I heard about adding baking soda to water. Does this help at all and will it work even if i’ve had the infection for a couple of days?
To answer your question regarding baking soda, I’ve never heard of baking soda and water being effective for anything except ailments of the mouth, gums, or stomach.
If you think you have only a slight bladder infection, and you’re not getting pains where your kidneys are, you don’t have blood in your urine, and you only see perhaps some cloudiness to the urine with a stronger odor than usual, then you may try treatment outside what an MD would prescribe. In fact, as long as you don’t have a more advanced infection it is actually better to not take antibiotics because they will destroy much more than the bad bacteria and will have unpleasant side effects. But don’t expect a health care professional to tell you this!
Cranberry juice (the more expensive unsweetened type NOT the sweet type made by Ocean Spray or similar) has been proven to get rid of bladder infections in the early stage, but you’ve got to drink at least 10-12 oz undiluted cranberry juice every day for two to four weeks. That’s a lot of juice, but it’s the natural alternative!
Here’s some support for the efficacy of cranberry juice from the Journal of the American Medical Association: http://www.drmirkin.com/archive/6149.html
The link to a great article I once read is gone. I have a copy of the original. Here’s what it says:
CRANBERRY JUICE
Cranberry which was first called "crane berry" in north America have been found to have a number of healthy key nutrients including: Anthocyanins which are responsible for giving cranberry its deep red colour. Proanthocyanins- an antioxidant and (according to some research) the effective compound that helps fight urinary tract infection (UTI), and Quercetin- a beneficial flavanoid that aids in the fight against urinary tract infection (UTI).
Where as it was once thought that cranberry’s effectiveness in fighting urinary tract infection (UTI’s) was in its ability to acidify the urine and kill invading bacteria, studies have shown that this assumption is inaccurate. A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994 showed that phytochemicals in cranberries actually prevented bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli) from attaching to the urethral and bladder linings by actually attaching themselves to the bacteria. By doing this, the cranberry phytochemicals attach themselves to the pili thus creating a natural protective barrier between the harmfull bacteria and the bladder. Because of this protective barrier, the bacteria cannot stick onto the walls of the bladder and are flushed out of the bladder during urination. Two further studies in 2002 and 2003, one by the Canadian journal of Urology and one by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that the frequent consumption of fresh cranberry juice was associated with a significant reduction in the occurance and recurrance of urinary tract infection (UTI). What is even more interesting about the benefits of cranberries apart from enhancing the health of the urinary tract, is the fact that they also prevent the growth of plaque on teeth by reducing the "S. mutans" responsible for plaque and cavity. They reduce the likehood of stomach ulcers by inhibiting the bacteria that cause them. They protect against age-related afflictions like memory loss by protecting the brain cells from free radical damage. They also protect the heart by inhibiting LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation. Dr. Amy Howell et al. first reported on cranberry PACs antiadhesion properties in 1998. Dr. Howell states:
…Indigenous peoples have used cranberry preparations to treat urinary tract infections (UTI) and other illness for centuries. Modern medical research has revealed the chemical and physiological effects cranberries have on the urinary tract and just how drinking cranberry juice may help prevent urinary tract infections. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs), which inhibit the fimbrial adhesion of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, to the urinary tract epithelium and hence the subsequent reproduction required for infection. It is these unique compounds that are pivotal in the prevention of UTI rather than the acidification of the urine as was previously hypothesized.
Dr. Amy Howell et al. first reported on cranberry PACs antiadhesion properties in 1998. In 2002, at the Experimental Biology conference, it was reported that an eight-ounce serving of cranberry juice prevented E. coli from adhering to the bladder cells in the urine of six volunteers. Findings published as a research letter in the June 19, 2002 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that not only are cranberry PACs able to inhibit the adhesion of antibiotic susceptible bacteria, but resistant strains as well. The authors also report that the antiadhesion effect can last up to 10 hours after consumption, suggesting that two servings of cranberry juice a day, consumed at appropriate intervals, may be more beneficial than one.
HOW MUCH CRANBERRY JUICE DO YOU NEED?
Research has shown that in order to prevent and treat urinary tract infection (UTI) with cranberry, and to also get other health benefits, one will need to daily consume 1,000 milligram, or about the same amount found in 10 ounces of pure undiluted cranberry juice. But because many cranberry drinks are diluted with other juices and water to make it less bitter, it can take as much as 32 ounces per day to get the daily requirement which is needed for other health benefits and to prevent and treat urinary tract infection (UTI). But, as we all know cranberry is basically bitter, and few people will ever want to drink that much bitter cranberry juice regardless of its health benefits. As a result most cranberry drinks are very high in sugar. Ten ounces of cranberry juice can contain as much as 46 grams of sugar, plus the added preservatives."
(end)
Assuming you have the kind of bladder infection that is common and not something more serious, you should still be aware that if your symptoms get worse, especially if you find you’re not passing your urine, it’s time to see a doctor. Cranberry juice is not the conventional treatment for bladder infection, but as you can read above it does work in many cases if followed diligently. Be sure your diet is not inhibiting your body’s immune system (for example, make sure you’re getting enough zinc and vitamin E). And yes, you should always be drinking plenty of water.
edit: Linda R does not know more than the peer review members of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research was done on people who already had infections, not to test preventative efficacy. The very conventional "Oh, you need to see a doctor" is the standard, but not always the best advice, and if you just want a doctor’s advice and prescription drugs then stay away from Yahoo Answers. This question was asked regarding "home remedies" for something that has been shown to be treatabled outside the scope of "see a doctor." Moreover, I’ve made it clear that you need to determine if your infection is in an advanced stage, and if you don’t feel confident enough to do so then see a doctor.
