Cystitis

Diet and Nutrition: (references)

• Eliminate foods that cause an allergic response or to which there is a sensitivity (fast, use an elimination diet, or allergy test to isolate such foods)
• Eat more cranberries and blueberries and/or drink unsweetened cranberry and blueberry juice
• Increase fluids-filtered water, 1 cup per hour

Vitamins and Minerals: (references)

• Vitamin A: 25,000 - 50,000 I.U.
• Vitamin C: 5 - 10 gm. (to bowel tolerance)
• Vitamin E: 600 I.U.
• Folate: 1.8 mg. (for patients with uric acid stones)

Supplements: (references)

• Arginine: 500 - 2,000 mg. in divided doses on an empty stomach
• Mannose (powder): 1/4 tsp. 3 - 6 times a day

Botanicals: (references)

• Tincture - Arctostaphylos uva ursi, Usnea spp, Barosma betulina, Echinacea angustifolia, Zea mays: 1/4 tsp. every 4 hours till improved

• Individual botanicals to be considered for this condtion:
  Althea officinalis (Marshmallow)
  Arctostaphylos uva ursi (Bearberry)
  Armoracia rusticana (Horseradish)
  Atropa belladonna (Belladonna)
  Barosma betulina (Buchu)
  Camellia sinensis (Green tea)
  Chimaphilia umbellata (Pipsissewa)
  Dioscorea villosa (Wild yam)
  Echinacea angustifolia (Purple cone flower)
  Equisetum arvense (Shave grass, Horsetail)
  Eriodictyon californicum (Yerba santa)
  Galium aparine (Cleavers, Bed straw)
  Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)
  Juniperus communis (Juniper)
  Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)
  Thuja plicata (Western cedar)
  Urtica urens (Nettles)
  Usnea spp. (Old man's beard)
  Verbascum thapsus (Mullein)
  Zea mays (Corn silk)

Homeopathic Remedies: (references)

• Cystitis, general:
  
  ACON, all-c, am-c, ant-t, APIS, arg-n, arn, ars, aspar, bar-m, BELL, benz-ac, berb, cact, calad, calen, calc, camph, cann-i, cann-s, CANTH, caps, carb-an, caust, chim, chin-s, colch, coloc, con, cip, cub, dig, dulc, elat, EQUIS, ery-a, eup-pur, ferr-ac, ferr-p, gels, hep, hydr, hyos, kali-ar, kali-bi, kali-c, kali-chl, LACH, lil-t, lith, LYC, MED, merc, merc-c, nit-ar, nux-v, petr, petros, ph-ac, polyg, pop, prun, PULS, rhus-t, sabal, SARS, sabin, senec, seneg, SEP, solid, squil, STAPH, stigm, stram, sulph, tarent, TER, THLASPI, thuj, tritic, tub, uva, verat-v
• Cystitis, recurrent:
  
  canth, lyc, puls, sep, staph

(For an overview of Homeopathy, click here.)

Other Therapies: (references)

• *Anti-infection IV therapy: 3/week
• Adequate vaginal lubrication during intercourse is necessary
• Diaphragm may cause infection
• Susceptible individuals should wash the genital tissues with an antiseptic such as warm hydrastis and calendula infusion before and after intercourse
• Drinking a full glass of water prior to intercourse would also be advisable to produce urine afterward and flush the urethra of possible pathogens
• Use a non-deoderized sanitary pad, not tampons
• Alternating hot and cold sitz baths
• Estrogen replacement therapy or estrogen introduced vaginally has been shown to be beneficial in post-menopausal women.
• *Wipe bottom from front to back after a BM
• *Wear white cotton underwear or none at all, change it daily and do not have it washed at a professional laundry because the soaps are irritating
• *Avoid contact with bubble baths, shampoos
• *Shower after swimming to eliminate the chlorine
• *Do not wear tight pants, let your crotch breathe
• Hyperbaric oxygen treatments

Recommended Labs:

• Check for cystitis: Urinalysis with Culture, CBC with Diff
• Rule out allergies: IgG Food Allergy Antibody
• Rule out allergy to condoms
• Rule out cancer: CA125 (in women), Ultrasound
• In men, rule out chronic prostatitis: Microscopic Analysis of Expressed Prosatic Secretions, Urinalysis with Culture
• Rule out diabetes: Fasting Glucose, Fructosamine, Hemoglobin A1c
• In women, rule out endometriosis: Ultrasound, MRI, Laparoscopy with Biopsy
• Rule out HIV: ELISA, Western Blot
• Rule out kidney stones: Ultrasound
• Rule out sexually transmitted diseases: Gram Stain of Urethral Discharge
• Rule out structual abnormalities: Voiding Cystourethrogram

*  The recommended use of this supplement or therapy is based on a physiological mechanism or empirical data and is not necessarily supported by peer-reviewed research studies.

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).