bladder infection control questions
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bladder infection control questions
| Sun, 12-12-2004 - 5:07pm |
Can taking cranberry pills, eating dried cranberries and drinking cranberry and blueberry juice prevnt and treat bladder infections?

Hi Shari:
Hi shari2004, welcome!
My experience with UTIs has been that unsweetened cranberry juice helps prevent UTIs not cure them. Just as important I think is urinating before and especially immediately after intercourse which will purge your urethra of bacteria forced into it during IC. Once you get a UTI I suggest you see your doctor for the most effective course of treatment which will probably be antibiotics. Untreated a UYI can develop into a bladder infection which is much more serious. Here are some links to information about UTIs and Bladder infections.
Urinary Tract Infection
http://www.ivillagehealth.com/library/nwh/content/0,,215912_227403,00.html
Urinary Tract Infection in Women
http://www.ivillagehealth.com/library/onemed/content/0,,241012_245895,00.html
Urinary Tract Infections & Cranberry Products http://www.ivillagehealth.com/experts/infectious/qas/0,,242108_191593,00.html
If you are treated with antibiotics and are on hormonal contraceptives be sure to use back-up while taking your antibiotic and for at least 7 days of correct active pill use after the last dose of medicine. Let us know how you’re doing, ok?
Good luck,
Jill