Tell your
friends about Vitamin Lady and watch the Product Credits in roll in!
natural help bladder problems, natural help interstitial cystitis, natural help over-active bladder, natural help overactive bladder, natural help UTI's, natural bladder, natural help frequent urination, natural help urgent urination, natural help incontinence, vitamin lady writes about bladder problems, hyaluronic acid cystitis, diet bladder problems, diet prostatitis, diet incontinence
BLADDER
PROBLEMS
Dying to Go by Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN
20% of American women suffer from the
uncomfortable, painful and activity restricting attacks known as UTIs, or
Urinary Tract Infections, many of them over and over again to the point where
the condition develops into Interstitial Cystitis, an even more painful
and debilitating problem. The number of people affected by overactive
bladder is even greater - estimated at somewhere between 17 and 53 million
Americans.
The two leading prescription drugs for the
condition- Detrol LA and Ditropan XL- have sales over the past 12 months of over
$700 million dollars- and they estimate they have hit less than 15% of the
market. However, when one considers the possible side effects (liver and kidney
function, warnings for glaucoma, digestive problems ) I know that most thinking
people will be happy to know there are natural alternatives. Above all, it is
important to know that overactive bladder is not a normal part of aging and you
do not have to accept it as a way of life.
An over-active bladder is one of the 10
most common chronic conditions in the US. Traditional medicine doesn't
hold out much (safe) hope for sufferers, but there are some strategies,
natural help for bladder infections, that can restore your quality of
life.
Diet and allergies (see details
below) together or separately can provide a common causative effect for any
bladder problem.
Exercise - practice Kegels, the
control measure which involves identifying the pelvic muscles that control
the bladder, and then conscientiously contracting and relaxing them daily,
10 counts of contracting and holding for 10 seconds, and 10 counts of
contracting and relaxing in quick succession 10 times. You will be
amazed at how quickly you will see a difference in your control. I
simply do this as I walk the dogs each morning, counting a contraction for
each step.
Herbs - Urologist Dr. Lonny
Green and colleagues have compounded certain formulas for each bladder
problem. He has formulated one specifically for the over-active
bladder called Bladder-Control.
Collagen - low collagen levels have
been identified as a possible culprit, since collagen is the glue that holds
body tissues together. Mainstream medicine suggests infusions of
collagen, but I see no reason not to try supplementing with some formulas
high in
hyaluronic
acid.
Many people are made profoundly
uncomfortable by the acid
in foodsand while some have immediate digestive reactions,
others, unfortunately for them, have more deep-seated reactions
which they may not connect to the food, as is the case with the
bladder.
The bladder is accessed by a narrow
channel, and my theory is that reactions to food which cause
inflammation, make narrow channels swell (technical jargon, you
see!), with resulting pain and proliferation of bacteria.
The most common culprits for bladder
irritation are:
coffee, tea, alcohol, citrus fruit and juice,
tomatoes, and spicy foods.
Other less common irritants are eggs, pork, onions, wheat,
corn and milk.
Diet sodas are considered a factor in bladder urgency and
UTIs. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1646695
Diets high in protein, or protein for people who have problems
digesting it, can also be problematic.
Choosing a diet which will alkalize your body's pH can go a
long way towards helping you overcome this condition.
Realizing that Stress affects pH
negatively is important. This
article lays it on the line for the Stress/Cystitis/Holiday
connection!. http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2004/11/emw182586.htm
If you have a personal
intolerance it may affect you in this way, even though it is not on my
list.
Therefore identifying and eliminating allergens
from your diet and making sure you are avoiding acidifying foods and
maintaining
neutral pH in your body is an excellent
first step in controlling bladder problems.
If you are overweight, it may
interest you to know that a 2002 study at the department of
obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University
of California, San Francisco found that weight loss reduces episodes
of urine loss, according to the head of the study group, Dr. Leslee
Subak.
Let us also look at some of the possible causes
of UTIs, of which perhaps the most common is sexual activity - which
is why UTIs are often known as "Honeymoon Cystitis". If this is
the cause of the infections, the problem can sometimes be traced to the position
used, which irritates the urethra: a simple variation in angle can make all the
difference! Another strategy which can make a difference is to empty your
bladder both before and after intercourse.
The causative effect doubles if a diaphragm is
used. All too often, diaphragms are fitted too large, constricting the neck
of the bladder, and therefore the strategy I recommend to avoid UTIs, voiding
immediately after intercourse, is performed inefficiently, and some urine
remains in the bladder as a breeding ground for bacteria. If you are aware of
the presence of your diaphragm when you have it in place, it may be too large.
This same chain of events can be set up by using tampons
that are extremely large and super-absorbent. If your infections tend to occur
around the time of your period, tampons are a possible culprit. The answer is
simple: remove the tampon when you have to void.
Dr. Foxman at the University of Michigan (Ann
Arbor) has determined that using condoms with nonoxynol-9 triples a woman's
chance of getting UTIs. This is because the spermicidal also
destroys the good bacteria responsible for maintaining the acidity of the vagina
enabling the Escherichia Coli bacteria to enter and thrive. This is a real
"Catch-22"!
Do you have back-pain? Another possible
cause of UTIs is constriction of the vertebrae in your back where certain nerves
to the bladder originate. This problem can be caused by trauma, wearing high
heels, weight- lifting, or degeneration. It can be addressed sometimes by
medication, sometimes by exercise such as yoga or swimming, and sometimes by
chiropractic manipulation.
More detailed information can be found in Dr.Larrian Gillespie, M.D.'s excellent
book, You Don't Have to Live With Cystitis.
Children are very susceptible to bladder
infections, and they can be very uncomfortable for the child and
frustrating for the parent , as they are frequently accompanied by
bed-wetting episodes.
Determining the cause is once again the most
important step, since otherwise the usual debilitating cycle of
infection and antibiotics will be set in train with the consequences
for the digestive and immune systems.
Once one has ruled out the possibility of abuse,
which unfortunately has to be considered, then the most common reasons
are:
Not going to the bathroom frequently
enough, often seen in little shy or self-conscious children once
they start going to school. It is very important to enlist
your child's help in making sure they go to the bathroom regularly.
Perhaps even put a little note in the lunch box to remind them to go
at that inconspicuous time, whether they feel like it at that moment
or not!
Wiping incorrectly from back to front in
little girls can be a cause of infection, as bacteria are
transferred from one passage to another.
Tight fitting underwear, or perhaps wearing
a favorite pair for too long - this also needs to be checked.
Constipation, where the stool impacts in
the colon and prevents complete draining of the bladder, can be
another cause.
Bubble baths, and irritant soap should be
suspect as possible causes of bladder infections
For some children, excess sugar and food
allergies can be part of the problem. Candida
needs to be ruled out, and if the child has had frequent courses of
antibiotics, even in the absence of Candida, a possible imbalance of
the friendly flora should be suspected and corrected with probiotics.
If your child is experiencing problems with bed-wetting, I
highly recommend this charming and unconventional approach, which helps your
child overcome bedwetting and learn self-control, simply by relaxing with a
delightful bedtime story. Read
some testimonials here. http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/testimonials/Sammy-the-Elephant-and-Mr-Camel
If you know the causative reason for your
problem, it makes it easier to avoid: recurring bouts of cystitis can lead to a
far more serious problem called Interstitial Cystitis.
For some unfortunate people, it may be that a
natural defense mechanism is absent: a glycoprotein called Tamm-Horsfall
which blocks the attachment of bacteria . Also a factor to consider is the
presence of probiotics in the vaginal tract, which help protect against
infection. It is increasingly recognized that intestinal
and urogenital microflora are critical for the health and well-being of
humans, and therefore replenishing these flora with probiotic organisms
seems to be an option that has a growing scientific basis.
Stress, faulty diet, and antibiotics are
some of the things that reduce the availability of these friendly bacteria.
The following information about Interstitial Cystitis is quoted
directly from Urologist Dr. Lonny Green, co-formulator of The Natural
Bladder supplements and a Board Certified Urologist.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
is a condition causing discomfort and pain in the bladder and
surrounding pelvic region. Interstitial cystitis is a
challenging disease that is difficult to define, since a
general consensus has not been reached as to how it is to be
diagnosed. The National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes,
Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIADDK) established criteria
for diagnosis in 1987 but they were not meant to define the
disease, but rather to ensure that groups of patients studied
would be relatively comparable. There is no agreed upon
pathologic finding with which to diagnosis a person as having
IC.
IC can have a devastating effect upon a person's life. It has
been reported that using well-developed quality of life
indicators, IC patients scored extremely low- in fact, even
lower than a sample of patients with chronic renal failure
undergoing dialysis.
What are some of the symptoms of IC?
The symptoms of IC vary from person to person and even over
time in the same individual. People suffering from IC often
experience flare-ups and remissions. Symptoms include the
following:
Severe Bladder Pain or Pressure
Intense Pelvic and/or Lower Abdominal Pain
Excessive Frequency of Urination
Urgency of Urination
Reduced Bladder Capacity
Tenderness in Pelvic / Genital Area
Painful Intercourse
How Common Is Interstitial Cystitis?
A mentioned above, there is no agreed upon pathologic finding with
which to diagnosis a person as having IC. Accordingly, the true
prevalence of IC is hard to determine. Patients presenting to
physicians with the symptoms mentioned are often given a different
diagnosis, such as a urinary tract infection or prostatitis. It is
felt that at least 700,000 people in the United States have IC. IC
affects people of all races and ages, and is more common in women
than in men.
What Causes IC?
Despite ongoing research into Interstitial Cystitis, the cause
remains unknown. Different theories exist as to the origin of the
disease. No bacteria, fungi, viruses or other pathogens have been
definitively linked to IC, but some investigators still believe it
is caused by an organism we have not yet been able to isolate and
identify. Others feel that toxic substances in the urine may be
responsible, while some feel it may be a type of auto-immune
disease. Evidence has been presented that the protective lining of
the bladder-known as the GAG (glycosaminoglycan) layer- is deficient
in patients with IC, leading to the symptoms seen in the disease.
How Do I Know if I Have IC?
Since the symptoms of IC are similar to those of other disorders of
the urinary tract, and since there is no definitive test to check
for IC, physicians must first be sure other conditions do not exist
before considering a diagnosis of IC. These conditions include
urinary tract infections, pelvic infections, sexually transmitted
diseases, bladder cancer, kidney stones, and vaginal infections in
women and prostate infections in men.
Physicians will typically look in the bladder with a small
telescope, a procedure known as cystoscopy. When done under
anesthesia, the bladder will be distended and the bladder wall will
be examined for ulcers or a blood vessel pattern known as
glomerulations. A biopsy may also be obtained. As mentioned, there
is no one single definitive test for IC, but these examinations can
provide clues as well as excluding other diseases.
What Treatments are Available?
Unfortunately, we do not yet have a cure for Interstitial Cystitis.
Because we do not know the cause of the disease, treatments are
aimed at relieving the symptoms. Numerous treatment regimens are in
use, including:
Bladder Stretching Under Anesthesia
Instillation of Various Solutions Into the Bladder
Prescription Drugs
Surgery
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Implantable Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Bladder Training
Physical Therapy / Myofascial Techniques
Visualization Techniques
Dietary Modification
Herbal Therapy
Dr. Green, together with the Natural Bladder's
scientific advisory board , has formulated Bladder-Q to address Interstitial Cystitis. Click on the name for details of
the formula.
What to do about UTIs once you have one?
The conventional approach is with antibiotics, but as most of us who have used
them for this problem know, that usually ends in vaginitis and yeast infections,
not to mention a repeat of the UTI. Nowadays, instead of a ten day cycle of
antibiotics, most doctors recommend a short, sharp 3 day burst, and this helps.
But it is definitely a good idea to couple the antibiotics with acidophilus
capsules. Some worrying research results from a 5 years study in Seattle
(1999) found that more than 20% of the most common bacteria causing infections
are now resistant to antibiotics, which makes it more important than ever to
find out WHY you are getting the infections and addressing the cause.
In 2001, a disturbing report showed that
there is a new antibiotic-resistant strain of a common bacterium which is
contributing to an increase in relatively hard-to-treat bladder infections in
women in at least three U.S. cities. It appears to be a strain
of Escherichia coli bacteria causing a substantial percentage of
drug-resistant
urinary tract infections among female university
students in Berkeley, Calif., Minneapolis and Ann Arbor, Mich. Interestingly,
the microbes implicated in the Michigan and Minnesota infections were almost
identical to the California ones, which suggests the recent arrival or emergence
of a new drug-resistant strain that has spread rapidly to different parts of the
country.
"I think calling it an epidemic is
reasonable," said J. Glenn Morris, professor and chairman of the department
of epidemiology and preventive medicine at the University of Maryland Medical
School. "You probably do have strains
that are coming from a common source and are
responsible for an increase above expected numbers" of drug-resistant
infections.
This kind of thing makes preventative action
even more important, and because I believe myself to be amongst those low in
the natural protective factor mentioned above, I use a Cranberry capsule
formula with guaranteed "anti-adherence factor": the formula
prevents the bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall. Personally, one
capsule taken at night seems to do the trick For an existing infection,
Goldenseal extract, a blend of 2 herbs , Usnea & Uva Ursi,
also Olive Leaf extract, and Oregano Oil, are also helpful . Two homeopathics
which control the discomfort and pain almost immediately are Cantharis, and
Berberis, both 6X.
Another simple method to control the pain is to
take one teaspoon (no more) of baking soda in a glass of water.
It is important to know, however, that
taking cranberry capsules once you have an infection is
usually not effective: using them on a daily basis to PREVENT infection
is the answer, and several studies (in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, Vol. 271, No. 10, March 1994 pp. 751-774, to name one; see
below for another) using cranberry juice, support this. We suggest the
capsules not only to avoid the juice's extra calories from sugar, and the
taste, but because the better companies standardize their capsules to
guarantee their anti-bacterial activity.
Data from a new study confirm what
many women think they already know — drinking cranberry juice can
reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infection.
The finding suggests that this popular remedy could be a good way to
prevent recurrence of the painful infections and reduce the need for
antibiotics, Dr. Tero Kontiokari, of the University of Oulu in
Finland, and colleagues report in the June 30th issue of the British
Medical Journal.
In a randomized study of 150 women with a history of UTI, the
investigators asked one group to drink 50 mL of cranberry-lingonberry
juice daily, another to drink 100 mL of a lactobaccillus drink 5
days/week, and a third to drink neither beverage. In the cranberry
group, the number of episodes of UTI was reduced by about half at 6
months, while the lactobaccillus drink was ineffective.
Overall, 16% women in the cranberry group, 39% in the lactobacillus
group and 36% in a control group had at least one UTI during the
year-long study, Dr. Tero Kontiokari of the University of Oulu and
colleagues report.
"Since cranberry juice is a natural food product and readily
available, it seems a useful means for self administered prevention
of urinary tract infections," the authors conclude.
BMJ 2001:322;1571-1573.
In an article by Naturopathic Doctor Kathi Head (Let's
Live Jul 2000), I see that she recommends using Uva Ursi
to fight an actual existing infection, at a dosage of 250 to 500 mg
(standardized to 20% Arbutin) three times a day. She suggests
discontinuing the use of cranberry while using the Uva Ursi, since it works best
in alkaline urine. She points out that before the discovery of
antibiotics, arbutin (an active constituent of Uva Ursi) was the treatment
of choice for UTIs in both Europe and the US, and is still part of the drug
formularies in Europe. It has been shown to have anti-bacterial effects on
E. Coli and Staphylococcus , among others.
And a final note - remember that
bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men, and the
ninth most common cancer among women. Promoting the health of your
bladder with diet and supplementation is helpful, BUT - smokers
are twice as likely to get bladder cancer as nonsmokers.
Smoking is a factor in approximately
half of deaths from bladder cancer among men and about a third of
bladder cancer deaths among women.
Keywords: natural
help bladder problems, natural help interstitial cystitis, natural help
over-active bladder, natural help overactive bladder, natural help UTI's,
natural bladder, natural help frequent urination, natural help urgent
urination, natural help incontinence, the vitamin lady writes about
natural help for bladder problems, hyaluronic acid cystitis, diet
bladder problems, diet prostatitis, diet incontinence
The
Krisiloff Diet for Prostatitis,
Urinary Incontinence and bed-wetting - http://www.krisiloffdiet.com/about_diet.html
*Product is shipping with 24 business hours on all in stock product. Back
ordered items generally ship with 5 to 7 business days. If your order will
not be shipped for longer than 10 business days, we will notify you by email.
**See our
Shipping Policy for
heavy items.
Prices subject to change without notice.
