Antibiotics for UTIs are a fast, effective way to relieve the discomfort of a urinary tract infection.
That by itself should be benefit enough for anyone dealing with a UTI, but the benefits don’t stop there.
Below our team of experts have compiled their list of the 14 major benefits of taking antibiotics for UTIs.
14 Benefits Of Antibiotics For UTI
The right antibiotics can quickly and effectively rid you of a urinary tract infection. Here is a full list of the benefits of using antibiotics to treat a UTI.
1: Antibiotics for UTI are effective.
The number of antibiotic-resistant UTIs is increasing (1), due mostly to people who do not finish the full course of treatment. That said, the overall success rate for antibiotics is still impressive. Few are the uncomplicated UTIs that cannot be effectively treated with some form of antibiotic.
2: Antibiotics for UTI are convenient.
Many prescription drugs come with lists of conditions that need to be met while taking them. Not so with antibiotics for UTIs. With antibiotics, you typically take one or two capsules once or twice per day with water. The process is fast, convenient, and does not interfere with a busy lifestyle.
3: Antibiotics for UTI work fast.
In the vast majority of cases, antibiotics will start providing relief from UTIs in one or two days. Within just a few days most UTI symptoms will be gone. It is at that point that people frequently stop taking their antibiotics. But this is a huge mistake. Stopping just because symptoms have receded is only going to increase the chances of a recurrence. And one that will be harder to deal with.
4: Antibiotics for UTI are affordable.
When you consider the untold pain, discomfort, and long term suffering they prevent antibiotics represent an incredible healthcare value. When compared to other popular medications, antibiotics seem like a leftover from a bygone age when you did not have to go broke to fill a prescription. And with the rise of single dose antibiotics (2), that value proposition is becoming even more apparent.
5: Antibiotics for UTI are easy to take.
Antibiotics are by far the most prescribed type of medication worldwide. And the vast majority of antibiotics are capsules people take at home with a glass of water. It is one of the simplest and easiest treatments available for potentially life-threatening conditions.
6: Antibiotics for UTI are safe for the vast majority of people.
It is exceedingly rare for someone to have an actual allergic reaction to antibiotics. In some cases, people who report an allergic reaction are misinterpreting a normal (but no doubt unpleasant) side effect as a sign they are allergic. The fact is that for most people, antibiotics present little or no health threat when taken as directed. That said, if you have any concerns, discuss them with your doctor.
7: Antibiotics for UTI can help you get back to normal quickly.
The early days of a UTI can be extremely unpleasant. You may have abdominal pain and pain when urinating. You may be driven to the bathroom to urinate repeatedly. You may even lose control of your bladder from time to time. Once you start your antibiotic treatment, however, you should return to a more or less normal state in just a few days.
8: Antibiotics for UTI are generally low in side effects.
Most antibiotics (with the notable exception of the new class of fluoroquinolones) produce very mild or no side effects in most people. Compare that to cholesterol-lowering drugs that can cause liver damage (3), or even common NSAIDs that can cause kidney problems, stomach bleeding, and an increased risk of stroke (4).
9: Antibiotics for UTI are available as single dose treatments.
Single dose antibiotics are becoming increasingly popular to deal with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (5). A single dose antibiotic is exactly what it sounds like. The patient is prescribed a single dose of a particular antibiotic – typically fosfomycin (6) – which they mix with water and drink. This further simplifies antibiotic treatment, which was already pretty simple to begin with.
10: Single dose antibiotics for UTI increase compliance.
The biggest issue with antibiotics is a lack of compliance. That is, people often stop taking them once they start feeling better. By failing to finish the entire course, they help to create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that will be far more difficult to defeat. Single dose antibiotics have a compliance rate of close to 100%, which is helping to reduce the propagation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
11: Single dose antibiotics for UTIs reduce the chance of recurrence.
Recurring urinary tract infections are an all-too-familiar phenomenon for many women (7). Single dose antibiotics, however, have proven to be effective in breaking the cycle of recurrence and are increasingly being prescribed for women with recurring UTIs.
12: Antibiotics for UTI may be covered by Medicare.
If you are treated for a UTI while in the hospital, or you are administered intravenous antibiotics in a clinical setting, Medicare may cover the cost. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, it may cover the cost of antibiotics as well.
13: Antibiotics for UTI pose virtually no overdose threat.
Many types of prescription medicine can be dangerous or downright deadly if you take too much. Fortunately, antibiotics pose virtually no overdose threat, even to children (8). This is just one of the many aspects of antibiotics that separate them from other classes of medication.
14: Antibiotics for UTI can save lives.
Most common urinary tract infections manifest in the urethra or bladder. These can be quickly and effectively treated with antibiotics. However, if a UTI is left untreated, it can migrate to the kidneys and become a life-threatening (9). By preventing infections of the urethra or bladder (or both) from becoming kidney infections, antibiotics very literally save lives.
Conclusion
Antibiotics provide prompt, effective relief from a troubling urinary tract infection. They are safe, affordable, easy to take and low in side effects.