Home remedies can be helpful but may not completely treat a true UTI.

Don’t count on cranberry juice/tablets and Vitamin C! Cranberry juice and tablets can be helpful in preventing UTI’s by making the urine more acidic and preventing harmful bacterial from sticking to the walls of the bladder. An acidic environment in the urine makes bacterial build up more difficult reducing your chance of getting a UIT. Some medical studies have conflicting evidence to show cranberries are a reliable source of prevention. Cranberries and their helpful properties are a means of prevention, not treatment. Cranberries are not a dependable treatment option for any of the symptoms associated with a UTI.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which suggests it may be protective against bacteria from building up in your bladder increasing your risk of a UTI. Vitamin C should not be used to treat a UTI since it will not be effective at killing the bacteria responsible for the infection.

A heating pad/hot water bottle over your lower abdomen may help ease some of the discomfort from a UTI. Drinking a lot of water, avoiding coffee and alcohol also helps until you get the proper treatment.

Other helpful over the counter remedies:

• De Manos helps prevents bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall increasing your risk for UTI.
• Probiotics, Cranberry-mixed reviews, no true studies-but can’t hurt!
• Uqora is an effective natural drink with Vitamins C, B6, Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and D-Mannose, that helps flush away bacteria from the bladder that put you at risk for a UTI.