A UTI or urinary tract infection is characterized by an infection anywhere in the urinary system such as urethra, bladder, uterus and kidneys. Majority of the UTIs occur in the lower part of the urinary tract like urethra and bladder. UTIs are very common and annoying, so people always try to avoid it in the first place. However, what if you have experienced some symptoms like strong and persistent urge to passing urine? What you can do about it? 

Will a UTI Go Away by Itself?

UTIs typically involve the bacterial invasion into the urinary tract system via the urethra. Once they reach the bladder, they begin to increase quickly. By nature, the urinary system has strong defence mechanisms to prevent the microorganism from invading, however,sometimes it fails. Under such circumstances, the bacteria grow into a full-blown infection within the urinary tract and that’s the time when the real problem arises. Will a UTI go away by itself?

Based on the information from WebMD, according to a latest Dutch study, some women with urinary tract infection may have their symptoms alleviated and relieved without prescribed antibiotics. It’s not something unusual in healthy individuals since there may be spontaneous cure for mild infections inside our bodies. This study, however, did not include women who were breast-feeding, pregnant or had a compromised immune system. The findings of this study were only limited to a small number of women. Besides, there's always a risk of associated serious kidney infection, which is also the reason why it is always recommended to be treated as soon as possible, particularly if you’re expecting.

When Should You Seek Medical Help?

Urinary tract infection is more like a wait and watch disease. You only need medical help when a UTI doesn’t go away on its own. If things get out of hands, consult a doctor. Given below are the common symptoms experienced when having a urinary tract infection:

• ŸA persistent, intense urge to pass the urine
• ŸA burning sensation while passing the urine
• ŸUrinating small, frequent amounts of urine
• Passing cloudy urine
• Passing urine that’s cola-colored, pink or red, indicating the presence of blood in urine.
• ŸPassing urine that has a strong smell
• Pelvic pain, particularly in women
• Rectal pain, particularly in men

If you have one of the following conditions, see a doctor for UTIs immediately.

• If you experience pain when passing the urine or other associated symptoms of UTI along with nausea, chills, fever, vomiting or a pain in the flank which is felt right below the ribcage and just above the waist on either or both sides of the lower belly or back.
• If you had a history of experiencing UTI symptoms and have them all over again.
• If the symptoms of UTI don’t go away within 1-2 days.
• If there’s presence of blood in the urine.
• If you are diabetic and you are experiencing symptoms of UTI.
• If your symptoms don’t alleviate with the use of prescribed antibiotics or if they recur after temporary improvement.

How to Treat UTI Quickly

Will a UTI go away by itself?Maybe or maybe not. If you have been diagnosed with urinary tract infection, your doctor will typically prescribe antibiotics for the treatment of infection. The duration and choice of drug therapy will differ from patient to patient based on their condition, severity of infection, and the causative bacterium type found in the urine.

List of drugs that are commonly prescribed for UTIs are given as:

• Ampicillin
• Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrodantin)
• Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmentin)
• Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra)
• Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
• Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)

Once the treatment begins, symptoms usually go away within a few days. Nonetheless, you'll need to complete the entire prescribed antibiotics course to make sure the infection is really gone. Apart from taking drugs, you can also try the following tips:

• In order to flush the bacteria out of your system, drink a lot of water so that the urine becomes diluted.
• Keep away from the drinks which will be irritating to the bladder and increase the urge to urinate, such as alcohol, coffee, soft drinks including caffeine and citrus juice.
• For relieving bladder discomfort or pressure, apply a warm pad over the abdomen. Make sure it’s warm and not hot.
• Cranberries have sulfuric acid in them which prevents the adherence of bacteria to the bladder wall, therefore, drinking cranberry juice can assist in preventing a urinary tract infection and at times, it also relieves the symptoms associated with UTI.
• Make sure you thoroughly clean and wipe yourself all the way from front to the back, so the bacteria won’t spread from rectal region to vaginal region.
• Boost your immune system by getting adequate rest, eating properly and staying stress free.