I am not sexually active at this time and I know how to "wipe" myself correctly yet I seem to have about 3-4 infections a year.

Can a person flush the infection away (as well as the symptoms) by drinking cranberry juice and water or are antibiotics the only way to completely get rid of the UTI?

Answer:

Your body is constantly clearing infection from the bladder (bacteria are all around us and constantly ascending the urethra).

There are many factors which adversely affect this process of naturally clearing the infection, some related to the bacteria but probably more commonly relate to your body's defense mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms are mechanical (i.e. the simple process of emptying the bladder completely and regularly) Things you do to change this will affect your potential to get infection. Obviously drinking coke or coffee adversely affects these mechanisms in your case (this is not uncommon because caffeine affects bladder function). If you know something affects you negatively, why do it? Pushing fluids may help as much as antibiotics. Good luck.

Michael Mitchell, MD

University of Washington Medical Center