Natural Support for Bladder Infections

Interstitial Cystitis (IC) and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) are two very different conditions experienced by women.  Two questions that women often ask are ‘what is the difference?’ and ‘are there effective natural solutions to help?’

So let’s firstly explore the difference between Interstitial cystitis (IC) and non complex Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s).

Interstitial Cystitis is a complex condition of the bladder, caused by the protective bladder lining breaking down.  This may be due to infection, inflammation, hormones or autoimmune conditions.  With IC symptoms often worse during ovulation and under stress, a ‘neurohormonal' and immune connection is likely for many women [1-6].  

Urinary tract Infections however, are infections of the urinary tract.  Bacteria that live in the digestive tract, in the vagina, or around the urethra are the most common cause of UTIs.  Research also supports the influence of hormones such as estrogen associated with reproductive disorders (Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder, or Endometriosis for example)  enhancing the growth of many bacteria associated with recurrent UTI’s [5].

Although symptoms like bladder pain and urinary symptoms, such as frequent voiding (feeling like you want to go to the toilet a lot) and urgency are common to both conditions, IC is vastly different with patients describing pain as intolerable. 

So what natural options are available?

Both IC and UTI’s may improve with medical treatment but unfortunately infection associated with both of these may be resistant to traditional antibiotic treatment which means symptoms may recur with time. 

Improving bladder and the health of the urinary tract is achievable in two easy steps.

Step 1 Identify the underlying cause 
Step 2 Implement a targeted treatment strategy to address the cause 

You can also start today by making small changes such as giving up coffee and alcohol and consuming a more alkaline diet.  Infact, adapting your diet and lifestyle according to your hormonal profile, can make the world of difference. 

Finally, the choice of traditional herbal medicine for IC and UTI’s depends upon the underlying contributing factors to the condition, such as hormones, auto-immunity,  central nervous system excitability, bacterial infection, inflammation or digestive weakness . So if you have tried over the counter remedies such as cranberry and still experience symptoms, a personalized herbal tonic by a qualified medical herbalist is best. 

These conditions are complex and require an individualized treatment approach.  It is recommended that you seek the expertise of a qualified health practitioner and if symptoms persist seek medical advice.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing naturopath with over 30,000 hrs of in-clinic experience specializing in the natural treatment of women's health and hormonal imbalances. She is both an accomplished writer, editor and recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award. 
To find out more, visit www.massattack.com.au

References

1.            Grover, S., et al., Role of inflammation in bladder function and interstitial cystitis. Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 2011. 3(1): p. 19-33.

2.            Montag, S. and R. Moldwin, Minimally Invasive Therapy for Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome, in Smith's Textbook of Endourology2012, Wiley-Blackwell. p. 1640-1649.

3.            Hsieh, C.-H., et al., Treatment of interstitial cystitis with hydrodistention and bladder training. International Urogynecology Journal, 2008. 19(10): p. 1379-1384.

4.            Fall, M., P. Hanno, and J. Nordling, Bladder Pain Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, Painful Bladder Syndrome, and Hypersensitive Bladder Syndrome: New Nomenclature/New Guidelines. Current Bladder Dysfunction Reports, 2011. 6(3): p. 116-127.

5.            Sonnex, C., Influence of ovarian hormones on urogenital infection. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 1998. 74(1): p. 11-19.

6.            Theoharides, T.C., et al., Interstitial Cystitis: A Neuroimmunoendocrine Disordera. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1998. 840(1): p. 619-634.

7.            Mills, S.B., K., Principles and practice of Phytotherapy2000: Churchill Livingstone.

8.            Naish, F.R., J., The Natural Way To Better Babies: preconception health care for prospective parents. Vol. 5. 1996: Random House.

9.            Mills, S.B., K., The Essential Guide To Herbal Safety2005: Elsevier, Churchill Livingstone.

10.          Sarris, J.W., J., Clinical Naturopathy2010: Elsevier.

11.          Pizzorno, J.S., P., Naturopathic Medicine: Fundamentals of Complementary and Integrative medicine.2006, St. Louis: saunders Elsevier.

Not Ovulating? Top 5 Tips on How to Conceive Naturally

Is it possible to conceive naturally if you are not ovulating?

Ovulation and conception go hand in hand. To conceive naturally, you need to know when and if you are ovulating. For some women, ovulation may only occur intermittently between cycles, or it may only last one day in the entire reproductive cycle. So, if you are trying to fall pregnant naturally, the first step is to establish when and if you are ovulating.

Fertility preservation and staying fertile longer means it is important to maintain healthy ovulatory cycles. So, if you have been living a lifestyle that is perhaps stressful or have been having too much fun … then it may be time to make a few changes to support healthy ovulation ....and stay fertile longer in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

At BumpFertility we take ovulation seriously, and we educate you on how to establish if, and when your ovulation peaks. Most women are aware of the presence of cervical mucus. Observing your cervical mucus can be more useful than you may think. If you want to aid or avoid conception, cervical mucus observations are said to be around 98.5% accurate as to the fertile and infertile times in your monthly cycle.

Firstly, it's important to note that there are some situations in which your mucus may be affected by external factors, including:

Conditions such as:

• Stress


• Insomnia


• Medications or drugs (inc. Clomid)


• Illness

• Toxicity


• Excess dieting


• Travel


• Hormonal imbalances

Do You Know How Fertile You Are? Take My FREE Fertility Check to Find Out click here

If you are not ovulating we call this premature ovarian failure – and it is not the same as premature menopause. While menopause is an irreversible condition, premature ovarian failure is characterized by intermittent and temporary ovarian failure with periodic episodes of normal follicular activity or ovarian function. This means you may not ovulate all the time, perhaps even just once a year, or you may not ovulate at all.

Most of the time premature ovarian failure appears to begin spontaneously and its origin is elusive or unknown. Some of the identified causes include:

• Autoimmune disease


• Thyroid Imbalance


• Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOS)


• Ovarian Cysts
  

• Fibroids


• Endometriosis


• Stress


• Incorrect acid/alkaline balance or PH

Ovulatory disorders are one of the leading causes of female infertility, and affect between 20% and 40% of women experiencing fertility problems. However, with natural support and treatment, a woman's ability to conceive improves dramatically.

My Natural Fertility program supports healthy, regular ovulatory patterns. When you come on board with me I will not only teach you to identify when you are ovulating, but also implement dietary, nutritional and herbal strategies to support healthy regular ovulation cycles.

Over the years I have successfully helped women to regain a normal healthy pattern of ovulation utilizing nutritional support and hormone modulating treatments such as Vitex agnus-castus or Paeonia lactiflora in conjunction with female tonic herbs and the steroidal saponin-containing herbs.

So that's another reason why we are different at BumpFertility - we will choose a treatment protocol especially for you, based on your hormonal profile and fertility requirements.

It is possible to achieve a healthy viable pregnancy once ovulation patterns are established. Read my story

Top 5 Tips on How to Conceive Naturally with Ovulation Problems

Step 1. Identify what's impacting upon your fertility - including hormones so you can conceive naturally in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

Step 2. Learn what foods are triggering hormonal imbalances causing lowered fertility.

Step 3. Implement a natural and targeted nutritional treatment plan designed to balance hormones and help you to conceive naturally in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

Step 4. Introduce targeted natural remedies to restart your fertility.

Step 5. Provide access to a professional support network that will guide and help you to change unhealthy lifestyle choices and implement a long term treatment to work towards optimal fertility.

So many women have joined Bump Fertility and been successful. The key is to learn the truth about hormones and the truth about the foods that can work against your fertility efforts.

Give me a call 1300 133 536 to get started!

Download My FREE ebook

20 Everyday Things That Can Dramatically Affect Your Fertility click here