Acommonproblemforwomen

MarysiaKratimenosdiscussesthehomeopathicmanagementofurinarytractinfections
Urinarytractinfectionsareverycommoninadultwomenandmaybecomerecurrent.Themost
commoniscystitis,aninfectionofthebladder,butinfectionmayoccurinanypartoftheurinary
system,includingthekidneys.Infectioniscausedbythegrowthofthegutbacteriawithintheurinary
system,butinmanycasesbacteriaarenotfoundonurineculture,despiteobvioussymptomsof
bladderdiscomfort.Thecloseproximityoftheanusandurethra(openingfromthebladder)inwomen
allowsforthebacterialmovement,especiallyifthereisirritationofthedelicateperinealtissues.
Urinarytractinfectionsarerareinboysandmenbecauseofthelengthoftheurethra.Inmostcases
thereisanunderlyingcause,usuallyanobstructiontothenormalurineflow,orrefluxofurinetothe
kidney.Allcasesofprovenurinaryinfectioninmenandboysmustthereforebefullyinvestigated,
preferablybyaurologist.Recurrentinfectionsinwomen,morethanthreewithinayear,alsowarrant
investigation,althoughthechancesoffindinganunderlyingcausearelesslikely.Occasionally,kidney
stonesorbladderwartsmaypresentwithrecurrentbladderinfections.
Homeopathycanbeusedalongsideconventionaltreatmentwithantibioticsandforcaseswhereno
infectionisfound.Itcanbeveryhelpfulinbuildinguptheconstitution,thusreducingtheriskof
recurrence.Therearealsomanyothersimplemeasuresthatcanreducethechancesofreinfection.
Inallcasesofsuspectedurinarytractinfectionadetailedhistoryisessential,notleastofalltofind
theappropriatehomeopathicremedy.Aurinesampleshouldalwaysbesentoffforanalysisinthe
laboratory.Apreliminaryinspectionoftheurineisveryuseful.Astrongsmell,cloudinessorthe
presenceofsmallamountsofbloodarehighlysuggestiveofabacterialinfection,butclearurinedoes
notexcludeit.Thedoctormayuseareagentstriptoseeifthereareanybloodorpuscellsnotvisible
tothenakedeye.
Inasimplecaseofcystitis,whenthereisnofeverorobviousgeneralillness,theGPwillusuallywait
fortheresultsoftheurineculturebeforeprescribingantibiotics.Asthiscantakeseveraldays,itis
wellworthtryingahomeopathicremedyinthemeantimetoalleviatethediscomfort.
Acutecystitis
Themostcommonsymptomsofabladderinfectionarepainonpassingurineandfrequencyof
urination,althoughtheseareoftenabsentinveryyoungandolderpeople.Anuncomplicatedcaseof
cystitiswillrarelygivemuchmorethanamildfeveranddoesnotmakethepersonfeelterriblyunwell.
Painmaybefeltintheurethra,asaburning,scaldingsensationand/orasadullacheinthepelvis.If
thepainextendstotheloinsorthetemperatureisveryhigh,thisindicatestheinfectionhaspossibly
ascendedtothekidneys(pyelonephritis)andmedicalinterventionmustbesoughturgently.The
passageofbloodalsowarrantspromptmedicalattention.

Kidneyinfectionmayleadtoscarringofthekidneysandprompttreatmentwithantibioticsis
imperative.Itisperfectlysafetousehomeopathyalongsideantibiotics.
Noninfectivecystitis
Manywomenpresentwithsymptomsidenticaltocystitisbuturinecultureyieldsnogrowthof
bacteria.Oftentheydogetcoursesofantibioticsprescribedwhichdolittletohelpthesymptoms.In
somecasesthereisalocalcausesuchasinflammationoftheurethraorbladder(chronicinterstitial
cystitis),orthedelicatetissuesoftheperineum.Herpesinfectioncanleadtocystitislikesymptoms,
ascanchronicvaginaldischargesorirritation.Inthevastmajorityofcasesnocauseiseverfound
andthepatientistoldshehasanirritablebladder.
Homeopathycanbeveryhelpfulinthissituation,astreatmentisaimedatthewholepersonrather
thantheresultsofasingleinvestigation.Carefuldietarymanagementmaybeindicatedassome
womendoseemtobesensitivetocertainacidicfoods.Aprofessionalhomeopathshouldbe
consulted.
Generalmanagement
Drinkinglargeamountsofclearwaterisessential.Averyminorinfectionmaybeclearedbythis
simpleaction.Coffeeandregularteaoftenaggravatethesymptoms,soshouldbeavoided.Certain
herbalteasmaybehelpfulincontrollingsymptomsandhelpingtoclearminorinfections,butarebest
avoidedinpregnancy.Goldensealteaencouragesurineflowandisquitepalatable.
Changingtheacidityoftheurineishelpful.Drinkingcranberryjuice,ortakingtabletsofcranberry
concentrate,maketheurinetooacidicforthebacteriatothrive.Thesachetsofpowder,availableat
chemistshopstorelievethesymptomsofcystitis,workonthesameprinciple.Somecontainlarge
amountsofbicarbonatetomaketheurinetooalkalineforthebacteriatothrive.
Itisimportanttokeepthebladderempty,howeverpainfulthismaybe.Holdingontourinewillonly
makemattersworseandencourageamoreseriousinfection.Ifoneispronetorecurrentinfections,it
ishelpfultodoublevoid,thatistoreturntothebathroomaboutfiveminutesafterpassingurineand
emptythebladderagain.Itisoftensurprisinghowmuchurinehasbeenleftinthebladder.
Inwomeninfectionmaybeprecipitatedbysexualintercourse,aconditionknownashoneymoon
cystitis.Itisadvisabletoemptythebladderaftersextoavoidinfection.Insomecasesthereisno
infection,theurethraisirritatedbyfrictionandthiscanmimicthesymptoms.Adequatelubrication
andachangeinsexualpositionmayoftensolvethisproblem.
Somewomendevelopanallergicreactiontothelatexofcondomsorthespermicidetheycontain,
andthiscanleadtobladdersymptoms.Achangeofcontraceptionmaybeindicatedifthisisthe
case.
Localvaginalinfectionwiththrushalsopredisposestourinaryinfection.Manywomengetthrushafter
acourseofantibiotics.Antibioticsarenothighlyselective,theyalsoeliminatethesocalledfriendly
bacteria,andthenormalrangeofbacteriainthegutisaltered.Abnormalbacteria,thrushandother
fungiproliferate,leadingtoaconditionknownasgutdysbiosis.Abdominalbloating,bowel

disturbanceandfoodintolerancemayresult,aswellasrecurrentinfectionsintheurinarysystem.
Thisleadstofurtherantibioticcourses,whichderangethebacterialcontentofthebowelevenmore.
Inthesecaseshomeopathyisimmenselyhelpfulinbreakingtheviciouscircle.
Acidophilusmaybeprescribedalongsidetheremedytorepopulatethebowelwithhealthybacteria,
aswellasremediesandantifungalstocleartheyeastinfection.
Chlamydia,asexuallytransmittedinfection,maymimicaurinarytractinfection.Itisbecoming
increasinglycommoninyoungwomenandmayleadtofertilityproblemsifleftuntreated.Thereis
oftennoassociatedvaginaldischargeandsotheinfectioncangounnoticed.Avaginalswabtakenat
thelocalgenitourinarycliniccandetectchlamydiaandotherinfections,whichwillrequirespecialised
antibiotictherapy.
Localirritationoftheperinealtissuespredisposestoinfection.Bubblebaths,harshsoapsand
deodorantsshouldallbeavoided,aswellasthongsandtighttrousers.Purecottonunderwearis
best,asarestockingsratherthantights.Itisimportanttoteachgirlstowipetheirbottomsfromfront
tobackafterastool.
Homeopathicremedies
Treatmentwithhomeopathyisintwoparts:firsttotreattheinfection,andsecondlytoimprovethe
generalhealthsoastoavertfurtherinfections.Thisdeepertreatmentisbestlefttoaprofessional
homeopath.
Foranacuteattackarelativelyhighpotency,30c,isindicated.Itcanberepeatedeveryhour,
decreasingthefrequencyoftheremedyasthesymptomsimprove.Ifthereisnoimprovementafter
threeorfourdoses,professionalhomeopathictreatmentshouldbesought.
Arnicamontana
Arnicaisveryusefulforcystitisthatoccursfollowingbruisinginjuriesoftheperineum.Itistherefore
wellindicatedforurinaryproblemsfollowingchildbirth.Theremaybetroubleemptyingthebladder
andsomeinvoluntarydribbling.
Sepia
Sepiaisimmenselyusefulforrecurrenturinarytractinfections,especiallywhenthereisalsoahistory
oflotsofantibioticuseandthrush.Thewomanoftenlosesherlibido,becausesexispainfulandshe
fearscystitismayresult.Sheisoftenwornoutbytherecurrentinfections,soexhaustedbythe
struggletokeepgoingthatshecrieswhenexpressingherself.Genitalherpesmaybepresent.
Aconite
Thesymptomscomeonverysuddenlyandwithoutanywarning,oftenafterafrightorexposureto
cold.Divingintoicywatermaybringoncystitis.Thereisalotoffearandthismayleadtoretentionof
urine.Thereisasensationofpressureinthebladderandburningbeforeurination.
Pulsatilla
Thisremedyisoftenprescribedconstitutionallyforshylittlegirlswithahighlyemotionaland

changeablenature.Astheydonotdrinkmuchtheyaremorepronetourinarytractinfections.
Pulsatillaisoftenprescribedforolderwomen,whoaresoftandyieldingincharacter.Theyareprone
tocrywhilstrelatingtheirstory,andevokesympathyinthelistener.Thepainisworsewhenurination
isdelayed,andafterurination.Thesymptomsarechangeable,andtheurinetendstospurtout.
Cantharis
TheSpanishflyisaurinarytractirritant,wellknowntotheMarquisdeSadeandhisfollowers.It
producesthemostagonisingpainbefore,duringandafterurination.Eachdropofurinefeelslike
scaldingacidanditmaybeeasiertopassurineinahotbath.Thesurroundingskinmaybecome
excoriated,andtheremaybebloodintheurine.Thepatientisbesideherselfwithpainandavoids
drinkingsothatshewonthavetopassurine.
Nuxvomica
Thereisintensechillinessandthepersonfeelsveryirritablewiththecystitis.Thereisconstanturging
andasensethatthebladderisfull,althoughtinyamountsofurinearepassed.Thisremedyiswell
indicatedwhenfrequencyisthepredominatesymptom.AconstitutionalNuxvomicaisthetypical
TypeApersonalitydriven,ambitiousandverycompetitive,withashortfuse.
Staphysagria
HoneymooncystitisfrequentlyrespondsverywelltoStaphysagria,asdourinarytractinfectionsthat
comeonafterpelvicexamination,operationorlabour.Itisindicatedwherethereissuppressed
angerandgrief.Theangerishidden,thepersonappearsmildtemperedandgentle,yetthereis
oftenahistoryofabuseordeepsorrow.Cystitisoccursaftersexandthepainisfeltduringandafter
urination.
Sarsparilla
Thisremedyisfrequentlyusedforinfectionswhenthepaincomesonafterurination.Theremaybe
somebloodintheurineandseveresymptomsofcystitis.Itiseasiertopassurinewhilststandingup
andthereisatendencytourinaryretention.