Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) or cystitis are a common health concern.  Symptoms associated with UTIs include: painful and frequent urination, feeling of urinary urgency even after just emptying the bladder, pelvic pressure and sometimes pain that can occur in the pelvic or lower back area.  It is important to seek care for UTIs to prevent infection from worsening or involving the kidneys.  The conventional medical approach to UTIs is to treat with antibiotics.

A naturopathic plan for a UTI includes:

• Identifying the cause of the infection.  The majority of UTIs are caused by E. coli, however there are several other microbes that can cause an infection.  Once identified, the infection can be treated with anti-microbial herbs and herbs that are soothing and healing to the urinary tract.
  • D-mannose is one compound that is frequently used in naturopathic medicine.  This is found in cranberry and works by adhering to mannose receptors on bladder tissue, therefore interfering with the ability of E.coli to attach to the tissue and cause infection.
• Optimizing the individual’s immune defense against infection by eating a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates and using immune supportive nutrients and herbs.
• Restoring the beneficial microflora of the vagina and bladder with probiotics.
• Identifying lifestyle habits and medications that may increase the susceptibility to UTIs to work towards prevention.  The most common recommendation for prevention is to urinate when the urge arises and also after intercourse.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a UTI mimicker- the symptoms of IC are often the same symptoms of UTIs.  The difference is that with IC (also known as painful bladder syndrome), there is no infection.  Naturopathic medicine offers many treatment options for IC that focus on reducing body-wide inflammation and healing the urinary tract tissue.

Naturopathic medicine provides natural and holistic care solutions for most acute and chronic conditions. The goal of care is different from conventional medicine because the focus is addressing the underlying cause of illness not just the symptoms.

When you address the underlying dysfunction in the body and restore the biochemical balance to all organ systems, symptoms resolve on their own.

Source: Hudson, T. 2008. Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York.