16 Useful Home Remedies For Urinary Tract Infection Treatment

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common and painful condition that can disrupt daily life. They are caused when harmful bacteria, fungi, or viruses invade the urinary tract, leading to discomfort, inflammation, and even severe complications if untreated. While antibiotics are the standard treatment, many people turn to natural remedies to alleviate symptoms and support healing.

In this article, we’ll explore 16 effective home remedies for treating UTIs, provide detailed steps for using each, and discuss the causes, symptoms, and dietary adjustments to manage and prevent infections.

What is Urinary Tract Infection?

The urinary tract is a critical part of our renal system, comprising the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. A UTI occurs when harmful microorganisms invade any part of this system, but they are more common in the lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra).

Women are at a higher risk of developing UTIs due to their shorter urethra, making it easier for bacteria to travel to the bladder. Though men can also experience UTIs, the condition is less common among them. If left untreated, UTIs can lead to severe complications, including kidney damage.

Home Remedies for UTI

Home remedies for UTI are sometimes what people often tend to opt for the pain relief for UTI, mostly because of the fact that they are non-toxic on the body and don’t impose many side effects too.

Some of the common home remedies to get rid of urinary tract infection include:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar
2. Baking Soda
3. Garlic
4. Ginger
5. Green Tea
6. Parsley Tea
7. Lemon Water
8. Water Therapy
9. Blueberries
10. Coconut Oil
11. Yoghurt
12. Cranberry Juice
13. Tea Tree Essential Oil
14. Uva-Ursi
15. Buchu
16. Goldenseal

1. Apple Cider Vinegar for UTI

Apple Cider Vinegar is known and praised for its amazing anti-microbial and antioxidant benefits. These are the primary properties which help contribute to the treatment of UTI without the consumption of heavy antibiotics right off the bat.

Frequent drinking of the apple cider vinegar concoction not just helps perish the bacteria or any other kind of microbes in the urinary tract, thereby helping cure urinary tract infection with ease.

What To Do?

1. Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water
2. Add a teaspoon of honey to the mixture and stir it well
3. Drink this concoction three times daily in intervals
4. Repeat this till the symptoms of UTI fizzle away

2. Baking Soda for UTI

The one thing that makes a urinary tract infection worse is its rapid spreading. Baking Soda not just admonishes the presence of the bacteria in the urinary tract; it also arrests the further spreading of that that could often affect the other parts of the renal system negatively.

It is cumulatively the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the baking soda which help kill the growth of the bacteria by alkalizing the cells they are growing in. It is also a great treatment for UTI without antibiotics because of the fact that it helps detoxify the kidneys which, in turn, ensure to flush out the toxins and bacteria out of the body.

What To Do?

1. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water
2. Stir it till everything dissolves properly
3. Drinking this in an empty stomach once every day to treat urinary tract infection naturally

Side note: Make sure to get you pH checked on regular intervals if you are opting for baking soda because it can effectively alter the blood pH levels and can deteriorate the body functions.

3. Garlic for UTI

There are often instances when tests reveal the presence of antibiotic resistant strains being the reason behind the UTI which are often next to impossible to get rid of with the normal strain of over the counter antibiotics.

This is exactly where garlic plays a significant role. The constituent Allicin which is present in garlic is an amazing weapon for fighting the multiple drug resistant strains of the primary pathogenic microbe (especially bacteria). The only thing to ensure is that you consume the garlic by crushing it because Allicin is inactive when the garlic is intact and is only activated by the trigger of cell disruption by the activity of the enzyme alliinase.

What To Do?

1. Drink garlic tea by steeping crushed garlic in a pan of boiling water.
2. Drink this at least 3-4 times a day.
3. Eat 1-2 pieces of raw garlic in the morning every day
4. Drink garlic shots by adding the 1-2 crushed garlic to a glass of water. Drink this water after meals so that it can be filtered by the kidney where the active ingredients of the garlic can treat urinary infection.

4. Ginger

It is believed that one of the most common causes of Urinary tract infections is because of E.coli. Ginger has promising effects in arresting the spreading of this bacterial infestation (R) further than it already is. This helps in providing with an easy treatment for UTI.

The consumption of ginger, thus, helps in flushing out the bacteria and arresting their breeding too. It also showcases anti-inflammatory properties which help in getting rid of any kind of internal inflammation and irritation that could be caused because of this issue.

What To Do?

1. Drink ginger infused teas multiple times throughout the day. This will not just aid with the microbial combat but also keep you hydrated and help flush out the toxins.
2. If using supplements, don’t exceed the consumption of more than 250 mg per day.

5. Green Tea for UTI

One of the most important constituents of green tea that stands out amidst everything is EGC, otherwise known as epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin-3-galate (EGCG). These two have immense effects on fighting the effects of E.coli responsible for the urinary tract infection.

The consumption of green tea is amazing to treat urinary tract infection (R) because of the interaction of these compounds with the bacteria in the affected area. The fluid helps flush out the bacteria along with the toxins and helps cure urinary tract infection for good.

What To Do?

1. Drink 2-3 cups of green tea daily. Make sure to not add any milk or sugar in it because the same often times makes the infection worse.

6. Parsley Tea for UTI

Parsley is an amazing herb that has pronounced effects on the treatment of several infections (R), Urinary Tract Infection, to be more precise. If you are suffering from UTI, the consumption of parsley tea can effectively tone down bacterial breeding and provide with pain relief for UTI.

Parsley is also a diuretic which makes you urinate frequently to get flush out the toxins and other bacterial infestations along with the urine.

[Know More Benefits of Parsley Tea]

What To Do?

1. Steep the parsley tea bag in hot water for 5 minutes. The more you steep, the more benefits of parsley you’ll extract from the tea.
2. Drink this concoction around 2-3 times every day as a treatment for UTI.

7. Lemon Water for UTI

Lemon juice, even with the acidic property of the lemon, has alkaline effects on the body. It is an effective remedy that helps relieve the pain that often accompanies the process of urination. Even though the effects of lemon water for the treatment for UTI are not that pronounced and if you are suffering from the infection at the advanced stages, it is best to stick to UTI treatment over the counter.

In addition to that, lemon imposes diuretic properties, so it makes the urination frequent, thereby, flushing out the infectious elements. It even has anti-microbial properties which helps curb the symptoms of UTI (R).

[Read More Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water in the Morning]

What To Do?

1. Extract the juice of half a lemon
2. Add this to a glass of water and mix it well
3. Drink this once or twice daily to get rid of urinary tract infection if it is not in a severe condition

8. Water Therapy for UTI

One of best natural remedies for urinary tract infection is to drink ample amount of water throughout the day. The water helps make the environment of the urinary tract less acidic which is what contributes to flushing out the toxins and the infection out of the body in the form of urine.

What to Do?

1. Drink about 8-10 glasses of water in intervals throughout the day
2. Make the water consumption more frequent during the day rather than at night

9. Blueberries for UTI

Urinary Tract Infection occurs because of the breeding of bacteria in the urinary tract which ends up attaching to the linings of the track and starts dividing from them. Antioxidant fruits like that of blueberries have amazing effects on the treatment of these infections.

Blueberries are considered as one of the best home remedies for UTI, primarily because of the fact that it helps prevent the bacteria (R) from infesting into the uterine walls, thereby prohibiting them from growing and spreading to other parts of the renal system.

What To Do?

1. Snack on a bowl of blueberries every day in between meals till the symptoms lessen

10. Coconut Oil for UTI

Even though there are little to no evidence to back up the claims of coconut oil being an important remedy to cure urinary tract infection specifically, there are several reports how the usage of extra virgin coconut oil can have amazing beneficial effects on the treatment of general infections.

That is what led to the theorization of the usage of coconut oil for UTI which is not a shot in the dark but an actually a very effective remedy for the treatment for UTI without antibiotic. It showed positive effects for the treatment of infection caused by candida (R), specifically the drug resistant candida.

What To Do?

1. Apply the coconut oil in the external genital area
2. Make sure that you are not applying it in the vaginal canal because that can have adverse effects

Side note, the application of coconut oil might not necessarily heal the urinary tract infection on a whole but is very effective in healing the signs and symptoms like itchiness and irritation that come along with the infection.

11. Yoghurt for UTI

Urinary tract infection is primarily caused because of the infestation of the bad and harmful bacteria in the body. When you are consuming heavy dosage of antibiotics to help fight the infection, it becomes mandatory for you to counteract the balance of the bad bacteria with the good ones.

Yoghurt is rich in good and essential bacteria which have amazing benefits in the treatment of UTI and replacing the growth of the bad bacteria with the good ones. The concentration of probiotic helps maintain the balance between the bad and the good bacteria to help cure the signs and symptoms related to UTI.

What to do?

1. Eat a small bowl of yoghurt twice or thrice throughout the day
2. Make sure to consume the natural yoghurt and the unsweetened varieties

12. Cranberry Juice for UTI

Cranberry juice is one of the most sought after home remedies for UTI (R), if not the most. Several distinguished urologists suggest that cranberries contain certain constituents which prohibit the bacteria from infesting to the uterine tract tissues and dislodge it which is how it aids in keeping the infection at bay.

For effective results, make sure to drink the freshly pressed cranberry juice without any kind of additive or preservatives or even artificial sweeteners. These tend to make the infection worse rather than curing it.

What to do?

1. As permissible levels, one should drink 4 to 10 oz of cranberry juice every day which accounts for 114-296 ml of the juice

13. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil is loaded with beneficial antioxidants, antimicrobial and healing properties which cumulatively work to provide an amazing pain relief for UTI. While these are beneficially useful for the treatment of a wide range of infections, it is always advised to consult a doctor before you jump straight into the topical application of the same.

What to do?

1. Consult a doctor and get it confirmed whether or not you are actually suffering from UTI.
2. If the doctor suggests the application of tea tree essential oil for the treatment for UTI without antibiotics, do the same as suggested.

Herbs for UTI

14. Uva-Ursi for UTI

Often known as bearberry, Uva-ursi is an amazing natural remedy for the treatment of the condition of Urinary Tract Infection. This herb is often regarded as a very common remedy in the field of alternative medicine as a natural treatment for UTI.

Uva-ursi contains several active ingredients like that of hydroquinone and arbutin which provide the body with amazing antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Since it is a natural remedy, there are chances that it might inflict side effects on its consumption. Always consult a doctor before administering it on yourself.

What to do?

1. Detect the pH of your urine an hour before you are about to consume the Uva-ursi extract or tea. It is said that if the urine is too acidic, there are chances that the ingredients of this specific herb won’t show its benefits.
2. Get a pH tester from your local medical store and measure the pH of your urine
3. If the levels are pointing towards the alkaline levels, then this can be consumed
4. For the tea, infuse 3 grams of the dried leaves of this herb in a tea infuser and then strain the tea. Drink this no more than 3-4 times a day.
5. For the supplements, get the variant which consists of 400-800 mg of arbutin in it. These have the highest levels of antibacterial properties in it. Take 2-3 capsules in a day for effective results.

15. Buchu for UTI

Buchu is a flowering plant, a remedial one that is grown in several parts of western South Africa. This plant has had several impactful benefits in the treatment of Urinary Tract Infection. It helps to lower the intensity of the infection which helps heal the problem right from the root.

The leaf of the buchu plant, which is what is primarily used for the treatment of UTI, has amazing diuretic, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties that help keep these signs and symptoms in check. It eradicates the breeding of these infection causing bacteria, to get rid of urinary tract infection.

The diuretic properties help flush out the infection causing bacteria with the urine itself, thereby ensuring to keep the signs and symptoms in check.

What To Do?

1. Buchu flavoured water can be drank throughout the day, in permissible amounts to treating urinary tract infection naturally
2. Buchu supplements should always be taken after proper consultation with the doctor

16. Goldenseal for UTI

Goldenseal, also known as orange root is a perennial plant that is native to the states of Southern Canada. It is considered as one of the most effective natural remedies for urinary tract infection.

The question now comes down to one, how?

Goldenseal is believed to contain an ingredient known as berberine which is very beneficial in combating the causes of the infection. It effectively prohibits the bacteria or any of the other microbes to attach to the uterine walls which are how it prohibits the possibility of UTI or at least the further spreading of the UTI.

What To Do?

1. As per the dosage, it is always advised to consult a doctor before consuming it directly.

Foods You Shouldn’t Eat

Diet plays a very crucial role when it comes to the treatment for UTI. If you are administering ways to cure urinary tract infection naturally, it is necessary that you align your diet according to that as well.

The top foods that one should avoid while suffering from Urinary Tract Infection include:

1. Coffee or anything with high caffeine content
2. Alcohol
3. Caffeinated sodas or even the carbonated drinks with added sugars
4. Heavily acidic fruits can worsen the condition
5. Avoid eating spicy and extremely greasy food

Causes of Urinary Tract Infection

Now that we have walked ourselves through the effective list of amazing home remedies that can help treat urinary tract infection, it is best to glance through the common causes behind the same.

The top causes of urinary tract infection include:

Constipation – the persistent pressure that is put on the rectal muscles during constipation often times not just affects the rectal muscles but even the bladder which is situated in close vicinity to it. It ends up leaving the bladder inflamed and infected, thus causing an UTI.

Diarrhea – being a complete contrast to constipation, diarrhea is characterized by the excretion of loose and fluidy stools because of stomach problems. The bacteria from these stools often tend to enter the urinary tract, thus infecting it.

Diabetes – the irregular metabolism of the glucose ends up in the improper filtration of it which often tends to get accumulated in parts of the kidney, thereby causing UTI.

Unprotected sex – practicing unsafe sex is often one of the most common causes of urinary tract infection, primarily because the bacteria from your partner’s genital can enter your urinary tract, thereby causing an infection.

Dehydration – dehydration results in less frequent urination, which prohibits the toxins and even the bacteria to be flushed out of the body. These get trapped and often end up resulting in the development of UTI.

Kidney Stones – this is a cause that is more chronic than acute. If you suffer from persistent urinary tract infection, there are chances that you might be suffering from kidney stone/s. This causes inflammation in the urinary tract which is definitely painful and can have other negative impacts on the body functions.

Consumption of Unhygienic Meat – eating meat from unhygienic sources often contribute to the introduction of the bacteria E.coli in the urinary tract which, in turn, divide and spread rapidly, thus causing an infection.

Birth Control Pills – yet another cause of urinary tract infection are the consumption of birth control pills. This impact hormonal change in the body, thereby contributing to the development of UTI. Several kinds of birth control pills especially the ones like spermicides tend to introduce bacteria in the urinary tract, thereby being a primary reason behind UTI.

Not Peeing for a Long Time – there are instances when we often tend to hold back the urine for longer periods. This often tends to push the bacteria back to the urinary tract, thereby causing UTI.

Signs and Symptoms of UTI

Primarily, the symptoms of urinary tract infection vary depending on the part of the tract that has been infected – the upper part of the tract or the lower part.

The symptoms of lower urinary tract infection include:

• Burning sensation while peeing
• Increased frequency of urination with less excretion of it
• Bloody urine
• Cloudy urine
• Increased urgency in the urination
• Strong odour in the urine
• The colour of the urine resembles that of tea or cola
• Pain in the pelvic or the rectal region of the body depending on if the women or men is affected
• Itchiness in the genital area

The symptoms of upper urinary tract infection include:

• Pain in the upper back or the upper abdominal region
• Chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever

Prevention Tips for UTI

Prevention of urinary tract infection is heavily dependent on one’s lifestyle and can be avoided with a little awareness regarding the same.

The most common prevention tips for UTI include:

1. Drinking sufficient glasses of water throughout the day to keep the body hydrated
2. Consulting a doctor if you are suffering from any kind of issues regarding the urinary incontinence or complete emptying of the urinary bladder during urination
3. Avoid holding urine back for a longer period of time

When to Seek Medical Attention for Urinary Tract Infection?

If you have been experiencing persistent signs and symptoms like that mentioned in the prior section of the article, it is best to go seek professional help regarding the same.

The kind of doctor that you need to consult for an urinary tract infection is a Urologist. They will write of a urine culture first followed by which they’ll prescribe the antibiotics based off on the severity of the infection.

Food for Thought With Some FAQs

1. Is Urinary Tract Infection Contagious?

A. No, urinary tract infection is not something contagious. It is often believed that the causative agent behind the UTI, which for the most part is E.coli, is contagious and often ends up causing food poisoning in other individuals.

2. How Long Does Urinary Tract Infection Last?

A. It is believed that the UTI tends to get worse if left untreated but if you are under medication, there are chances that you will start feeling better within the first 24 hours of the administration of the antibiotics. The complete treatment for UTI without antibiotics takes from one to two weeks to be cured completely.