Here’s a short overview of UTIs and their causes and treatment methods. First, UTI or Urinary Tract Infection is a common infection caused by bacteria infecting the urinary tract. The bacteria often come from the skin or rectum and enter the urethra. UTI then creates bladder infection or cystitis. Kidney infection or pyelonephritis is a different type of UTI but still falls in the same category as to how it gets infected.
There are antibiotics for these certain types of infections, and there are also home remedies–such as drinking more water or counting on cranberry juice to help fight off the bacteria.
Another option most people have is the use of Coconut Oil. It’s a known fact that Coconut Oil has antimicrobial fatty acids to ward off the bacteria or help treat the infection. There are potential side effects to these, as skin types vary.
How to Apply
There are different methods in applying Coconut Oil–you can either ingest it or physically apply it to the infected area. Please make sure that a doctor has checked you before using or consuming anything–it’s always important to get diagnosed by professionals in the field. Medical attention is necessary; else, it may lead to Kidney infections and further damage.
Please see below for the different methods.
Topical Method
Coconut Oil is more often used on the skin to treat dry skin and help with eczema. For UTI, please apply it to the area where an itch or anything is indicating the infection. Do not insert the oil into the vaginal canal, leading to another problem.
Other researchers claim that Coconut Oil can also help treat HIV and herpes within one minute of direct lathering. Still, consulting with a doctor first is best.
If you’re allergic to Coconut Oil, please don’t use this to treat your UTI, as it will worsen everything. If you don’t know if you’re allergic to it, you can do a simple Patch Test at home.
Here’s how:
- Put a small smear of Coconut Oil on your arm.
- You may opt to put a bandage over it and wait 24 hours.
- If there’s no negative skin reaction during and after those 24 hours, then it’s safe to use the oil. If there is, look for another method and consult your doctor if the irritation persists.
Coconut Water
It’s best to keep in mind that Coconut Water and Coconut Oil do not have the same components. While Coconut Oil’s fatty antimicrobial acids are strong enough to obliterate bacteria, Coconut Water is milder than that. Of course, your intake of Coconut Water is fully dependent on you, as it isn’t a bad liquid for the body.
Still, it helps flush out the bacteria that resides in your body by making you urinate more often. So drinking glasses of Coconut Water can help with your UTI.
You can opt to drink around 5 to 6 ounces daily, but the recommended number of ounces is 12 to 16. If you’re on a diet, though, a glass of Coconut Oil consists of 46 calories. Or you can give cranberry juice a try since there’s also a good amount of research done on unsweetened cranberry juice helping treat UTIs.
More Tips and Tricks
You can try applying heat with bladder pressure to help with the pain.
Drink lots of glasses of water to help cleanse your body of bacteria. Warm water can increase your chances of fighting it off.
It would be best to avoid sweetened beverages such as iced coffee, soda, and alcohol. Sugar and caffeine can increase bacterial activity.
The Side Effects of Using Coconut Oil for UTI
Fortunately, there are no risks in using Coconut Oil for your skin or treating infections as long as you’re not allergic to it. Though, please make sure you don’t overdose yourself on Coconut Oil.
It’s best to know that Coconut Oil is high in potassium, with a cup consisting of 17% of the needed daily intake. So ingesting too much Coconut Oil will build up potassium in the blood leading to hyperkalemia. Those with health conditions such as kidney or heart disease should consult their doctors before drinking Coconut Water.