Is Beer Good For Bladder Infection?
Bladder infections have a way of making you really, really uncomfortable. You feel you have to go to the bathroom every five minutes, and when you finally get there, you just can’t pee. You feel a horrible burning, itchy sensation that doesn’t go away. And it goes on for days and days – every time you have to pee, the burning sensation is there.
How do you get rid of this painful sensation every time you pee? Is beer good for a bladder infection? Let’s take a closer look:
What Are Bladder Infections?
Bladder infections, also known as cystitis, are common infections that affect the urinary system. The urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), the bladder itself, and the urethra (the tube through which urine is expelled from the body). Bladder infections are one of the three types of urinary tract infections (UTI):
- urethritis – infection of the urethra – the tube that expels pee outside your body
- cystitis – bladder infections located above the urethra
- pyelonephritis – kidney infections located above the bladder
UTIs are more common in women than in men.
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Bladder infections occur when bacteria, most commonly Escherichia coli (E. coli) from the gastrointestinal tract, enter the urinary system and multiply in the bladder. These bacteria usually enter the urethra and travel up to the bladder, causing an infection. In some cases, the infection can also spread to the kidneys, leading to a more serious condition called a kidney infection or pyelonephritis.
The Main Symptoms of Bladder Infections
The symptoms of a bladder infection often vary in intensity and presentation. However, most people have these common symptoms:
Frequent Urination: You may feel the need to urinate more often than usual, even when there is little urine in your bladder.
Strong and Persistent Urge to Urinate: You might experience a strong and sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control.
Burning Sensation During Urination: You may feel a burning or stinging sensation while passing urine.
Cloudy or Bloody Urine: Your urine may appear cloudy or contain traces of blood, giving it a pinkish or reddish hue.
Foul-Smelling Urine: The urine may have an unpleasant smell.
Pelvic Pain or Pressure: You might experience discomfort or pressure in the lower abdomen or pelvic area.
Low-Grade Fever: In some cases, a mild fever may be present, indicating that the infection may have spread to the kidneys.
Keep in mind that the symptoms of a bladder infection can be similar to other urinary conditions, such as kidney stones or interstitial cystitis. Seek professional medical help if you are unsure about your symptoms!
Remedies For Bladder Infections – Is Beer Good For Bladder Infection?
A combination of both home remedies and medication can ease bladder infection symptoms. Treatment from a healthcare professional is necessary. Bladder infections and any other health conditions should be treated professionally – otherwise, the infection may spread up to the kidneys and may become life-threatening.
Here are a few remedies for bladder infections:
- drink more water – drinking a lot of water helps flush the bacteria out of your bladder (or reduce its numbers); the urine also gets diluted, reducing the pain when you try to pee
- pee as often as possible – even if it’s painful, you should try to pee as often as you can; if you hold it, the bacteria will multiply uncontrollably in your bladder, further increasing the pain
- use antibiotics – your doctor will prescribe these
- use pain medicine – you may also encounter pelvic or back pain – use pain relievers to reduce the pain
- heating pads and no tight clothes – lukewarm pads placed on your lower abdomen can help alleviate pain; similarly, don’t wear tight jeans or uncomfortable clothing;
- get supplements – vitamin C, cranberry juice, and probiotics help your body fight the infection; they also build your immune system, so you’ll have a lower risk of getting another bladder infection in the future
Is Beer Good For Bladder Infection?
We all know you’ll need to pee after drinking a few beers. That’s perfectly normal – beer is a diuretic alcoholic drinking, increasing urine production. Because of its diuretic properties, some people believe that drinking beer helps when having a bladder infection. There’s more – some people believe that the hops used in beer have antibacterial properties, which can kill UTI bacteria.
Apparently, there is NO reliable scientific evidence that supports the claim that beer is good for bladder infections. There are numerous home remedies (which we discussed above), but beer is not used as a home remedy for basically any health condition. As a matter of fact, beer may actually be bad if you have a bladder infection or any other type of UTI. This is because beer has alcohol (from 4 to 8 percent, depending on the type of beer), which may act as an irritating agent for your bladder.
Simply put, the alcohol in the beer will make the infection even more painful and may actually increase the bacteria count (this is especially true if you drink more than one beer – which many people often do). Because of this, your body will find it more difficult to fight off the infection.
Beer is made of 93 percent water and has plenty of anti-inflammatory vitamins, like B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12. It also includes numerous good minerals like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, sodium, and iron. These are all good for the body, but alcohol is not good when you have a bladder infection. Some people say that beer has a low alcohol content, which is true, but even that is too much for your bladder (and for your hair)!
The only benefit of drinking beer while having a bladder infection is you will pee more often.
However, the benefits do not outweigh the risks. This is true for every other type of alcohol (including wine and hard liquor). Do not drink alcohol while having a bladder infection!
Go to a doctor and seek professional medical help! Good luck!
I am a young architect with a passion that goes beyond blueprints… it’s beer! undertherosebrewing.com is more than just a blog, it’s a manifestation of my lifelong dream to explore, read, and learn everything about beer. Join the blog on this unfiltered and genuine adventure into the heart of beer culture. Cheers!
