Patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) or benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) often ask health care providers
about using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to
relieve symptoms or prevent recurrences. There are many reasons
that CAM therapies may appeal to these patients—for example, if
they are concerned about the side effects or costs of
prescription medicines; worried about antibiotic resistance (in
the case of UTI); concerned about the potential effects of more
invasive treatments on sexual function or continence (in the
case of BPH); or seeking "natural" approaches to treating these
conditions. Urinary Tract Infections UTIs occur at all ages and
in both genders, although the incidence is 50 times higher in
women. Up to one-third of women have at least one recurrence
after their first episode. In men, UTIs are uncommon before age
50 and often are caused by an underlying disorder, such as a
urinary or kidney stone or an enlarged prostate. UTIs in older
adults may be caused by a condition su