men. Prostrate around the bladder opening into the urethra seems to play a protective role as well. Factors that can contribute to recurrent bladder infections in men include:
- Sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and mycoplasma
- Prostate infection (prostatitis) and other issues with the urinary tract that usually appear in men in their 50s and 60s
- Kidney stones
- Immobility
- Dehydration
Symptoms Of Bladder Infection
Before we discuss how do you get rid of bladder infection naturally, let’s talk about the symptoms a little.
The symptoms of a bladder infection vary depending on the severity of the infection. You will immediately see changes in urine and the urination process. As the infection progresses, pain may also occur. Some of the most common symptoms of bladder infections include:
- cloudy or bloody urine
- urinating more often than usual
- foul-smelling urine
- pain or burning when urinating
- cramping or pressure in the lower abdomen or lower back
- fever
- urgency, the need to urinate frequently
- pain in the abdomen or on the sides of the back below the ribs
- nausea and vomiting
- incontinence, or involuntary loss of urine
If you develop back pain on both sides of your back (unlike muscular pain), the infection has probably spread to the kidneys.
Now that you know how to identify if you are suffering from bladder infection, it is wise to ask if bladder infection treatment without antibiotics is possible? Yes, it is.
So exactly, how do you get rid of bladder infection naturally?
How Do You Get Rid Of Bladder Infection Naturally?
There are many effective remedies which can help you get rid of bladder infection naturally without antibiotics. Using the right remedies for bladder infection treatment can make a huge difference in curing and preventing repeated bouts, especially in women who suffer from recurrent bladder infections.
1. Good Hygiene
- Use Water To Clean: After every bowel movement, wiping the area from back to front can contaminate the urethral opening to the outside. Wiping from front to back or using vaginal washes to clean the area will help in washing off all fecal matter and reduce the chances of bladder infections.
- Do Not Hold Pee: Make sure to use the bathroom every time you feel the need. Urine that stays in the bladder for longer period of time allows bacteria to multiply. Try to completely empty your bladder every time you urinate. In that way whatever E Coli that has managed to enter the bladder will be flushed out.
- Urinate After Sex: Honeymoon cystitis is caused by sexual activity. The risk of honeymoon cystitis is more when you are having sex for the first time or start having sex after a long period of time. Condoms are not known to offer any protection against honeymoon cystitis. The only way to prevent and treat honeymoon cystitis is to empty your bladder after having sex.
2. Avoid Irritants
- Avoid using douches, soaps, feminine hygiene sprays, deodorants or powders in your vaginal area. These usually destroy the natural environment and allows certain bacteria to grow.
- Take showers instead of baths. After having a shower, try to pat dry the urinary and anal areas rather than rubbing them. Avoid rubbing these areas as this can irritate your skin.
- Wear cotton underwear and loose-fitting clothes and make sure to change your underwear daily.
- Use sanitary pads instead of tampons. Avoid using a diaphragm or spermicide for contraception. Make your partner use non-spermicidal lubricated condoms.
3. Hydration
How do you get rid of bladder infection naturally? Stay hydrated!
Drink 6-8 glasses of water every day. If you suffer from kidney failure, ask your doctor how much fluid intake is appropriate. More hydration means, more frequency of urination which is good to flush out infectious micro-organisms.
4. Boost Immunity
Lower immunity of the body means you are more susceptible to infections that can become life threatening if not treated promptly. Using a lot of antibiotics during low immunity is also not advisable since it further worsens the body’s immunity. So one way to get rid of bladder infections without antibiotics is boosting your immunity. Using Vitamin C supplements, ginger, mushrooms, avocados (1 serving -1/2 cup a day) might help boost your immunity naturally and prevent future bladder infections.
5. Cranberry Juice or Capsules
How do you get rid of bladder infection naturally? People used to think that cranberry worked for urinary tract infections by making the urine acidic which did not support the growth of bacteria. But researchers now think that some of the chemicals in cranberries keep bacteria from sticking to the cells that line the urinary tract where they multiply. Cranberry does not seem to have the ability to release bacteria which are already stuck to these cells. This may explain why cranberry is possibly effective in preventing urinary tract infections, but possibly ineffective in treating them.
Cranberry also contains significant amounts of salicylic acid, which is an important ingredient in aspirin. Drinking cranberry juice regularly increases the amount of salicylic acid in the body. Salicylic acid can reduce swelling, prevent blood clots and can have anti-tumor effects.
Caution: Do not use if you are taking blood thinning medications.
- Consume 50 – 150 ml of pure cranberry juice every day to prevent cystitis and recurring UTI
6. Blackcurrant Juice or Tea
Blackcurrants are high in health promoting compounds called proanthocyanidins which successfully interfere with the nasty bacteria that causes cystitis. It also has useful chemicals called catechins and anthocyanins which fight infection. At the same time as cleaning your bladder quickly, they will hydrate your whole body. This is what makes it so effective. It flushes the toxins out much quicker.
7. Marshmallow Root Tea
How do you get rid of bladder infection naturally? Marshmallow root tea might be the answer.
Marshmallow is a perennial herb with light pink flowers that is commonly found in salt marshes and other moist places. The major herbal benefits of marshmallow root are its antimicrobial, diuretic and protective actions on the bladder. This herbal tea can soothe inflamed and irritated tissues. In combination with other herbs, it can also treat kidney and bladder stones.
- Take a root enough to fill ¼ of a jar
- Add lukewarm water to fill the whole of it
- Cover it with lid and leave it for 4 hours or overnight
- Strain it in the morning
- Drink to soothe your bladder.
8. Cinnamon Tea
Take ½ to ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and put it in a cup of warm water. Mix well. Stir occasionally while drinking. Consume it 3-4 times a day if the infection has already set in and once a day if you want to prevent UTI.
9. Parsley Tea
This tea has shown to be 100% effective in bladder infections treatment. It has not only cleared infections but also dissolved kidney stones. Parsley tea is made by placing a handful of fresh parsley into a quart of water and simmering it for an hour. The tea is strained and one quart is drunk hot or cold throughout each day.
10. Treat Other Adjacent Infections
Be cautious of STDs and other vaginal and prostrate infections. They may cause bladder infections too and are often not diagnosed in a timely manner. In such a case, a urine culture and sensitivity test is a must as broad spectrum antibiotics might not be effective.
If you follow the above advice, there is a good chance that you can get rid of bladder infections naturally without antibiotics. The key is to maintain good hygiene and try to nip the problem in the bud. Bladder infections can also lead to bladder cancer down the line so be careful. If you were wondering, how do you get rid of bladder infection naturally? Well, we hope this helps!
