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Baking Soda for Bladder Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause 7 million visits to doctors' offices each year. The symptoms of a UTI--frequent but unproductive urges to urinate, burning sensation when you do, and blood in the urine--become quickly obvious and are not to be ignored. If these symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, make an appointment with your doctor. When your doctor learns the level of the infection, she will prescribe a course of antibiotics to combat the infection. For symptom relief while you are taking your medication, consider a home remedy: baking soda.

  1. The Baking Soda Cocktail

    • Along with generous glasses of plain water, the "baking soda cocktail" will help restore healthy pH levels to your urine and promote quick symptom relief. Mothernature.com and home-remedies-for-you.com recommend a solution of 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed into an 8 oz. glass of water twice daily. However before you begin to dose yourself, know the limits and limitations of this remedy.

    Understand the Remedy and Your Body

    • A single teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to approximately 1,100 mg of sodium. The sodium count is a factor in whether you choose to use this home remedy. If you have kidney problems, hypertension or difficulty with blood circulation, you must take these health issues into account. Be sure to discuss this remedy with your doctor before beginning. If your doctor agrees that this remedy could be effective, remember that too much baking soda can deplete your body's electrolytes.

      The suggested remedy is 2 doses of 1 teaspoon of baking soda in water per day. However if you are 60 or older, reduce the dose to 2/3 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water. To avoid stomach distress, don't drink undissolved baking soda, and don't use this remedy if your stomach is full. Baking soda on a full stomach will cause painful abdominal cramps.
      After your symptoms subside, continue to take the medication your doctor prescribed. And under no circumstances take doses of baking soda for longer than two weeks. If your symptoms are still present after two weeks, contact your doctor.

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