Over the Counter UTI Treatment, UTI Prevention, and the Brands that Support Bladder Health

In searching for over the counter UTI treatments (OTC), it doesn’t take long to discover that there are countless blogs, ads, and social media posts encouraging you to try [insert product name here]. 

But as you may have quickly learned, what helps one person prevent or manage their UTI symptoms may not be the best option for you. With so many OTC UTI treatments available, how do you determine which items you can trust?

In fact, the confusion around how to find high quality supplements – for anyone, not just people with recurrent or chronic UTI – is so vast that we wrote an ebook about this topic alone: How to Find High Quality Supplements. 

Recommendations from our community and medical and nutritional advisors encouraged us to establish a collection of products that support pelvic and urinary tract health. One thing we’ve learned: Over the counter UTI treatments that demonstrate the most success always adhere to exceptional ingredient sourcing and manufacturing standards. 

Here, you can gain a brief overview of these OTC UTI treatment ,prevention, and diagnostic products. 

What would you like to learn about?

• Where to Find Over the Counter UTI Products >>>
• Antimicrobials and D-Mannose for UTI  >>>
• Probiotics for the Gut & Vaginal Microbiomes  >>>
• UTI Prevention During & After Sex  >>>
• Guided Pelvic Floor Therapy  >>> 
• Wearables for UTI Prevention  >>>
• Tests to Guide Treatment: UTI, Vaginal, Prostate  >>>

UTI affects more than 400 million people worldwide every year. We’ve developed this collection with that in mind. For any product that is not available in all regions, we’ve listed comparable products that are available globally. 

You’ll notice that many over the counter UTI products are available via Femologist. They have a reputation for sourcing quality products backed by clinician recommendations, and they support the work we do. 

Femologist products are available in the following regions:

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• France
• Australia
• New Zealand

Over the counter UTI treatments such as D-mannose and natural antimicrobials have been shown to be effective against organisms such as E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Candida. Some of the most effective and commonly used antimicrobials are laid out below. 

For a more comprehensive list, you can view a collection of natural antimicrobials recommended by Ruth Kriz, APRN. 

A great amount of focus is placed on eradicating ‘bad’ bacteria. However, research indicates that the overall state of the urinary microbiome (and many other microbiomes of the body) is not only impacted by the amount of pathogenic bacteria present, but also by the amount of beneficial organisms – and the balance between them. 

What’s more, due to the interconnectedness of the various microbiomes of the body, the health of the gut and vagina may influence the urinary microbiome. Quality probiotics aimed at balancing these microbiomes have the potential to reduce the risk of UTIs, decrease the risk of antibiotic resistance, and more. 

"As a result of gut dysbiosis, an imbalance of certain gut microbes may transfer to the vagina and/or bladder and link to UTIs, e.g. E.coli." From a Q&A with Kate Waters, BANT Registered Nutritionist®

Recently, a new randomized, placebo-controlled study compared four methods of probiotic use for UTI prevention. Participants received a combination of oral and vaginal probiotics, with some participants receiving one or both of the products as a placebo. 

Over 70% of participants who received both an oral and vaginal placebo had a UTI within four months. Participants who received both an oral and vaginal probiotic had only a 31.8% incidence of UTI at four months.

UTIs after sex is an experience many across the community share. We have some understanding of why sex increases the risk of UTI, such as:

• Bacteria from the vagina migrating to the urethra
• Semen temporarily increasing the vaginal pH (semen has a pH of 7-8.5, while the ideal vaginal pH is 3.8-4.5)
• Organisms being transferred between partners 

With 79% of UTIs in premenopausal females occurring within 24 hours of sex, the importance of taking steps to prevent UTI after sex can’t be understated. 

Because individual circumstances differ, UTIs may still occur after sex. But taking preventive steps can decrease the risk. For some, such as Juliet who struggled with UTIs after sex, establishing a prevention routine with OTC UTI treatment stopped the cycle. 

Read Juliet’s remarkable story or view the UTI After Sex Prevention Bundle she developed alongside Femologist.

Pelvic floor dysfunction can stem from a variety of factors, including mental, emotional and physical stress, such as UTI. Likewise, pelvic floor dysfunction can result in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and even result in UTI. 

It’s easy to focus on strengthening the pelvic floor when experiencing LUTS, especially if incontinence is present. And clinicians who do not specialize in pelvic floor dysfunction often recommend kegel exercises. However, it is not uncommon for people with weak pelvic floor muscles to also struggle with tight pelvic floor muscles. In fact, the two often go hand-in-hand. 

So while kegels may increase the strength of the pelvic floor, they can simultaneously cause excess pelvic floor tension. Without the guidance of a specialist, this can lead to further dysfunction and LUTS.

So, how can you address pelvic floor dysfunction if traditional kegels may be contraindicated? 

Some physical therapists specialize in understanding and working with the pelvic floor. For many people who experience UTI or LUTS, they’ve experienced the benefits of working with a pelvic floor therapist. Like many others, Meaghan credits pelvic floor therapy as a turning point in her healing. 

Pelvic floor therapy can be difficult to access depending on location and medical system. Fortunately, some pelvic floor therapists have transitioned to developing online programs, allowing access to expert guidance and community support no matter where you are.  

Vibrant Pelvic Health Programs 

Dr. Bri Grogan, PT, DPT, a leading voice in pelvic health and wellness, founded Vibrant Pelvic Health to expand her training and guided programs to anyone experiencing pelvic pain or LUTS, unrestricted by location. 

When stress is encountered, the body and nervous system react. This can create a stress-pain cycle that may lead to tension in the pelvic floor. In addition to addressing stress present within the pelvic floor, Vibrant programs aim to minimize the stress-pain cycle within the body.   

The combination of evidence-based research and personal feedback from clients and Dr. Bri’s personal experience with prolapse guided the development of these programs. Each program is unique to fit your individual needs, while containing the following elements:

• Guided exercises
• Mindset work
• Nutrition adjustments
• An online community
• Lifetime access 

What the Research Says About Pelvic Floor Therapy

1. In-clinic or at-home pelvic floor exercises may significantly improve LUTS

2. Up to one-third of women experience at least one pelvic floor disorder

3. How pelvic floor training can reverse bladder prolapse symptoms

4. Pelvic floor therapy may improve LUTS

Limited amounts of research exist that provide information about how certain environments affect the health of the vagina and vaginal microbiome. And virtually no research has been conducted that looks at how underwear influences risk of infections – unless you count a singular study that determined thongs do not increase the risk of UTI.  

As we know, the vaginal and urinary microbiomes are intimately connected. So what impacts the vaginal microbiome may also affect the health of the urinary tract. Although solid research is unavailable, we can use what we know about how other environments influence bacteria to develop reasonable theories about how the items we wear may increase our risk of infection.  

Standard UTI tests have been shown to be an insufficient tool for ruling out UTI, with anywhere between 60% and 90% of standard cultures and dipsticks demonstrating a false negative result. For this reason, more enhanced testing methods have been developed. 

Enhanced tests can improve the detection of certain types of organisms as well as identify multiple organisms, which may be imperative to diagnosing a polymicrobial infection or imbalance of the microbiome. 

Additionally, since we know that other microbiomes of the body can both influence the health of the urinary microbiome itself and cause lower urinary tract symptoms, assessing the health of other environments can be insightful, at a minimum, and necessary at a maximum. 

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