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Suffering From Chronic Bladder Infections? What You Can Do

by Bonnie Gordon

Most women at some point in their life will experience a bladder infection, also commonly referred to as a urinary tract infection or UTI. However, for many of those women, they will have an occasional bladder infection (or just one) but will not suffer from chronic issues. Then, there are those unlucky few that have chronic or recurrent bladder infections. These are the women that seem to recover from one infection just to have another pop up within a month or two. If you suspect or have confirmed that you are dealing with recurrent bladder infections, you might be wondering what you can possibly do about the situation. Learn some of the steps you can take when you have recurrent bladder infections. Then, you can begin managing the issue as soon as possible. 

Drink Cranberry Juice Daily

One of the ways that you can help to manage your UTI is to drink cranberry juice on a daily basis. Drinking one eight-ounce glass of 100% cranberry juice a day can help to prevent bacteria from sticking to your bladder walls. It is also a natural diuretic which means it can help to flush out your system, helping your body to expel bacteria through the urine. 

However, cranberry juice is not a cure for UTIs or bladder infections. Some studies have called into question just how effective cranberry juice can be for bladder infections. However, the diuretic effect is most definitely helpful and the juice is full of important vitamins that can help to strengthen your immune system. So, drinking a glass a day couldn't hurt when you are facing recurrent bladder infections. 

Take Long-Term Low Dose Antibiotics

When bladder infections just keep coming back after you get off a round of antibiotics, you likely have an infection that is, at least in part, resistant to antibiotics. However, the fact that the infection responds in any way to treatment means that it might be manageable. 

Doctors sometimes prescribe low doses of antibiotics to be taken on a continual basis when a woman has chronic bladder infections. These antibiotics are generally taken every day for anywhere between 6 and 24 months at a time. The hope is that the antibiotics will manage symptoms and eventually eradicate the infection entirely. 

Take a Probiotic

One of the ways that you can actually help reduce the recurrence of bladder infections is to take a daily probiotic, specifically one that contains lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a type of "good bacteria" naturally found in the vaginal area. Studies have linked taking a probiotic with this type of good bacteria in it to a reduction in the recurrence of bladder infections and UTIs. 

Sometimes, when bladder infections are not particularly responsive to antibiotics, a doctor may recommend trying probiotics and other treatment options to help manage the condition. Doctors may also consider using probiotics in conjunction with other conventional medical treatments (including antibiotics) to help treat and manage a UTI. 

Now that you know some of the things you can do when you have chronic bladder infections, you can talk to your doctor or visit sites such as http://www.bfpclinic.com to figure out which course of action is the best option for you. 

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