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How to relieve UTI pain at night

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Jenna Fletcher — Updated on March 6, 2023

Home remedies
Symptoms
Prevention
Seeing a doctor
Summary

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common health issue that can affect a person’s sleep. Lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications can often help relieve UTI pain at night.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 1 in 5 females experience at least one UTI at some point, though anyone can develop this type of infection.

Below, we describe ways to help relieve UTI pain, discomfort, and other symptoms at home.

Home remedies

a woman drinking water as it helps with her uti pain relief — Drinking plenty of water during the day and less in the evening can help keep UTI symptoms from disrupting sleep.

Antibiotics can treat UTIs, but they may take at least 1–2 days to provide relief. In the meantime, home care strategies can help alleviate pain and discomfort.

It is crucial to finish the full course of antibiotics and follow the doctor’s recommendations, even if the symptoms improve early on.

A person can also take the following steps to relieve UTI symptoms:

Drink plenty of water

A UTI can cause a burning sensation and other types of pain while urinating, and it can also cause a person to pee more frequently than usual. In addition, the need to urinate may be more urgent. Each of these issues may make it tempting to drink less. However, to help the body clear a UTI, a person should increase their water intake. If a person does not drink enough water, the bladder can become more sensitive, and the urine can become more concentrated, exacerbating symptoms.

It is crucial to note, however, that this advice only applies during the day. Limit the intake of water late in the evening to prevent the urge to urinate from disrupting sleep.

Empty the bladder fully

When urine stays in the bladder for too long, resident bacteria can grow and multiply, as the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases note.

A person should empty their bladder fully each time they urinate. This is especially important during a UTI.

Use a heating pad

Some people find that using a heating pad helps reduce pain in the abdomen or lower back that results from a UTI.

A person can choose from a range of heating pads online.

Avoid caffeine

Caffeine can increase the risk of issues such as bladder spasms that can occur with a UTI, contributing to more frequent or intense urges to urinate.

Authors of a large-scale 2013 study found that, generally, caffeine made UTI symptoms worse.

Take sodium bicarbonate

According to the authors of a 2017 study, taking sodium bicarbonate may help reduce the level of acidity in urine, which may in turn help ease the symptoms of a UTI.However, they had tested a high dosage that would not be suitable for everyone.

Try over-the-counter pain relievers

While waiting for antibiotics to take effect, a person may benefit from over-the-counter pain relief medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil).

Depending on the severity of the pain, a doctor may recommend a specific over-the-counter or prescription analgesic.

Symptoms

UTIs can cause a variety of symptoms, including:

a fever
a burning sensation or pain when urinating
frequent urination
pain around the bladder or in the lower back
strong-smelling urine
feeling an urgent need to urinate, even without passing urine
cloudy or bloody urine

Prevention

The following strategies can help prevent this type of infection:

wiping from front to back
removing wet bathing suits or sweaty underwear as soon as possible
wearing loose-fitting clothes
avoiding holding in urine
taking showers instead of baths
urinating before and after sex
avoiding douching
keeping the genitals clean
switching from diaphragms, unlubricated condoms, or spermicide to a different form of birth control

Some people try using home remedies — such as apple cider vinegar or vitamin C — to combat or prevent UTIs.

Apple cider vinegar seems to kill harmful bacteria, including Escherichia coli, better known as E. Coli, according to the authors of a 2018 study, who pointed out that these bacteria can cause UTIs.It is possible that drinking a diluted preparation of the vinegar may help the body clear the infection.

Some people believe that vitamin C can help prevent UTIs. However, a review of studies found that there was insufficient scientific evidence to support the claims.

When to see a doctor

Anyone who experiences any symptoms of a UTI — such as a burning sensation while urinating, discomfort in the abdomen, or a frequent urge to urinate — should see a doctor for treatment.

A UTI can spread to the kidneys, causing a kidney infection, which can be dangerous. A person should seek medical help quickly if they experience:

a fever
chills
nausea
vomiting
pain in the lower back

If a person has recurring UTIs, the doctor may refer them to a urologist for further treatment.

»MORE:Get an online treatment plan for your urinary tract infection in as little as 15 minutes with Optum Now Online Care.

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Summary

A UTI is an infection in any part of the urinary tract. A person with this issue tends to experience discomfort or pain while urinating and a sense of urinary urgency.

These infections are common, and doctors treat them with antibiotics.

A person can also take steps to ease UTI symptoms at home, such as using a heating pad and staying well-hydrated during the day but limiting the intake of liquids before bed to prevent the symptoms from disrupting sleep.

It is crucial to complete the full course of antibiotics as directed, even if symptoms improve early on.

Urinary Tract Infection
Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Women's Health / Gynecology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Beerepoot, M., & Geerlings, S. (2016). Non-antibiotic prophylaxis for urinary tract infections.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4931387/
Bradley, C. S., et al. (2017). Evidence of the impact of diet, fluid intake, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco on lower urinary tract symptoms: A systematic review.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28479236
Fluid intake. (2018).https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/Downloads/pdf/PiFluidIntake.pdf
How do health care professionals treat a bladder infection? (n.d.)https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-infection-uti-in-adults
How do I treat and prevent UTIs? (n.d.).https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/urinary-tract-infections-utis/how-do-i-treat-and-prevent-utis
Maserejian, N. N., et al. (2013). Intake of caffeinated, carbonated, or citrus beverage types and development of lower urinary tract symptoms in men and women.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3676152/
Sönmez, M. G., et al. (2017). Effects of urine alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate orally on lower urinary tract symptoms in female patients: A pilot study.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00192-017-3492-3
Urinary tract infections. (n.d.).https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/uti.pdf
Yagnik, D., et al. (2018). Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788933/

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Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Jenna Fletcher — Updated on March 6, 2023

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