Have you successfully treated a bladder infection with Herbs, etc?

lmrebert
lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭
edited August 2021 in General Health

I’ve had issues since I was 12 with bladder infections. I do everything right and then .. it happens. I’m sure years of antibiotics has perpetuated the problem. now I know better and try so hard to kick it naturally. I looked up a recipe in Rosemary Gladstars book but don’t have uva ursi on hand so I Just made it with the echinacea, marshmallow, and goldenseal powders as well as echinacea tincture and a capsule with a drop of oregano in FCO. What have you all tried and how has it worked out?

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Comments

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Cranberry is very effective at prevention of adherence of bacteria in the urinary tract. But it has to be pure unsweetened cranberry juice, not the cocktail sold by Ocean Spray (and many others, not to single out one company). You can also get cranberry extract in capsule form.

    Marshmallow is always good in combinations for the urinary tract. Uva ursi is a great disinfectant herb for the urinary system (usually a go-to herb for the urinary tract) but it is a bit tannic so marshmallow soothes that.

    A combination of cranberry and marshmallow has been very effective for a client of mine.

    If you have homeopathic remedies available Cantharis is a general remedy for bladder infections particularly if there are symptoms of burning.

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    This is such good information to have. My oldest son has an indwelling urinary catheter and has frequent UTIs; I think getting him started with some of these herbs may help preventatively. Does anyone know if they are safe to take in that manner?

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Cranberry and marshmallow are both very safe herbs to use. But there are a lot of questions to answer. How long has he had this catheter and what were the reasons for using it. This is something that should be dealt with in an appointment with a herbalist of other natural health practitioner so they can get to the root of the issue and make informed decisions about what treatment to use. Homeopathic remedies are very, very safe and can be taken in conjunction with pharmaceuticals and other medical procedures, however in this case, I wouldn't give him a remedy without seeing a homeopath. The suggestion of cantharis may not be appropriate for him.

  • wbt.affiliates
    wbt.affiliates Posts: 100 ✭✭✭

    I have never treated a bladder/urinary tract infection. I have, however, treated an inner ear infection so severe the side of my face swelled up, my head hurt, my teeth hurt and I had difficulty swallowing. I knew the next step was the hospital if I didn't get this settled.

    I took 1 clove of garlic every two hours. You don't need to chew. Just cut the garlic into thin slices and swallow with water. I noticed a difference the very next day. And I didn't smell like garlic.

    The next day I took the garlic every three hours, then the third day every four hours which I kept up for the following week. I have had NO recurrences.

    You could try this method along with other remedies. BTW, I don't have any uva ursi either. And at the time I had no way of purchasing any herbals. I needed to use what was already on hand or that I had grown myself.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    How unfortunate that you don't have uva ursi growing. It is a circumpolar species and grows as far south as N. California and Virginia. Very common in my area. It is widely planted as a landscape cover, especially over banks or rock walls, so even if you are further south than its natural range, it can be planted in your garden. Perhaps you could trade with a northern friend or family member if you are too far south. It is one of the most widely used herbs for bladder infections so any health food store should have it in some form.


  • Linda Bittle
    Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A tea or tincture of corn silk is also good. When I get non GMO, and organic sweet corn, I always save and dry or tincture the silk. Fresh is best, but the season is short!

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    Ok, so I almost caved last night and went to urgent care because I have not yet found an herbalist or naturopath in my area... but I still had D-mannose left from last episode which has been almost 2 years... record for me... and I had an echinacea tincture so I took at teas every couple hours and D-mannose every hour, then I powdered my marshmallow, echinacea, and put in capsules with goldenseal a 1-1-1 and took 2 every few hours... feeling much better.. got some uva ursi and ground that up so now I have capsules with 2 parts uva ursi, and 1-1-1 the other 3 herbs.... I’ll update.. feeling successful and hopeful... lesson learned.. I get all kinds of herbs for care of others and put off the ones I need... now I’m prepared.

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    Hi @lmrebert

    I had problems RAREly Intermittently for decades... with UTI's (only mind you because as a highly-demanded ICU-nurse, let myself get Dehydrated; - us icu-nurses can be stoopid in the extreme). However at last I resorted to D-mannose (a simple sugar not metabolized by the body).

    And you do Not need herbs, tho I'm sure they can help, but I never took any because I'm so new to the world of herbs. - However, MAKE SURE that for each dose of D-mannose, you DRINK LOTS of water...

    why?

    What happens is AS the D-mannose goes thru the Renal system, the micro-organisms too LOVE sugar, & as the D-mannose is flushed out of your body, in the vernacular: the critters let go of the walls, & grab the D-mannose, & so are also FLUSHED into the toilet. Problem solved.

    Now, in case of further stupidity (sigh) - I always keep the POWDER-form on hand https://www.amazon.com/D-Mannose-Powerful-Non-Irradiated-Non-Contaminated-Friendly/dp/B01L2TFP1Q

    yet for the convenient CAPS, you can't go wrong with https://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-D-Mannose-Caps-Pack/dp/B005DIBEXG $47.99 (for 3 bottles) iow it costs you a mere 13 cents per cap, of which I have taken 2 Gms. TID x 2 days, normally that Suffices for me, or I may seldom take 1 cap BID up to 4 days more just to make sure, but it is safe... ((as it is NOT another life-Killer)) What a LIFE-Saver!! it will have you likely feeling much Better (no burning) in a few hours

    EDITED to add: my last UTI was in 2013; & surely no longer working as an ICU-nurse has also made a Huge difference...)

    As always, I wish Everyone well.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    Yes, certainly - cranberry, garlic and high dose vit C

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Silly me, I forgot the "hi-dose vit. C "

    Hey, that even Rhymes, lol

    500 mg. QH while awake to bowel Tolerance... for me that's 14 to 18 Gms. when ailing, but I'm a little squirt,) Everyone is Different). so Just Titrate Up or down to "bowel Tolerance"

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    @rainbow yes! That the exact brand I use and I don’t take the capsules because I never found ones that didn’t have bad crap in the... vitamin C yes! Forgot about tha too!!

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    Hi @lmrebert -okay, you know the score: We want a Progress Report 🤩 That's right: every 'system' starting with Neuro, lol

  • nksunshine27
    nksunshine27 Posts: 343 ✭✭✭

    ive used homemade applecider vinegar for bladder and urinary tract infections, another name for uva ursi is kinnikinnick. hope ya feel better. i had a problem with wetting my pants everytime i sneezed,even jumping up and down, no matter how many kegals i did, Doc Jones had a bladder toner tincture that i took and now no more problems

  • Chris A.
    Chris A. Posts: 27 ✭✭✭

    If you use and/or know about essential oils, you may find tea tree oil, juniper, lemon or rosemary oil helpful. I just put a drop on my underwear once or twice a day and it is usually gone by the 2nd day. This has helped not only myself, but many others as well. If you have an oil source that you can trust and you know is pure, you can use them internally as well. However, before I would do that, I would do my research well. If an oil says "For External Use Only", I don't care what I know about that kind of oil , it means don't use it because there is something chemical or added to it that is not safe for your body!

    For those of us who have issues with continence, using a few drops of cypress and/or juniper oil at the top of the pelvic bone and rubbed in once a day is amazing. No more getting up in the middle of the night, and no more worries about "leaking". O how I love the gifts God has given us in nature!

  • maimover
    maimover Posts: 359 ✭✭✭

    Wow! That’s what I’ve got to say; wow! It is so amazing to hear how something so simple as herbs and essential oils can help with a UTI (expected this) as well as bladder leakage (never would’ve guessed that)

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @rainbow yes will update... had a setback last night... ran out of D-mannose but had been holding strong with herb capsules and echinacea tincture til about midnight... then burning etc increasing and urine cloudy... my D- mannose doesn’t come til Monday so I’m gonna hold strong doing my own research as I go... we shall see how the day rolls out! @nksunshine27 yes I’ve done that... a tablespoon in water every hour... did it for 2 days straight without success but I think we are all different and that would be a good cure for some... changing the Ph to make the bladder unfavorable to bacteria I definitely believe will work...

    pat- your profile won’t link when I use @... sorry but yes! I’m going to try the oils in pantries!!! Sounds like a great preventative thing! Making up a little blend now and will use that!

    ive read up at times on this issue since I’ve been like this so long and I’m so careful and do all the recommendations and I read that people with A blood type are more susceptible do to a lack in some protein that makes it harder to fight this type of infection... I was way down a rabbit hole and wish I had saved the link...

    @maimover i think D-mannose would be safe daily as a preventative dose in the morning. They even say it’s fine for diabetics because it basically just goes to the urinary tract and washed right out, very little goes to blood stream. With the herbs there is too much to consider, I don’t know his over all health and issues but if you consult an herbalist or naturopathic MDim sure the could create a great plan!

  • ines871
    ines871 Posts: 1,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hi @lmrebert

    Not sure what's going on with your name, as only way I can Address you, is by doing a copy/Paste from 1 of my previous messages. - No one else do I have that problem with. Strange.

    And RE UTI-treatments clinically https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6759629/

    1."The overall results suggest that cranberry products may be an option for prevention of UTI in healthy, non-pregnant patients, as well as in patients after gynecological surgery when a catheter was placed. However, these findings still need confirmation because the conducted studies did not involve a large enough number of participants.

    *Cranberries Never worked for me; even straight... - which I usually just throw back up.

    2.a double-blinded, multicenter, non-inferiority study comparing the efficiency of UTI treatment with Canephron N (Bionorica, Germany). This contains century herbs, lovage roots & rosemary leaves. It has diuretic, spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and nephroprotective properties, and is also considered to be safe in both pregnancy and during breastfeeding [22]. to standard antibiotic therapy with fosfomycin trometamol. You MUST read the whole thing tho, because of Additional findings.

    3.Lactobacilli may especially be useful for women with histories of recurrent, complicated UTIs or on prolonged antibiotic use. PROBIOTICS are safe in terms of causing antibiotic resistance and may offer other health benefits due to vaginal re-colonisation with Lactobacilli. However, more comprehensive research is still needed before recommending probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics [28].

    4.d-Mannose

    The urinary tract mucus membrane is coated with proteins that interfere with the adhesion of bacteria [5]. d-Mannose is a MONOsaccharide that can be rapidly absorbed and excreted by the urinary tract and can prevent the adhesion of type 1 bacterial fimbria to the uroepithelium. This is a bacterial virulence factor promoting UTI—especially caused by E. coli [35].

    Kranjcec et al. randomly allocated female participants with rUTIs to three groups. The first group received 2 g of powdered d-mannose daily (n = 103), the second group got 50 mg of nitrofurantoin daily (n = 103) and the third group did not receive any prevention (n = 102) for 6 months. The results of the study showed that the risk of UTI was significantly reduced by both d-mannose (and nitrofurantoin), with a lower risk of side effects in the d-mannose group. The authors conclude that d-mannose may be useful for UTI prevention, although more research is still required [36].

    *D-mannose has cleared me 100% of the time, with NO noticable side-effects.

    5.Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplementation is often recognized as a non-antibiotic prophylaxis for rUTIs. It has two suggested mechanisms of action. The first is urine acidification [46] and the second is a bacteriostatic effect mediated by the reduction of urinary nitrates to reactive nitrogen oxides [47]. However, evidence on vitamin’s C actual protective value on UTI in non-pregnant patients is limited and therefore its use should not be promoted.

    *Vitamin C even at just bowel Tolerance (sans D-mannose) has failed in me nearly always.

    6.Vitamin D-3 is also recommended as a supplement for rUTI prevention. This is based on its function as an inducer of antibacterial innate immune responses [48]. Jorde et al. conducted a 5-year randomized study on both male and female participants. 511 subjects with prediabetes were randomly allocated to vitamin D3 (20,000 IU per week) versus placebo for 5 years. Therein, 116 patients received vitamin D and 111 were in the placebo group. Only 18 patients in the vit. D group reported UTI, compared to 34 subjects in the placebo group. The effect on UTI was most pronounced in males. The authors suggest that supplementation with vitamin D might prevent UTI, but confirmatory studies are needed [49].

    The US-population is generally Alarmingly deficient ! in especially MINERALS, but also D-3; including those who "garden" Assume... "I grow own food, so of course I'm healthy". - Yet how many are participating in my thread knowing own TEST values to stay healthy :) maybe 1% ?

    A wide “optimal” range for 25(OH)D is reported (25-80 ng/mL)

    *My D-3 level is at least 52, tho I prefer keeping it 60 to 80 ; & will again shortly.



    etc. Etc. ETC.

  • Ann-Marie Fritz Allen
    Ann-Marie Fritz Allen Posts: 3 ✭✭✭

    I cured my daughter of recurring UTI's when she was 9. She is now 17. I cut out pasteurized milk. I put her on raw milk and voila, she was cured. If she has pasteurized milk it comes back. Pasteurized milk is bad stuff. Check out the website "Not Milk" and be prepared to have your mind blown.

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @Ann-Marie Fritz Allen I mostly keep my diet vegan but on occasion do fish or butter... I don’t know why this issue has plagued me, I wish I saved that darn article about blood type...ugh I’m so guilty of reading something and not saving it for resourcing later... gotta come up with a plan!

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lmrebert I am trying to figure out how to discuss a delicate issue in this forum in hopes of helping you. Also, I believe you are a nurse, so forgive me if I tell you what you already know.

    First off, my long history of bladder infections was incubated by my dehydrating myself because my job was outdoors with no toilet facilities. My resultant interstitial cystitis is kept mostly symptom free these days by drinking LOTS of fluids. Most people with my condition drink very little and continue to suffer.

    Secondly, I look back and wonder if my husband at that time wasn't contributing bacteria in his own special way. (I know that science is lagging on this issue.)

    Good luck. I know how bad and demoralizing the UTIs can be.

  • Leslie Carl
    Leslie Carl Posts: 255 ✭✭✭✭

    Have you ever tried colloidal silver? It's fantastic against bacterial infections! Here's a link to a thorough explanation of how it works on UTIs. https://www.thealternativedaily.com/if-you-have-a-painful-uti-try-half-a-cup-of-colloidal-silver

  • KarenBeesley
    KarenBeesley Posts: 14 ✭✭✭

    bummer. uti's suck. sorry. i have self treated, and clinically treated many clients as a nurse practitioner.

    first you have to know what organism is hanging out in your bladder area.

    e coli clings to the wall, and the anti clingon remedies like cranberry is only effective with the cling on bacteria.

    i always follow european herbal and alternative medicine, because they have researched it A LOT. and the illness perpetuating medical system in this country prefers $$$, over real health. so, they always diss what they cannot make $$ on, and they also don't study it. "better living thru chemistry" is their motto. but, to be fair, most people would rather pop a pill than change their behavior-like what they put into their mouths.

    Corn silk is a highly useful soothing, cooling and moistening demulcent remedy used as a flushing treatment for the kidneys and urinary tract.

    one elder woman i worked with told me she had very freq UTIs until she started making herself cranberry slushes. handful of fresh or frozen cranberries plus crushed ice, blend to slush and down, daily.

    cut out sugar from your diet. bread. any sugar in ingredients lists. any flour products. fruit juice-eat the whole piece of fruit.

    good luck.

    oh, if you are on some form of birth control, that too can be part of the issue, depending on what you might be using.

    and of course hygiene.

    and measured and timed water intake-8oz, 6 x's / day. minimum.

    look up acid/alkaline diet. keep your diet highly alkaline. acid foods/drinks leave ash behind. alkaline burns clean. and effects the urine.

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2019

    @KarenBeesley thx for the suggestions! Tell me more about corn silk... how do I use it, tincture or tea or tossed in water... I’ve never looked into that one... all else I have done... I’m super careful in all ways because I don’t get the creeping ... hmmm do I or may I have an infection coming on??? It’s the I’m cool.. chillin, minding my own biz and then within 5 minutes I’m in wall climbing pain... all my life like that. My cultures come back E-coli every time and I’ve even had a one resistant to cipro... but one thing that did happen this week is a lot of changes at work (I’m a nurse) and I hardly had time to use restroom, stress levels up...water intake down.. I think it’s been over a year or 2 since the last one but I just don’t want to get one ever again and think I should b able to conquer it if it starts. As of now I kno it’s still there and I’m continuing the D-mannose every few hours alternating with capsules I made from marshmallow, echinacea, uva ursi and goldenseal... I’m on day 4 now and hoping to win... much harder to do this at work. I was also doing echinacea tincture, juicing celery and camu camu in water... but then I almost had a really terrible code brown situation (TMI) at work so I backed off that... 😞 The last time I had one I did ACV every hour in water for 2 days 🤢 along with other things and ended up getting ABX after 2 1/2 weeks.. I finally caved. Just do not think I should have to cave and I should be able to conquer this! I’m really hoping someone myself included can learn a lot from this thread because these things suck!

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @Leslie Carl great info... hmmmm I have not tried or heard of using it for UTI .. May b next in the list...thx!

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @shllnzl yes I understand the “delicate “ part... I make sure to go before and after and drink a ton of water before so I can do that... makes for great spontaneity NOT... anyway... this has been going on since I was 11 or 12 so I guess I can’t suspect my husband lol, all tricks of the trade are practiced .. wiping, showering, cotton underwater, but then it just happens... sigh

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lmrebert I just had an odd thought: maybe your bladder is folded or pinched by your uterus or stomach muscle? I know it sounds odd, but a physical issue would keep the bladder from emptying completely. As you know,not emptying completely causes older men to get bladder infections.

    Have you ever had the bladder output measurements? It is a weird experience, but you would know how much urine your bladder keeps when you empty it.

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @shllnzl very interesting.. no I have not but that could be a very good explanation of why I’ve suffered since I was so young...🤔 I used to work in urology and have done post void residual scans... frankly I just don’t ever want to be in the doctors office but maybe... hmmm and now that you say this my daughter in her last pregnancy had issues with emptying her bladder starting immediately in first trimester and it resolved after birth but has returned now and baby is 6 months... I’m still fighting... last night I was pretty uncomfortable and felt discouraged... not sure how long I can continue this regimen without it resolving... thx for that thought though!!! I may have to get referral but of course I’m not doing anything they want lol

  • shllnzl
    shllnzl Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @lmrebert If you are lucky you will fix your problem before you develop others like I did.

    One time I had urine that looked like cranberry juice -- had to have a small, bloody cyst/tumor (can't remember) cut out.

    The interstitial cystitis: had to (? now I question that) have a surgical bladder stretch. If you worked in urology, you know what that is. Had massive pelvic pain, especially of a personal nature, that they blamed on bladder. (Later during hysterectomy, found out I had bleeding ovaries, previously undetected.)

    I had experimental off-label drugs inserted into my bladder, can't remember details now, was told that I would probably never get bladder cancer because of it.

    Sorry for all the medical details. As a mature person, the historical facts are like puzzle pieces that you put together to reach conclusions that were not obvious at time of occurrence. In my youth I followed all the best medical advice. Now I am a medical rebel, trying to keep medical visits to a minimum.

    I feel for you.

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    @shllnzl dont apologize! We all need to learn things.. and as a nurse nothing makes me squint. I remember a woman with interstitial cystitis and she was begging and crying for someone to help her... it broke my heart thinking how she suffers from the pain of a bladder infection without medication to treat it, because all they have a the same treatment for bladder cancer to calm the inflammation ... putting chemicals in her bladder... so sad and now I think back and I’m even sadder that she could have been helped by herbs without terrible side effects...

  • VickiP
    VickiP Posts: 586 ✭✭✭✭

    Sorry you are experiencing this, for what it is worth I used to have terrible bladder infections, so often that all I had to do was call my Dr and he would call in a script for antibiotics usually with several refills. For other reasons I started eating a very low carb diet (30g or less of carbs daily) and drinking a minimum of one gallon of water each day. I had already started paying attention and if I got that "feeling" I would take some unsweetened cranberry juice and they became less and less frequent until I no longer suffer with them. Not sure if it was the water or the diet or the cranberry juice but I still do all three. So I agree with the comments from others, from personal experience I think sugar and refined carbs can contribute to the problem. I hope you find something that helps I know how miserable those things are.