When I suspect a urinary track infection I:
Drink plenty of fluids
Take vitamin C. It’s supposed to make your urine so acidic that bacteria can’t live in it. For UTIs, Outward Bound Wilderness First-aid recommends taking 1 gram of vitamin C 4 times a day.
If those don’t work I take antibiotics. I usually carry the antibiotic– Septra DS or the generic equivalent. You’ll need a prescription. The generic version is only 4 dollars at Walmart. They are worth the weight to be able to take care of myself. Finding a doctor to prescribe them and a pharmacy to fill them can seem like an insurmountable task when I’m sick and on the trail. Septra DS can also be used for other kinds of infections.
Recommended dosage of Septra DS 80/160 is twice a day (3 days for bladder/urethral infections, 10 days for kidney infections)
From “Where Women have no Doctor“:
Bladder infection signs:
• need to pass urine very often. (It may also feel as though some urine is still left inside.)
• pain or a burning feeling while passing urine
• pain in the lower belly just after passing urine
• urine smells bad, or looks cloudy, or has blood or pus in it.
(Dark urine can be a sign of hepatitis.)
Kidney infection signs:
• any bladder infection signs
• fever and chills
• lower back pain, often severe, that can go from the front, around the sides, and into the back
• nausea and vomiting
• feeling very ill and weak
If you have signs of both a bladder and a kidney infection, you probably have a kidney infection.
From “The Thru-hikers Medical guide”:
The development of fevers, vomiting or pain in your back could signify that the infection has spread to the kidneys. Kidney infections can be serious, so go to the ER if flank pain or fevers develop.
I think for a long term wilderness survival situation it would be very important to take a good supply of vitimins with you. It would take a while to establish your own supply of vegies and edible flora is thin on the ground here.
Le loup.