Josh Axe of ConsciousLifeNews.com writes:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body, accounting for about 8.1 million visits to health care providers each year. UTI symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable, and for some people, especially women, they are a recurring health issue. (1)

Unfortunately, the most common treatment for UTIs is antibiotics, and E. coli, the primary bacteria responsible for urinary tract infection, is increasingly resistant toward antibiotics. And testing shows factory farmed poultry harbors dangerous UTI-triggering germs. There are, however, a number of home remedies for UTIs that don’t involve the use of antibiotics and can stop the invasion of microorganisms from being a recurring problem.

What Is a UTI?

A UTI is caused by organisms that are too small to be seen without a microscope, including fungi, viruses and bacteria. The urinary tract is the body’s drainage system for removing waste and extra water; it includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder and a urethra. The kidneys filter about three ounces of your blood per day, removing waste and extra water and making up one to two quarts of urine. The urine then travels from the kidneys down two narrow tubes called the ureters, where it’s stored in the bladder and emptied through the urethra. When you urinate, a muscle called the sphincter relaxes and urine flows out of the body through the urethra, an opening at the end of the penis in males and in front of the vagina in females.

Bacteria that live in the bowels are the most common causes of UTIs. They enter the urinary tract and are usually rapidly removed by the body, but sometimes they overcome the body’s natural defenses and cause an infection. Certain bacteria have the ability to attach themselves to the lining of the urinary tract, despite the body’s many defenses. The ureters attach to the bladder and act as one-way valves to prevent urine from backing up toward the kidneys, urination washes microbes out of the body, the prostate gland in men produces secretions that slow bacterial growth, and immune defenses are in place to prevent infection. Although these bodily systems that are in place in protect you from infection, you’re still susceptible to developing a UTI from organisms that can’t be controlled. (2)

UTI Symptoms

Generally, symptoms of a UTI in adults may include:

  • pain when urinating
  • a burning sensation in the bladder or urethra when urinating
  • a strong, frequent urge to urinate, but only passing small amounts
  • muscle aches
  • abdominal pain
  • feeling tired and weak
  • urine that appears cloudy
  • urine that appears red or bright pink (a sign of blood in the urine)
  • strong-smelling urine
  • pelvic pain in women

Delirium and UTIs are two very common conditions in the elderly. In a 2014 systematic review, in elderly patients with UTIs, delirium rates ranged from 30 percent to 35 percent compared to 7 percent to 8 percent in those without UTIs. Delirium is widely viewed as one of the atypical symptoms of UTI in the elderly, therefore physicians initiate a workup for urinary tract infections whenever delirium occurs in an elderly patient. (3)

There are different types of UTIs. An infection in the urethra is called urethritis, and symptoms may include pain in the upper back and side, high fever, shaking and chills, nausea and vomiting. Both bacteria (like E. coli) and viruses (like herpes simplex) can cause urethritis.

A bladder infection is called cystitis (lower urinary tract infection). Symptoms of a bladder infection may include pelvic pain, discomfort in the lower abdomen, frequent, painful urination and blood in urine. A bladder infection usually occurs when bacteria is present in urine, which is stored in the bladder.

Bacteria can also travel up the ureters to multiply and infect the kidneys, which is called pyelonephritis (upper urinary tract infection). Signs of a kidney infection may be a burning sensation when urinating and discharge. This usually occurs when urine is blocked by a structural defect in the urinary tract, such as a kidney stone or an enlarged prostate.

Causes and Risk Factors of UTI Symptoms

Urinary tract infections occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract, take hold and grow into a full-blown infection. There are several factors that increase the risk of developing UTI symptoms.

Read more HERE.