If you get a lot of UTIs, your doctor may consider:
- A daily low dose of antibiotics, taken for 6 months or longer
- Having you test yourself for a UTI at home when you have symptoms
- Taking a single dose of antibiotics after having sex
If you’ve gone through menopause, you could ask about estrogen vaginal cream. After menopause, women have less estrogen in their bodies, which can cause vaginal dryness and make the urinary tract more vulnerable to infection. The treatment can help balance the area’s pH factor and allow “good” bacteria to flourish again.
• What About Cranberry Juice?
There’s no harm in trying it. But it’s not a proven fix.
Over the years, a lot of studies have focused on a substance found in cranberries that’s thought to prevent bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract. But none of these studies have shown how much of this substance it would take to help prevent UTIs.
If you still want to give it a try, drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry pills is probably fine to do. But there are some exceptions, like if you take a blood-thinning medication, a medication that affects the liver, or aspirin. It’s always wise to talk to your doctor first, before you try any supplements.