Find The Cystitis Treatment That Is Right For You

On any given day, thousands of women world wide suffer from a urinary tract infection, or cystitis. A course of antibiotics is the standard cystitis treatment. Some people like to compliment the medicines with natural treatments to help alleviate symptoms faster, or they want to treat the symptoms before they can be seen by a doctor. Still others use natural treatments in hopes of avoiding antibiotics altogether.

There is an old saying about an ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure. In other words, it's best to avoid getting cystitis in the first place. Make sure that you keep the genital area clean and dry. Do not use harsh soaps or cleansers that may irritate you, and change wet swimwear promptly. Drink plenty of liquids so you'll urinate frequently. This will help flush away wastes and discourage bacterial growth.

If do you have cystitis, you will know something is wrong by the burning you experience upon urination. Your urine may look dark or cloudy, or you may be able to see blood in it. You may have an achy feeling in the lower abdomen as well. After a day or so, you may develop a fever and feel generally unwell. Burning pain upon urination is the most common symptom, and the one that prompts a sufferer to seek treatment quickly.

Your doctor will diagnose your cystitis based on the symptoms you report and a culture of your urine. The most common treatment is an antibiotic regimen lasting up to ten days. Some people who wish to avoid taking antibiotics may choose natural treatments. Natural treatment might also be used to compliment conventional medical care and help the symptoms disappear more quickly.

The most effective and recommended treatment is simple - cranberry juice. After many anecdotal reports of it helping women with urinary tract infections, it has been studied extensively. Researchers have found that it works by creating a more acidic environment for the bacteria that cause the infection. It may also have properties that make it more difficult for the bacteria to establish itself in the bladder.

Another thing you can do is to be sure to drink lots of water. This will help flush the bacteria out of the urinary track quicker. It will also dilute the urine in the bladder to help keep the infection at bay. While you're recovering from the infection, avoid sexual intercourse. Also be sure to shower instead of bathing, and make sure the area is completely dry and free of soap residue.

The key to ridding your body of the bacteria and feeling more comfortable is making sure you urinate much more frequently than usual. In addition to drinking more, you may also add certain food to your diet to help accomplish this. Food that are high in water content like cucumbers and watermelon are an excellent choice. You may also be able to find preparations available in health food stores that contain herbs for this very purpose.

As soon as you suspect that you have a urinary tract infection, contact your doctor. You may be diagnosed based on your symptoms, and a culture will probably be taken to confirm the presence of bacteria. While antibiotics are quite effective, you may wish to avoid them for a variety of reasons. If this is the case, natural treatments may offer some relief.