Perhaps every third woman at least once in her life experienced the unpleasant symptoms of cystitis:
- frequent urge to urinate with minimal urine output;
- cramps, pain and burning during urination;
- hematuria;
- severe pain and burning sensation in the lower abdomen, just above the pubic area.
Cystitis is an inflammatory process in the bladder wall.
Approximately 80% of cases of cystitis occur in women. In men, this condition is only seen in 0.5% of cases. This is because the urethra is shorter and wider in women than in men, and bacteria can enter it more easily.
Cystitis is characterized by the fact that it very easily becomes chronic after the first episode of inflammation. The symptoms mentioned above will recur whenever predisposing factors reappear.
In order to deal effectively with the problem, it is necessary to find out the cause.
Now, let’s examine the causes of cystitis.
The most common cause of cystitis is an infection that has entered the bladder. Microorganisms can enter the urinary tract through the urethra from the anus or vagina. Occasionally, the infection can reach the bladder through the bloodstream (hematogenous route) when there is an infection in areas like the tonsils or with caries.
Especially the problem of cystitis is aggravated with age due to the natural decline of the immune system. As our immunity weakens, it becomes less effective at combating bacteria, making it easier for pathogenic bacteria to enter the bladder. With age, women may experience hormonal disorders, including decreased estrogen levels. This can lead to changes in the microflora of the vagina and urethra, potentially allowing the growth of harmful microorganisms.
What factors do increase the risk of developing cystitis? What should be done to prevent cystitis?
– Avoid hypothermia, as it is the leading cause of cystitis exacerbations. Even mild hypothermia can weaken the body’s defense systems, providing an opportunity for dormant infections to activate. Therefore, dressing appropriately for the weather, particularly during the autumn-winter period, is crucial.
– Watch your nutrition. Eliminate spicy, salty foods from your diet. Spicy foods irritate the mucous membrane of the bladder and urinary tract, thereby creating suitable conditions for bacteria to attach. As a result, chronic inflammatory diseases of the urinary system are exacerbated.
– Avoid excessive consumption of strong coffee and alcoholic beverages, as they can irritate the bladder mucosa and worsen chronic cystitis.
– Timely treatment of kidney diseases reduces the risk of infection spreading from the kidneys to the bladder.
– If you have chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or gout, you may have an increased risk of developing impaired kidney and bladder function. It is important to regularly monitor your kidney health. As a preventive measure, consult with a healthcare professional about using specific phytopreparations that have demonstrated nephroprotective effects.
Failed to avoid? It is important to know!
In acute cystitis, bed rest is recommended along with increased fluid intake. However, it is advised to avoid consuming salty and spicy foods, canned food, meat broths, and alcoholic beverages.
Among the drugs, there are those aimed at relieving spasms, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting the infectious process.
It is strongly recommended not to independently choose antibiotics for the treatment of cystitis. Different bacteria are sensitive to different antibiotics, so self-medication may lead to a mismatch. Furthermore, uncontrolled antibiotic use can result in pathogens developing resistance, reducing the effectiveness of future antibiotic treatments. Remember, only your attending physician can prescribe appropriate antibiotic therapy after conducting necessary tests to identify the pathogen and its sensitivity to the antibiotic.
How to alleviate the condition during an exacerbation?
However, it is both possible and necessary to alleviate the symptoms of cystitis, even without access to a doctor. Moreover, there are safe natural remedies for this.
Phytocompositions from medicinal plants are an effective and safe addition to drug therapy. They contain natural compounds with various properties such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antispasmodic, and immunostimulating effects. Importantly, medicinal plants, unlike chemicals, have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years and can be safely used for long-term treatment.
As practice shows, a course of medicinal plants helps to avoid frequent exacerbations of cystitis. Therefore, it is crucial to include them in preventive courses during periods of high exacerbation frequency.
Many plants known to science have proven effectiveness in treating bladder inflammation. Today we will talk about some of them.
One of the main tasks in treating cystitis is to reduce the inflammatory process in the bladder. Therefore, it is important to use plants with anti-inflammatory properties. Such plants include Matricaria chamomilla, Butеa monosperma flower, Boerhavia diffusa roots, Himalayan Shilajit.
Butea monosperma is a tree that blooms with bright orange, flame-like flowers and impresses the locals with its magnificence.
Butea is a very popular medicinal plant in the East. It has long been used to reduce inflammation in kidney, bladder, liver, and stomach diseases. It boosts the immune and skeletal systems while enhancing resistance against infections.
Boerhavia diffusa contains natural biologically active substances that have anti-inflammatory properties, reduce blood sugar levels, protect the kidneys, and improve their functions in diabetes. This property is important in preventing frequent exacerbations of cystitis and other kidney diseases in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Earlier, we stated that the main cause of cystitis is the entry of microorganisms into the bladder, leading to exacerbation. Therefore, let’s consider plants with antimicrobial properties, specifically Tribulus terrestris and Saxifraga lingulata. These plants effectively combat microorganisms without the side effects commonly associated with synthetic antibacterial drugs.
Tribulus and saxifrage possess a crucial property of dissolving kidney stones, which is especially relevant due to the association between chronic cystitis and stone formation. Additionally, their mild diuretic properties help to eliminate existing small stones in the kidneys and ureters.
This is especially important for people who have a tendency to urolithiasis.
Rosemary officinalis is well known to everyone. Rosemary is very revered in Greece, Rome, Egypt. For a long time, and even today, rosemary has been a symbol of abundance, prosperity, and eternity. In some countries, it is a tradition during weddings to present the young couple with a sprig of rosemary.
Currently, rosemary is widely used in cooking as a spice, as well as in cosmetology and medicine, primarily due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Rosemary contains about 10 different compounds, including rosemary oil. These compounds show an antimicrobial activity against over 40 microorganisms, including those that cause cystitis.
It is known that pain in cystitis is associated primarily with spasm. The already mentioned Rosemary officinalis and Boerhavia diffusa have a pronounced antispasmodic effect. These herbs relax the smooth muscles of the bladder and ureters, relieving spasm and pain.
Don’t forget to boost your immune system. Himalayan Shilajit, known for its abundance of macro- and microelements, enzymes, and minerals, comes to the rescue you once more. Shilajit has been used for centuries for various chronic diseases, including chronic recurrent cystitis.
All of these, along with many other equally important components, are part of the Nokamen* plant and mineral complex.
Nokamen has multiple effects on the urinary system, including protection of the bladder and urinary tract, improvement of kidney function, and prevention of stone formation.
How to use Nokamen: adults should take 1-2 tablets twice daily after meals. Duration of use is 45-60 days.
In order to protect the bladder and urinary tract during seasonal exacerbations (spring, autumn), the duration of Nokamen should be increased to 3 months.
It is recommended to consult your doctor before taking the remedy.
*- Food supplement. Ii is not a medicinal product.