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

Drinking cranberry juice and pop to the pharmacy

Plenty of cranberry juice and water to flush it out your system.

Plenty of water to flush it through, parachute to ease the pain, pj's to help feel more comfortable

*paracetamol

I like to drink cranberry juice regularly for all its benefits and to keep UTI's at bay is one of them. I have had two infections previously and it is so painful I feel like people dont understand how uncomfortable it can be. I use paracetamol for when it is bad (usually at night times) I drink plenty of cranberry and glasses of water or hot water with honey at the evenings. A hot bath helps, hot water bottle but if it lasts more than a couple of days I would go to the doctors and just get seen to. Some people dont like to move around when they have an infection but I feel a gentle walk helps.

Water water water! Keep drinking it. Plain or diluted with cranberry juice.

Drink plenty of water to dilute your urine

Drinking plenty of fluids to flush it out is the best way to clear them and also prevent them.

Keep yourself dehydrated and do not use shower gel down below

I've been lucky - I've only suffered from this once but at that time, I drank lots (and lots) of Cranberry Juice and it did the trick.

Cranberry Juice is a lifesaver but if you can't get any then plenty of fluids

For me, drinking lots of water and wearing cotton knickers has always been the winning combo. Never followed the cranberry juice advice as I found it just didn't make a difference.

lots of water and a visit to the pharmacy

Drink lots of cranberry juice and water also get to the gp if needed for antibiotics.

Drink plenty of water to flush it out and get an appointment at your gp, they can prescribe antibiotics. While your waiting for them to kick in, do anything you can to take your mind off it and don't resist going to the toilet as this makes it worse.

Having many urine infections over the past few years the only thing that seems to work is having plenty of fluids and taking paracetomol for the pain. If it doesn't clear up after a day or two or the pain gets worse with a lot of lower back pain I would visit your GP for antibiotics as some infections can turn serious and if untreated.

Aside from antibiotics I've always sworn by Cranberry Juice and Lemon Barley Water.

Cranberry Juice is the answer

D-mannose

Cranberry juice is so bad for it!

Lots of water and go to the doctor as soon as you can! Best to get it treated before it gets worse

Drink cranberry juice

i honestly believe in a change of lifestyle. plenty of fresh air, exercise and water. hydrate inside and out.

Keeping hydrated, using bland bath and shower products and looking after yourself if you start to feel a little run down. Little things to help prevent a UTI coming on.

I had about 2/3 years of getting reoccuring cystitis it was bloody awful - would be sat on the loo in the early hours just continually trying to pee in pain and nothing coming out. I was working full time and it was so bad I couldnt go in work when it came back.

The cranberry juice (not the one reduced sugar it has to be normal one) helps a bit - this is because it coats the inside of your bladder and flushes out most of the bateria and puts a lining on your bladder which is too slippy for the bacteria to latch onto - which if you drink about 4 cartons you will get on the inside of you mouth so you will understand it.

However, it does not get rid of the infection it just helps. Its the same with some antibiotics. I kept getting it back again and again, until the usual doctor was not in and I got a different one - this time it was a lady and she was concerned looking at my notes I had it so much, so she asked me to do a sample at the END of my antibiotic treatment - which I did, and it turned out the antibiotics i was given, although I had taken the full course each time had not got rid of it, she prescribed a different set of antibiotics and I took those and since then I never had it back - so my tip is if you were like me and got it a lot of times to get it checked out AFTER you finish your antibiotics - you can ask for a spare pot and bag to put your sample in and just drop it off at reception - and tell them its for a re-test no need to make an appointment again (or you can even post it in a sealed bag with a note attached) - please get retested.

Never had a water infection since.

I get loads of UTIS i seem very prone to them, :( I try and drink no sugar cranberry juice diluted half with water and try and drink the whole litre throughout the day. I also ordered some urine test strips from amazon so I can test my sample and no when It's time to go to the drs and get antibiotics