Lifestyle Changes to Manage a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

June 10, 2008 - 7:30am

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Lifestyle Changes to Manage a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

General Guidelines for Managing Urinary Tract Infections

Drink Plenty of Water

Make sure that you drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Drinking plenty of water can help flush the bacteria out of your urinary system. It also helps flush the antibiotics through your system.

Don’t Hold It

When you feel the urge to urinate, do so as soon as possible. Holding back on urination may cause an increase in bacterial growth in the urinary tract.

In addition, urinate before and after sexual intercourse.

References:

American Foundation for Urologic Disease website. Available at: http://www.auafoundation.org/auafhome.asp .

Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consult. 2001 ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/ .

Last reviewed August 2008 by ]]>Jill D. Landis, MD]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.