Understand urinary and bladder infection</b>
Bladder infection or s it is broadly called urinary tract infection is defined as the encroachment of bacteria in the urinary tract that consists of the kidney, ureters, bladder and urethra. It is important to know that urinary tract infection that affects the bladder takes place when the bacteria enters the opening in the urethra and multiplies in the urinary tract causing not just infection, but also causes pain and burning sensation while urinating.
It is good to understand that bladder infection that could be a great cause for distress and if it is not noticed and treated it in the early stages it could go and affect the kidney. It is interesting to note that infection of the bladder could happen to anyone at any time, but it is to be noted that this infection affects more women than men.
The reason why women are more affected than men finds its reason to the fact that the urethra of women are much shorter than men and so the bacteria that causes infection easily ends up in the urinary system and then the bladder.
You need to also know that urinary bladder infection can take place as a result of some obstruction like kidney stones, narrowing in the urinary bladder and could also be a bye product of enlarged prostate gland.
It is also interesting to know that urinary infection is not caused necessarily by sex, but sexually transmitted diseases could cause infection in the urinary bladder. It is still important to know that sexual activity could act as an aggravator of the infection and promote it by pushing the bacteria back into the urethra.
You would be interested in knowing that holding back urine for a long time could weaken the bladder and not allow it to empty fully. This stagnation of urine in the urinary tract could also increase chances of bladder infection. In addition it is to be known that women that use contraceptives like diaphragm are prone to higher risk of infection of the bladder because the spermicidal used leads to upsetting of the bacteria that is present in the vagina and upsets the balance allowing harmful bacteria to flourish.
Pregnancy and menopause that leads to hormonal changes could also cause bladder infections.
Antibiotics are used for cure of bladder infection, but you would also find considerable relief with home remedies.
Home remedies for bladder infection
Before we talk about home remedies for bladder infection it is best that we talk about some preventive measures that could greatly help not just to prevent but also prove as effective home remedies for bladder infection. Water is the magic potent that works in case of bladder infections, with drinking a lot of water in addition to juices like cranberry juice helping in the system passing a lot of urine and diluting and flushing the bacteria from the body.
It is very important for your system to have a good flow of urine. This can be done by consuming plenty of water. It cleanses your body by diluting and flushing out the unwanted substance. It is also important to note that drinking a lot of vegetable and fruit juices helps to body to get minerals and vitamins to fight the infection.
It is great to drink fresh cranberry juice for bladder infection, as this juice does not allow the bacteria to cling to the cells in the urinary tract. Cranberry juice can be taken added to other fruit juices, but it is best to make sure that you do not use bottled or canned cranberry juice that has a lot of processed sugars and preservatives as this could aggravate the infection.
In addition it is better to use fresh cranberry juice, with this home remedy proving excellent for women that suffer from this embarrassing and irritating infection. A word of caution; cranberry juice should not be taken by those that take blood thinning drugs as this could trigger excessive bleeding.
It is next important to know that home remedies for bladder infection lies in increasing your intake of Vitamin C. It is good to note that Vitamin C present in fresh citrus fruits thwart the growth of bacteria in the urine by creating an acidic environment, with other healthy foods that provide other vitamins and minerals on a regular basis helping a lot.
It is best to take foods like milk, and fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain the alkaline base of the urine. In addition a salad dressing using olive oil and citrus juices of lemon and orange and taking fresh berry juice that is rich in antioxidants and vitamins could also help to get over bladder infection.
Minimizing and treating bladder infection at home requires avoiding food that irritate the system; meaning that processed foods like dairy products, chocolates and cheese should be avoided. It also means avoiding food that contain caffeine, lot of spices, in addition to giving up smoking and alcohol that could have a dehydrating effect. Avoiding beer, soda and other carbonated drinks with other processed flour and bakery products could help control the bladder infection at home.
Personal hygiene with comfortable dressing form the basis of home remedies for bladder infection, with having a luxurious shower rather than a bath with strong soaps helping to contain the risk of increase of infection.
It would be a good idea to wash the vagina and anus gently, and avoid perfumes and deodorants that could irritate the delicate genital areas. The key word to dressing should be comfort, as wearing loose fitting cotton underclothes would avoid creating a cause for further infection.
These home remedies for bladder infection would work best with the last most important remedy; pass urine whenever you have the urge as your body would indicate the best way to clear bladder infection.