Recurrent UTIs – prevention without a prescription

Having recurrent UTIs (urinary tract infections) can be miserable and painful. There is only low-quality medical evidence for many of the therapies mentioned below. Even so, they are safe and have minimal side effects. They can all be bought over-the-counter and without a prescription in Australia. The biggest problem with them is remembering to take them and the cost of purchasing them.

1 – Water

Drinking water is probably the simplest way of preventing recurrent UTIs. It is also the cheapest and safest. You need to drink enough water so that your urine is clear or light yellow. This is usually around 2-3 litres per day, but more when it’s hot or you have been active. Increasing your urine output by drinking water literally flushes your bladder clean.

2 – Probiotics

Probiotics prevent UTIs by replacing bad bacteria with good bacteria. This occurs in the vagina, where most bacteria get access to the bladder. By taking a daily probiotic containing lactobacillus, you not only displace harmful bacteria, but  the lactobacillus even attacks the bad bacteria. There are lots of probiotics in Australia. They can come in tablet form, yogurts, and health drinks. Most of the

3- Cranberry

Cranberry tablets contain “PACs” which stop bad bacteria activating within the bladder. Taking a high-quality cranberry tablet can decrease your risk of recurrent UTIs. They work particularly well with E Coli bugs. You usually need to take one tablet per day.

Be a little more careful with cranberry juice. While it does contain PACs, you have to drink a lot to reach useful levels. Many cranberry juices also contain lots of sugar, which can cause weight gain!

Be persistent

Remember, you might still have a UTI while following this advice. If you do, you can safely keep taking them. In fact, they may offer other benefits while you are taking antibiotics. If you keep getting UTIs, you may need further tests with your doctor. Sometimes they might suggest using prescription medications to prevent recurrent UTIs.