|
SUBMIT YOUR
ARTICLES |
 |
|
We are now
accepting articles in the following areas:
- Alternative Therapies
- Diseases & Conditions
- Eco-Friendly
- Failures of Modern Medicine
- Fitness
- Nutrition
- Vitamins & Supplements
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please send them to us by completing
the
Article Submission Form or alternatively
via
email (either as an attachment or in the
body of the email)
|
|
We would like to acknowledge you as the author
of your article, so please feel free to
include a short biography and image which will
appear in the author's resource box. Of
course, if you would prefer to remain
anonymous, we would honour that request too. |
|
|
 |
Submission Guidelines |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE
DIRECTORY |
|
BLADDER HEALTH FOR WOMEN |
by Elson M. Haas, MD © 2008
Women are prone to bladder infections, much more so
than men. Due to the very short length of the
urethra, bacteria can more easily migrate up into
the bladder, and then multiply and irritate/infect
the bladder. On some occasions, the bacteria can go
higher up the ureters into the kidneys and cause
more serious infections. Any woman who has ever
experienced this problem will recognize the
symptoms: feeling the need to urinate frequently and
often urgently, but little comes out at a time, and
urinating can be painful and burning. One doesn’t
need to have all the symptoms for an infection to be
present.
Drinking water is one of the best ways to prevent
and resolve early infections. One of my favorite
sayings is, “Dilution is the Solution to Pollution.”
This relates to many areas of health, and is
especially important to keeping the bladder and
kidneys healthy, in preventing infections and kidney
stones if one is prone to this.
Besides dehydration, poor hygiene and sexual
activity are other factors related to bladder
infections, or UTIs (urinary tract infections) and
also called “cystitis” (cysto being the Latin
derivative for bladder). The bladder opening, the
urethra, is just above the vaginal opening, which is
just above the rectum. Both these areas have
bacteria present. When these bacteria are wiped
across the urethra, they can more easily climb up
into the bladder. That’s why we say it so important
to “always wipe from the front to the back”. With
sexual activity, the friction and sometimes
irritation that exists, the bacteria are driven even
more easily into the bladder. Then, if the woman
does not urinate soon after or keep hydrated to
flush out these bacteria, they can multiply and
cause problems. Bladder infections occur more with
or after an episode of increased sexual activity.
There’s even a medical diagnosis for this, termed
“honeymoon cystitis,” for obvious reasons.
Therefore, if a woman doesn’t really ready to
urinate before sex, it’s better to wait and have a
good stream to flow out as soon after as is
comfortable. Women going through menopause often
experience a weakness and/or sensitivity in their
tissues and can be more prone to bladder and vaginal
infections, especially with sexual activity. This
thinning of urethral as well as vaginal tissues
happens is some women, but not all, when estrogen
levels decline. When women are prone to this
problem, just a bit of estrogen therapy locally to
the vaginal and/or urethral tissues can often help a
great deal.
Bladder infections are diagnosed using the
laboratory. First a urinalysis reveals an increase
in white blood cells (WBCs), showing the body is
attempting to fight off the bacteria. There is also
often a culture done in the microbiology lab,
meaning they isolate and grow the bacteria. Then,
often a “sensitivity” test is done, meaning the
technician exposes the bacteria to specific
antibiotics and over 24 hours or so watches to see
whether the bacteria grow or not. Obviously, we want
to choose the antibiotic that suppresses or kills
the germs, not the one that has the bacteria growing
all over it, which means the bacteria is “resistant”
to that antibiotic, i.e. it doesn’t work. A big tip
for women who find themselves very uncomfortable, is
to use a urinary antiseptic which will not influence
the outcome of a urine culture but can start
relieving symptoms quickly. It turns the urine
orange and will not clear the infection but can be
taken right away and is available without
prescription. One brand of phenazopyridine is call
Azo. Pyridium is a similar medicine. A follow-up
culture is sometimes done to make sure the infection
has resolved.
As with many illnesses, there can be degrees of
bladder infections. Antibiotics work quite well in
treating infections, and there have been some
positive steps in the recent decade showing that
UTIs often respond to lower amounts and fewer days
of an antibiotic treatment. For example a sulfa
medicine called Septra DS or Bacterim DS (DS means
double strength) used to be used twice daily for 10
days. Now three to five days is often sufficient.
Typically, the bladder infections respond quite
quickly to antibiotic treatment. Other medications
other than sulfas include ampicillin and
ciprofloxacin (Cipro). I would use the pencillin
drugs for women who don’t tolerate sulfa medicines,
and Cipro for very bad cases or recurrent infections
or with back pain and possible kidney involvement.
Ideally, we want to use the least amount of
medicines to get the job done, as in clear the
infection. There’s another drug that, when it works
(as shown by sensitivity testing), is often wise to
use. It is nitrofurantoin with a brand example of
Macro-Bid. It has less systemic side effects because
it is cleared by the kidneys rather quickly and
concentrates itself in the bladder, where it kills
the bacteria. Because many antibiotics kill off
normal and needed bacteria, it’s important to
replace the normal bacteria that live in the gut and
vagina. Using an acidopilus (probiotic, healthy
bacteria) product during treatment can prevent a
vaginal yeast infection, which happens to some women
with treatment. Take it away from the antibiotics
and continue for at least 1-2 weeks after finishing
the treatment.
Most Western doctors always prescribe antibiotics
when women have symptoms of a UTI. Clearly, when
women present with bladder pain and visible blood in
their urine, we most typically would prescribe an
immediate antibiotic. However, natural therapies can
often be successfully used for mild to moderate
infections, or for early symptoms of burning or
frequency (going more often than usual), or
sometimes just a feeling of pressure. Occasionally,
women have WBCs or infection in their bladders and
have no apparent symptoms at all.
In review then, a natural approach to keeping the
bladder healthy and not getting infections begins
with proper hydration followed with proper hygiene.
Hygiene may refer to keeping our body clean inside
and out, and this even relates to proper nutrition,
obtaining all the needed nutrients—vitamins,
minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, and
phytonutrients—to maintain healthy tissues and
immune function. Avoiding toxins, many of which can
irritate the bladder or weaken immune function, is
also helpful, and this includes no or limited use of
chemical products as well as excess sugar, caffeine,
alcohol, and nicotine. A clean and healthy body does
not get sick, at least very easily.
For early infections or irritation in the bladder,
the most commonly known remedy is cranberry juice or
cranberry extract. Buying non-sugary juice or
extract and making a drink several times a day can
help to purify/disinfect the bladder. I also use
cranberry capsules, one to two several times daily
to see if it helps reverse the early symptoms. Also,
this cranberry extract is especially useful, 2 at
bedtime, for prevention of UTI associated with
sexual activity. D-mannose is another product I use
and it’s a natural sugar that reduces E. coli, the
most common bladder bacterial infection. Herbal
combination formulas are also popular for prevention
and early treatment. These may include such herbs as
uva ursi as a disinfectant diuretic, marshmallow
root as a tissue soother, and others such as corn
silk, plantain leaf, and St. John’s wort. Also, the
homeopathic remedy, cantharis, any potency 30 C or
below, can be used for burning. There are other
homeopathic remedies for bladder and kidney issues
in your natural food store or through your local
homeopath.
In summary, bladder infections are much more common
in women. With care, they can be prevented. For
early onset or milder infections particularly,
natural therapies can be quite helpful in resolving
the problems. If these do not resolve the infection,
or for more intense issues, antibiotics can be used
quite successfully on a short-term basis. Checking
the urine for cells and bacteria is the best way to
monitor whether the infection is present or gone.
Stay Healthy!
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
HOME |
|
 |
|
|
|
AUTHOR PROFILE |
|
|
| |
 |
|
 |
