There are a few disorders that I receive calls for with remarkable frequency — cystitis (also known as UTI –urinary tract infection, or bladder infection) – being one of them. One reason I am frequently contacted about UTIs is that the typical treatment of antibiotics does not seem to hold; invariably one UTI is followed by another. The cyclical return of UTIs is the primary reason I see so many cases of this very common disorder.  Luckily, this is not a difficult disorder to address and one that seems to respond well to natural healing methods.

The most common symptoms of a UTI are frequency of urination; burning pain during, before, or after urination; blood in urine; and lower abdominal or lower back pain. UTIs in children are often the result of fecal contamination – girls need to be taught to wipe themselves from the front to the back after toileting. In women, UTIs often occur after sexual intercourse – urinating after sex is a good practice to prevent UTIs in those prone to them.

However, there are also plenty of instances of UTIs occurring for no obvious reason. Remember that this is a bacterial infection, one that will opportunistically flourish in an environment that welcomes it. The factors that keep us healthy – good nutrition, absence of stress, a regime of vitamins and supplements, sufficient sleep and exercise – need to be optimized to keep immune function working, helping us prevent UTIs as well as other infections.

For the most part, UTIs are not serious disorders, but frequent UTIs can point to more serious health issues and should be seen by a health professional. As always, if you have been prescribed a course of antibiotics for a UTI, be sure to take probiotics – both during the course of antibiotics (spaced as far from the dose of antibiotics as possible), and for at least one month afterwards. Antibiotics clear the body of both the offending bacteria strain, as well as all strains of healthy bacteria that are necessary for health bowel and immune function, leaving the patient unprotected against other bacteria in their environment.

Finally, if you have a UTI, be sure to treat yourself with the same gentle care you would with any other infection. For some reason, women with UTIs seem to feel they need to carry on as usual.

NATURAL APPROACHES TO UTIs

1. Cranberry Juice produces hippuric acid in the urine. This acidifies urine and inhibits bacterial growth. Try to drink 1 liter of UNSWEETENED cranberry juice daily. I suggest adding a few drops of Stevia to make it more palatable. Alternatively, you can try cranberry capsules — available at Health Food Stores.

2. Take one teaspoon of colloidal silver morning and night. This is a natural antibiotic that destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungal growth.

3. Vitamin C – 5000 mg daily (taken in divided doses of no more than 1000 mg).Vitamin C acidifies urine and thereby inhibits bacterial growth.

4. Celery, parsley, watermelon are natural diuretics – drink juice made with these fruits and vegetables.

5. The most important thing is to drink – lots! Pure water is good – try to drink a glass every hour.

6. Avoid orange juice and other citrus juices as they increase the alkalinity of the urine, encouraging bacterial growth.

7. Stay away from coffee, alcohol, all sweetened drinks, sugar, and processed foods.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR UTIs

Homeopathic treatment of UTIs is highly successful. I suggest combining the natural therapies listed above with an appropriate homeopathic remedy. Listed below are some of the remedies most commonly indicated in UTIs. If you are unsure of the correct remedy, or do not have a curative response after trying one of these, contact your homeopath. There are many other remedies that may work for you.

CANTHARIS (Spanish Fly)

People needing this remedy tend to have a great degree of restlessness and burning pains. Their symptoms tend to come on quickly and violently. They are likely to have a strong, unquenchable thirst, and tend to moan and complain loudly. Cystitis requiring this remedy is extremely painful. Symptoms are:

• Intense burning with urination, as if urinating burning liquid or acid

• May have pains in bladder and urethra, temporarily improved right after urination

• Sensation that they cannot empty bladder, with strong desire to do so – bladder never feels empty

• Intense urging to urinate, driving them to the toilet every few minutes, with only a few drops produced

• Blood in urine

NUX VOMICA (Poison Nut)

This remedy is indicated for chilly people who tend to be competitive, driven, workaholics. They often get sick after overindulging in food, alcohol, coffee. This emotional picture is not always present in cystitis cases, but may be one that directs you to this remedy.  Symptoms of cystitis that need this remedy are:

• Frequent urging to urinate, without the extreme pain of cantharis

• Urge to urinate, but can’t – straining to urinate only small amounts

• May be some burning pain, but not extreme

PULSATILLA (Pasque Flower)

Pulsatilla is a remedy that is often needed for children. It is indicated for sweet, affectionate people who are adverse to changes in their lives. They tend to be mild, but can be whiny and clingy when not feeling well.  Symptoms of cystitis that call for this remedy are:

• Urgent desires to urinate with no ability to hold urine back. This can result in spurting and involuntary urination.

• The urge to urinate becomes stronger every second it is delayed; urging becomes intense after only a drop is accumulated.

• Once on the toilet it can be difficult to pass urine.

• May have pains in kidney area

• Differentiate from Nux Vomica symptoms in that the pain is irregular and spasmodic, and there is almost always spurting of urine.

SARSPARILLA (Wild Licorice)

This small remedy is useful mostly as a cystitis remedy with very particular symptoms:

• Intense pain as final drops are passed at the very end of urination

• Copious urine passed without pain, until the very end

• May have difficulty urinating while sitting, flow begins on standing

• Urinary tract infections during menstrual periods

If one of these remedies looks like the right remedy for you, try taking one tablet of 30 potency every 15 minutes for 4 doses. The symptoms should settle down by then. Thereafter, repeat the remedy when/if the symptoms start to return – this could be as often as every 30 minutes, or perhaps not at all. Do not continue taking a homeopathic remedy after the symptoms have disappeared, or if, after 24 hours, there has been no improvement.