If you have problems with cystitis or you know someone who is struggling with the condition, you should know that the most efficient way to fight is to take antibiotic pills on a daily basis. However, according to the latest studies in the field, it may also be beneficial to take cranberry pills every day, have monthly acupuncture treatment, and estrogen therapy.

Recurring Cystitis and The Most Effective Methods Against It

The Study

The scientists claim that about 50% of all women suffer from acute urinary tract infection at some point of their lives and it is common for them to need antibiotics treatment. Some women have over 3 UTIs in only one year and thus they require a different approach in order to avoid the recurring infections.

Antibiotics and Other Options

Although antibiotics represent the best method for avoiding cystitis, in case you don’t wish to take antibiotics, there are some other options for you as well. These infections lead to pain and they can make women miss work.

It is believed that the affected women have about 6 million outpatient visits and they result in 480,000 hospitalizations in each year. This costs society over $2.5 billion in only one year.

Methods and Their Effectiveness

According to the findings of the study, antibiotics reduce the rate of recurrence to 0.4 in a year. Acupuncture seems to be more effective, reducing the recurrence rate to 0.7. However, we have to add that the study has its own limitations.

Some Other Options

Estrogen therapy and cranberry pills were able to reduce the recurrence rate to 1.1 in a year. Self-treatment and diagnosis is quite common in case of UTIs. Although this does not lower the recurrence rates, it does increase the quality of life of the patients.

Financial Aspects

Regardless of which method women use, they end up saving money for the insurer. On the other hand, it increased the costs that the patients have to pay for. In case of antibiotics these costs sum up to $140 per year while acupuncture costs $950 per year. It is a known fact that the patients have to pay for acupuncture, while a part of the antibiotics is covered by the insurance agency.

Importance of the Study

The main point of the study has been to introduce different treatment options to women that they can further discuss with their health care provider even though in many cases the treatment depends on personal preferences.