Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur can be observed anywhere within the urinary bladder, the urethra, the kidneys, or even in the ureters. These infections can be extremely uncomfortable to live with, especially since the most common symptoms are painful urination, blood passed in the urine, as well as severe lower abdominal pain and discomfort. Several treatment options can help one keep the symptoms of such infections at bay.

Some of the most common forms of treatment of UTI are as follows:

1. Antibiotics
Since a UTI is primarily caused by the growth of bacteria, one of the best ways to get rid of the symptoms of such an infection is getting prescribed the right kinds of antibiotics. There are several different varieties of antibiotics that are known to work against such UTIs. The most common ones used are nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The doctor will prescribe the right kind of antibiotics to you on the basis of regional patterns of antibiotic resistance and the type of bacteria growing in your urinary tract. The duration of the antibiotic treatment will depend on your health condition.

2. Lifestyle Changes
Aside from taking proper medication on a regular basis, there are certain lifestyle changes that can be made to help in recovering faster from a UTI. Drinking plenty of fluids can help in flushing out the toxins from the body. This habit also dilutes the urine and subsequently soothes the pain experienced during urination while suffering from a UTI. Moreover, drinking more water helps get rid of the bacteria faster from the body, which can result in a speedy recovery.

3. Alternative Medicine
Newer therapies are starting to gain popularity in the treatment of urinary tract infections in people. Instead of immediately opting for antibiotics, doctors are starting to first try other methods and therapies such as the use of d-mannose sugar to help curb the rapid growth and spread of the bacteria. The consumption of cranberry juice can has also shown to help prevent the development of UTIs in people owing to the infection-fighting properties of this fruit. However, cranberry juice should not be consumed by people who are also on blood-thinning medications.

4. Pain-management Remedies
One of the most significant symptoms experienced when suffering from a urinary tract infection is pain in the lower abdomen. Such pain is experienced even when the patient is not urinating. This pain will only be eased when the infection is completely gone with the help of antibiotics. This process should take at least a couple of days during which the patient can take some pain medication to relieve the discomfort in the abdomen, back, or the pelvis. Common pain relievers for UTI symptoms can include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and phenazopyridine.