Baking soda is one of the most commonly used household cleaning products. There are many uses for it in your kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else where there might be dirt or grime. For example, baking soda can be added to water to make soap; you can use baking soda as a base for making laundry detergent; and you can add baking soda to wash dishes so they don’t stick together when washing them.
There are several benefits of using baking soda to treat a UTI. One benefit is that it will kill off bacteria in the urinary tract, which means you won’t have to take antibiotics. Another reason why you might want to try using baking soda for treating a UTI is because it helps prevent future infections from occurring.
What Is Baking Soda Used For?
The main purpose of baking soda is to clean up spills and other messes in your house or office. You may also use baking soda to clean up spills and other messes in your car.
You can also use baking soda as a natural alternative to bleach. Baking soda is very effective at killing germs such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus (STA) and Salmonella.
Baking soda kills these types of germs because it dissolves their cell walls causing them to leak out into the air around you or onto surfaces they land on. Baking soda is a natural alternative to bleaches and other cleaning agents because it is readily available, cheap and can be used for many other common uses.
What Is Baking Soda?
Baking soda is a naturally occurring substance. It is a type of salt that is made up of sodium and baking powder. It may also be known as sodium bicarbonate. It generally has a white or brown color and can easily be identified by its sweet odor. While the chemical name for baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, it is also known by the following names:
Bicarbonate of soda
Soda Bi carbonate
Sodium hydrogen carbonate
Bicarb
Soda
Baking powder
Home healthcare experts and medical professionals often recommend using baking soda as a way to prevent or treat a UTI. These types of infections are classified as urinary tract infections. A UTI occurs when bacteria from the intestines or feces are able to enter the urinary tract and then start to multiply.
Why Use Baking Soda Instead of Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are drugs designed to kill bacteria. There are many different types of antibiotics available to consumers today. Many of these antibiotics are only effective against certain types of bacteria. When a person is suffering from a UTI, it may be tempting to go to the doctor and get an antibiotic medication.
However, there are many side effects associated with taking antibiotics. Taking too many antibiotics can lead to yeast infections. This is because antibiotics kill off good bacteria in the body along with bad bacteria.
Taking antibiotics also makes a person more susceptible to getting sick from viruses in the future. One of the most common side effects of taking antibiotics is diarrhea.
Furthermore, some people experience an allergic reaction to various types of antibiotics. An allergic reaction can lead to something called anaphylactic shock. This is a life-threatening medical emergency.
Antibiotics can also destroy the good bacteria living in the digestive system and may even destroy the good bacteria living inside the intestines or colon. Antibiotics can even destroy the healthy bacteria living inside the bladder or urinary tract.
This is why there are natural alternatives to taking antibiotics. One of the most popular natural alternatives is using baking soda to prevent or treat a UTI. Baking soda is readily available at your local grocery store.
It is also very cheap and costs only a few dollars for a large container.
How Does Baking Soda Prevent or Treat a UTI?
There are a few different ways that baking soda can be used to prevent or treat a UTI. First of all, drinking a lot of water helps to flush the bladder and urinary tract. This helps to prevent the growth of bacteria within the urinary tract. Baking soda works in conjunction with water by helping to create a more alkaline environment in the body. This prevents bacteria from growing inside the body.
Another way that baking soda helps to prevent or treat a UTI is by helping to break down any minerals or substances that may have leaked into the urinary tract and are irritating the lining of the bladder or urinary tract. The alkaline environment that is created by taking baking soda also kills off any bacteria that may be growing within the bladder.
What Is The Proper Dosage?
The proper dosage of baking soda is one teaspoon per day. It can be taken with a large glass of water or mixed into a large glass of water. Some people may experience some minor stomach cramping when taking the baking soda. If this occurs, take a break from taking the baking soda and drink lots of water without the baking soda for a couple days. Then try taking a smaller amount of baking soda the next time, such as half a teaspoon instead of one teaspoon. Slowly work your way up to a full teaspoon over the course of a week or two.
Some people are allergic to baking soda and may develop an itchy rash, hives or vomiting when taking it. If this occurs, do not take any more baking soda and seek emergency medical attention immediately.
How Long Does It Take To Work?
Most people begin to feel relief from a UTI within one to three days of starting to take baking soda. However, it can take as long as a week before you notice any relief from a UTI. If you begin to feel better within the first few days, keep taking the baking soda just in case the infection has not been cured yet. If you do not feel better at all after three days of taking the baking soda, stop taking it and see a doctor.
It is best to keep taking the baking soda for at least one week after your last sign of a UTI. Baking soda can prevent future infections from occurring. It is not known exactly how long you have to take the baking soda to prevent future UTIs, but it is recommended to keep taking a maintenance dosage of one teaspoon per day.
What Are The Side Effects?
The most common side effect of taking baking soda is an upset stomach and nausea. If these become severe, stop taking the baking soda and drink plenty of water each day.
Baking soda can also cause heartburn in some people, so if you suffer from heartburn you may want to speak with your doctor before taking baking soda.
Baking soda can also cause an increase in the number of bowel movements that a person has each day. If this occurs, do not be alarmed.
If you experience any itchy rashes, hives or difficulty breathing while taking the baking soda, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Also, do not take baking soda if you have a peptic ulcer or if you are taking cisapride (Prepulsid) or a class of antidepressants called Tryptamines. These specific drugs should not be taken with baking soda. If you are unsure if any other drugs that you are taking should not be taken with baking soda, ask your doctor.
It is also possible to consume too much baking soda through food and drink. If you suffer from kidney problems you should avoid consuming too much baking soda. While this is rare, some people have drank large amounts of baking soda as a method of suicide.
Now that you know what the proper dosage and side effects are, you may want to consider natural remedies for your UTI as well as over the counter drugs. Check out the next section to learn more.
Other Treatments
There are many natural treatments available for urinary tract infections, some you can make at home and some you can get from your pharmacy. It’s always best to talk to your doctor before taking any type of medication, even if it’s natural because they can react badly with other medications or medical conditions you may have.
Tea Tree Oil
This essential oil has antiseptic properties that help kill the bacteria causing your urinary tract infection. It can be taken orally or used as a vaginal insert two to three times a day. Do not use if you’re allergic to plants in the melaleuca family, and do a small skin patch test before using it on your skin to make sure you don’t have a bad reaction.
Witch Hazel
This is available in most drug stores and can help relieve the burning and pain of a urinary tract infection. It can be found as a liquid or a powder. The liquid is used like a vaginal douche, two to three times a day.
The powder is used in the form of a sitz bath, which involves sitting in about six inches of water containing the powder, up to three times a day.
Garlic
This can be taken orally or inserted into the urinary tract. It is thought that the antibiotics that are released when the garlic is broken down help kill the bacteria causing the infection. To take it orally, chop up one clove of garlic and swallow it with some water.
To use it in the urinary tract, peel one clove of garlic and then slowly push it as far as you can into your urinary tract using a sterile needle. Do not use if you are allergic to garlic.
Hot Baths
This is a simple and quite relaxing method of helping with the burning and pain of a urinary tract infection. It helps to keep the area clean and helps to draw out any infection. Be careful not to get water into your urinary tract while in the bathtub.
For additional treatments, speak with your doctor. They will have a variety of other treatments depending on your symptoms and medical history.
Prevention
There are some steps you can take to help prevent a urinary tract infection:
Drink plenty of water. The more water you drink, the more you are flushing your system out. This prevents the build up of bacteria that can lead to a urinary tract infection.
When you go to the bathroom, try to empty your bladder completely. This will also help flush out bacteria.
Wipe from front to back when going to the bathroom. By wiping from front to back, you are less likely to spread any bacteria from your vaginal area to your urinary tract.
If you need to go more often than usual or if your urine is darker than normal, get yourself to a doctor. These can both be signs of a potential infection.
If you think you have a urinary tract infection, see your doctor. If left untreated, it can lead to more serious issues so it’s best to catch it as soon as possible.
Sources & references used in this article:
Baking soda misuse as a home remedy: case experience of the C alifornia P oison C ontrol S ystem by SA Al‐Abri, T Kearney – Journal of clinical pharmacy and …, 2014 – Wiley Online Library
Hemorrhagic Encephalopathy From Acute Baking Soda Ingestion by A Hughes, A Brown, M Valento – Western Journal of Emergency …, 2016 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A review: urinary tract infection and its treatment naturally by AY Intuition, DYTE Chakra
An overview on urinary tract infections and effective natural remedies by S Sethi, S Gupta – Phytomedicine, 2013 – vripress.com
Metabolic alkalosis from unsuspected ingestion: use of urine pH and anion gap by AY Intuition, DYTE Chakra
