Mumsnet users share their tips for treating UTIs with Ocean Spray

[EllieMumsnet]

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If you have experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI) then you’ll know how uncomfortable and painful they can be. There can be quite a few different causes of UTIs, as well as ways to treat and/or prevent them, which is why Ocean Spray would love you to share your methods for treating or preventing them.

Here’s what Ocean Spray have to say: “One in every two women will suffer from a UTI at some point in their lifetime. Many GPs and other health professionals advise women (as well as men) to drink cranberry juice for UTI resistance. Independent research has found drinking a glass of cranberry juice every day could help reduce the likelihood of a UTI by 40 percent, potentially cutting down on antibiotics use in the process. Which is good news particularly when experts claim antibiotic resistance is on track to kill more people than cancer.

Ocean Spray’s research into the health benefits of cranberries and cranberry juice is ongoing. And it’s always good to hear from people about their own experiences of drinking cranberry juice for health – and of course taste – reasons.”

Do you use a hot water bottle to comfort the stomach or back pain you may get? Perhaps you try to always wear breathable clothing around your lady parts to try prevent a UTI from occuring? Maybe you swear by the home remedy of drinking lots of cranberry juice? Or have you found the perfect no-perfume body wash that helps keep everything balanced?

Whatever your tips and methods are, share them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Cranberry juice and loads of water. Plus avoiding caffeine and alcohol.

Prevention is better than cure. As others have stated; wear cotton underwear (thongs are the work of the devil, lol); don't use scented soaps, drink a reasonable amount of fluid every day, wash before and after sex, try and empty your bladder completely.

If you still get an infection, visit the GP and get antibiotics.

Drink lots and lots and lots of water ... also go and see the doctor ASAP.

Drinking lots of water eased the symptons for me

I started taking regular cranberry supplement tablets as I used to get them all the time! They worked great and totally wiped them out.

I agree with what someone else said, g-strings are not your friend. Seriously, know someone who wore it and managed to get an infection.

Also agree with the water, but not too much.

Drinking plenty of water and cranberry juice helps. Vagaisal ph balance wash helps too!!!

Huge amounts of fluids I hate drinking plain water so I go for sparkling instead
Pretensions even when ill

Funnily enough an apple always helps me!
As they say 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'

Works magic with regular small sips of fluid

Drink cranberry juice and water. Warm baths.

Go to the Dr and get antibiotics or Superdrug has an excellent online service!

My daughter gets them a lot and the trick for her is to get her to drink loads and wash herself with a flannel a few times a day.

I drink a shit ton of ocean spray cranberry have done for about 7 years.

Prevention is better than treating. I used to always get them after sex. So my top tip is to have a baby, preferably a non sleeping one. Best deterrent ever.

I used to get them chronically and one even turned into a full blown kidney infection!

Now I religiously:
-Pee & wash immediately after having sex.
-Make sure I drink plenty of water.
-Take a paracetamol if I feel one coming on so I can deal with the pain and hope it passes without the need for antibiotics.
-Take cranberry supplements as and when I need.
-wear loose underwear/no undies to bed in the summer when it's hot.
-avoid thongs!
-Wash immediately if I feel one coming on.

I'm pretty much a pro now and I haven't had one since the kidney infection!

I just drink loads of water. Tea and coffee too because drinking them is still better than not drinking.

I can only echo what others have said - drink lots of water.

Also, seek help early on. I've had two occasions where I've felt I was getting better with home remedies, only to go down hill fast and end up with kidney infections.

I find drinking a LOT of water helps! Also using my heat pack on my back helps. When I get one I tend to try to dress on loose cotton clothing too.

Firstly, don't ignore uti, it can be serious. But for relief until you can see a doctor make an infusion with pearl barley and hot water. About 1/3 fill a mug with the barley then fill up with water. Tastes awful but is soothing.

Lots of water, cotton pants and post sex urination.

I thought the latest evidence was cranberry juice wasn't sugggested for utis

Lots of water and a spoon of bicarb in a glass too.

If really bad go to the GP!

I haven't had one for a while, but when I used to suffer quite a bit, I used to do the following at the first sign: plenty of fluid (I am not sure it matters what sort, but I included lots of cranberry juice), cotton underwear (but then I'd not wear any other sort tbh), washing without soap, ensure empty bladder when go to loo. If after a day the pain was still there then I'd be off to the GP for antibiotics, which worked always, thankfully.

Lots of cranberry.. and lemon juice.. .. and ibuprofen....

Some great posts on this thread re the questionable utility of cranberry juice in treating UTIs, and the importance of seeing your GP to be prescribed antibiotics if needed.

I had a UTI recently (see my username 😄) - I didn't bother drinking cranberry juice, but I did go to see my GP, who prescribed antibiotics - these have been shown to effectively treat UTIs by large numbers of peer reviewed studies.

loose underwear.boxes are genious here.
water
dab and press tissue don't wipe.it can really irritate.
wash with something ligther even shampoo as its lots lighter than soaps.