Home Remedies for BLADDER INFECTION / INFLAMATION

Bladder Inflammation Definition

Bladder inflammation, also known as bladder infection or cystitis, is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urine tract. The urine normally contains fluid, salts and waste products, when it has bacteria in, it causes the infection that makes irritation of the bladder wall, which can lead to stiffening of the bladder and even bleeding.

Home Remedies For Bladder Inflammation

How to Cure Bladder Inflammation with Natural Treatments

Drink 1 glass of cranberry juice a day. Drink radish juice to help with the bladder inflammation. Drink watermelon juice. Steam asparagus and drink the water. Drink fresh onion juice. To increase urine, eat a lot of parsley. To increase urine, eat a uncooked potato with no salt. Bedouin med for bladder inflammation: boil 3 onions in 5 cups of water for 20 minutes. Drink 2 cups, 3-4 sips each time. Eat a lot of celery. Make barley tea and drink. Eat yogurt daily. Eat garlic and cabbage daily. Eat grapefruits to help with the inflammation Boil parsley in water, strain and drink the water. Drink 2-3 glasses of pomegranate juice every day. Make tea from corn fiber, parsley and rosmery Drink a lot of water all day long. Bladder Infections   Bladder infections are a significant problem for women. Although generally easy to diagnose and treat, prevention should be the goal. The bacteria causing bladder infections originate in the rectum and are accidentally spread to the urethra (the exit point for urine) following improper cleansing. In a very few, frequent bladder infections may be due to defects in the kidneys and their associated structures. This should be a clue to most doctors to do a more extensive investigation. Coincident measures to speed the resolution of an infection or to prevent infections include drinking a great deal of water, the consumption of cranberry juice to make the urine more acid, cotton underclothes for better ventilation and frequent voiding with careful cleansing.   What's the cause?   Bladder infections are caused by bacteria known as E. coli that take up residence in the vagina and consequently make their way to the urethra, the tube through which urine flows, says Elliot L. Cohen, M.D., assistant professor of clinical urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York. In the vagina, the bacteria are no problem. Trouble only starts when they enter the urinary tract.   "These are bacteria normally present in all women. And the women who get UTIs (medical shorthand for urinary tract intections) aren't anatomically different from the women who don't. But for reasons we don't understand, they are more susceptible to the infection," says Dr. Cohen.   Bladder infections are really infections of the urine itself, according to Dr. Staskin, and the effect on the patient is usually relatively minor. "The bacteria irritate the wall of the bladder," he says. "In most cases, it's the bladder's equivalent of a bad sunburn." Home remedy for bladder infections One teaspoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of garlic juice mixed in a glass of warm water. Drink three times a day, before meals. A teaspoon of pure garlic juice is effective in killing off the bacteria responsible for many bladder infections. This treatment can be repeated as often as needed.     Drink lots of fluids. This is probably the single most important tip, for two reasons: comfort and health.   "Some women get a UTI and think, 'Aha! It only burns when I go to the bathroom,' " says Dr. Cohen. "They then reason that they won't have to go if they don't drink, so they don't—which is absolutely the worst thing they can do."   The reason: The longer any amount of urine stays in the bladder, the more bacteria there are in it—E. coli doubles its population about every 20 minutes, according to Dr. Staskin. More bacteria mean more pain.   "Absolutely the best thing a woman can do to fight the burning is drink fluids to flush out the bacteria that are causing the inflammation," Dr. Cohen says. "There's a very strong argument for drinking more fluid both to prevent UTIs and to treat them," Dr. Staskin says. "Studies have been performed where bacteria were mechanically introduced into the bladders of volunteers. But voiding just twice effectively sterilized the bladder."   Message: The more you drink, the sooner the pain will stop. And a hint: If your urine's clear, you're drinking enough. If it's colored, you're not.   Take a hot bath. "This helps relieve pain for many women," says Richard J. Macchia, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Urology at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn College of Medicine. "I don't think anyone's researched the exact mechanisms involved, but a hot bath often seems to help where there's inflammation."   Take aspirin or ibuprofen. "These are anti-inflammatories, and they do help some people," Dr. Macchia says. "They reduce the inflammation in the bladder, and the less inflammation, the less burning."   Take vitamin C. "About 1,000 milligrams taken throughout the day will acidify the urine enough to interfere with bacterial growth," Dr. Macchia says. "This is a good idea if you're having problems with reinfection or have recurrence in the middle of nowhere without quick access to medical help." Caution: Some antibiotics prescribed for bladder infections don't work will in acidic urine, so tell your doctor if you're taking vitamin C. Also tell him how much you're taking. Vitamin C is not toxic, but 1,000 milligrams is considered a large dose and should have your doctor's approval.   Back away. Wiping from front to back helps prevent infection from recurring, the doctors say. Wiping the wrong way is one of the most common causes of infection and a good way to get repeat infections. Wiping away is pure common sense, you want to move bacteria away from, not toward, the vagina and the opening of the urethra.   Go to the bathroom before intercourse. This helps flush out bacteria that may be present in the vagina, the experts say—bacteria that otherwise might be pushed into the bladder by intercourse.   Go to the bathroom after intercourse. This is where the myth of your partner's involvement gets its start—and like most myths, there's a grain of truth to this one, according to Dr. Staskin. A man's penis can massage bacteria present in the opening of the urethra into the bladder. Voiding effectively "rinses" the bladder out.   "There's no doubt that UTIs are more common in sexually active women," Dr. Cohen says. "But that's more the result of not knowing how to protect themselves than of sexual activity itself. If bacteria have been pushed into the bladder, urinating will flush most of them out."   Reconsider the diaphragm. "Diaphragms have been documented as major contributors to those who have stubborn, repeated bladder infections," Dr. Staskin says. "Two mechanisms are probably involved: Bacteria colonize the diaphragm itself, which is then inserted deep into the vagina, and the diaphragm interferes with bladder emptying, which means that bacteria already there aren't flushed out."   If this description fits you, you might want to talk to your doctor about another method of birth control.   Use pads instead of tampons. "No one's absolutely certain why certain women seem more susceptible to reinfection, but vaginal manipulation of some sort—sex, inserting the diaphragm, putting a tampon in—always seems to precede it," says Joseph Corriere, M.D., director of the Division of Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.   "I advise those of my patients experiencing chronic infection at the time of menstruation to quit using tampons and replace them with pads," he says.   Practice good hygiene. Good hygiene means wearing cotton underwear that keeps you dry, avoiding tight pants that decrease ventilation, and most of all, keeping clean—but sensibly clean.   "If you don't bathe to remove bacteria in the perineal region [between vagina and rectum], obviously you run the risk of repeated infection," Dr. Staskin says. "But too much can be as bad as too little. Douching constantly can both introduce bacteria into the vagina and rinse out the normal "friendly," noninfectious vaginal bacteria, which are then replaced with infectious E. coli. Irritation of the urethra may occur, which may feel like another UTI. Strong antibacterial soaps can do the same thing—and change the vaginal flora enough to make the individual more susceptble to infection." The point: Be clean, but don't be obsessed.   MEDICAL ALERT The Signs of Something Serious   There are four major symptoms that should send anyone with a bladder infection (whether it's the first or the fifth, it doesn't matter) to the doctor. They are: Blood in the urine Pain in the lower back or flank Fever Nausea or vomiting "About 90 percent of all women who get a bladder infection will have the bacteria gone with the first or second antibiotic pill, but the symptoms often last for two to three days," says David Staskin, M.D. "But a very small number may develop more serious problems with the kidneys. If they experience any of the above, they should see a physician immediately."   The symptoms associated with a bladder infection can also be similar to something else—like cancer (especially if there is blood in the urine)—so it's important to always seek professional medical advice.