Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial herbs for cystitis

The inflammatory process in the bladder indicates a painful state of the body. On the one hand, this is its natural reaction. But on the other hand, if the body itself can not cope with the infection, then without external help inflammation will become chronic, noticeably undermining the defenses, which is in the hands of any other infection, especially viral.

In the case of bacterial infection or acute inflammation, doctors do not recommend relying on the body's strength alone. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory treatment - are important points in the treatment of cystitis. And it is very good that these points can be solved with the help of herbal medicine in combination with antibiotic therapy (if we are talking about bacterial cystitis) or use herbs as the main treatment, when in the etiology of the disease is not observed the leading role of infection.

Using herbs for cystitis, you can achieve a significant improvement in the patient's condition and his tests in a fairly short time. This is much better than enduring pain and waiting for everything to go away by itself. Especially since in the arsenal of folk medicine there are many herbs that have a complex effect on the urogenital system. Such useful herbs include chamomile, St. John's wort, goldenseal, cowberry, yarrow, yarrow, Ledum, juniper and some other medicinal plants.

Many people know about the anti-inflammatory effect of pharmacy chamomile, but what else can help the herb with inflammation of the bladder? Chamomile is good not only in bouquets, but also in the form of decoction or infusion of inflorescences, which have antihistamine (reduces sensitivity to the irritant), antimicrobial (contains natural antibiotics - bioflavonoids), analgesic, sedative and antispasmodic effect (help reduce pain). Taking water compositions based on chamomile can establish regular and full urination, especially if you prepare a decoction / infusion with chamomile and one of the diuretic herbs. [1]

Decoction is prepared by taking 1-2 tablespoons of dry inflorescences in a glass of water heated to 90 degrees Celsius. This composition is kept on a water bath for about 15 minutes. Then the infusion should be cooled, filtered and bring the volume to perovorachnogo volume.

It is recommended to take this medicine 2-3 times during the day. The single dose is ½ cup. The effect will be enhanced if you add 1 tsp. Of honey to the decoction, which is known to have a "killer" activity against microbes.

Instead of decoction, you can take an infusion of inflorescences (2 tbsp. Per glass of boiling water, insist 1.5-2 hours in the heat). The recommended single dose - ¼ cup. In a day you can drink no more than 1 cup of infusion.

If you make the infusion weaker (take 1-2 tsp. Per glass and insist for 15 minutes), it will be called chamomile tea. This tea can be drunk throughout the day in small portions instead of other teas and drinks.

Warm compositions based on the above-mentioned herb will be of great benefit in chronic cystitis. In this case, the signal to the exacerbation of the disease can be any hypothermia of the legs or the body as a whole. Warm decoctions and infusions, taken immediately after exposure to cold, are a good prevention of exacerbations and painful sensations.

But no matter how useful and safe chamomile may seem, the plant also has contraindications to use. Compositions based on it are not recommended for patients with a tendency to diarrhea and mental disorders. Do not take chamomile for a long time and in diseases of the stomach erosive-ulcer character, because its effect on the acidity of the stomach is still a controversial issue among doctors. Well, of course, you need to be careful pregnant women, especially in the early stages, because stimulated by chamomile increased production of estrogen can be one of the causes of miscarriage.

The herb St. John's wort can also be actively used for cystitis due to its healing properties. St. John's wort even in large quantities contains flavonoids, which provide the herb with antimicrobial action. The plant effectively relieves inflammation, shows a moderate diuretic effect, which in combination with antiseptic action contributes to effective cleaning of the bladder from pathogens and attached microbes. Herb and flowers of St. John's wort have styptic and wound-healing effect, which is very valuable if inflammation is caused by irritating effect of urinary sediment (sand, stones) with the formation of bleeding micro-wounds on the mucosa (blood elements appear in the urine). [2]

Urolithiasis often becomes one of the causes of chronic cystitis, which is exacerbated by the formation of concretions that injure the mucosa. Strong diuretics can only worsen the condition, but compositions based on St. John's wort will help to gently remove painful symptoms, especially if the herb is used in combination with chamomile, which provides a pain relieving effect.

More often than others in the treatment of cystitis is used decoction of the herb. It can be prepared by taking one glass of water 1 tbsp. Crushed herbal raw materials. Boil the decoction for a quarter of an hour. After that, remove from the stove and allow to cool at room temperature. Take pre-filtered composition should be 50 ml three times a day.

You can also prepare a therapeutic infusion of St. John's wort. To do this, take 1.5 tbsp. Herb, pour a glass of boiling water and kept for half an hour on a water bath. Cooled and strained decoction is brought boiled water to 200 ml. A glass of decoction is drunk in three receptions, which should be carried out half an hour before meals.

It should be said that a pure decoction or infusion of St. John's wort in the treatment of cystitis is not often used. Usually this herb is included in medicinal collections together with chamomile, yarrow, arrowroot, goldenseal and other herbs.

Contraindications to the use of compositions with St. John's wort may be: high blood pressure (persistent arterial hypertension), exacerbation of vascular problems, a tendency to constipation. The herb is also not recommended for pregnant women. There may also be problems with breastfeeding, as St. John's wort tends to give milk a bitter taste.

Goldenseal (aka goldenseal) can be called the gold standard of cystitis treatment in folk medicine. This plant is one of the best herbal antibiotics, which, among other things, has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect.

Used goldenseal as a decoction or tea, and as a cold infusion.

Decoction is usually called infusion, cooked on a water bath. For it take 1 tbsp. Dry plant material per glass of boiling water. The composition is kept on a water bath for 10 minutes, then leave to cool in the heat and strain.

Such a decoction is useful for cystitis provoked by renal or urolithiasis. The composition should be taken in small portions, no more than 50 ml per day, since the plant is quite poisonous.

Cold infusion has a pronounced antimicrobial effect, close to pharmacy antibiotics. For its preparation take a glass of cold boiled water and 2 tsp. Of grass. Infuse the remedy for four hours, then strain and drink during the day for 3-4 receptions. Take the infusion should be taken before meals.

Goldenseal is an excellent bladder cleanser, actively used in homeopathy. But due to the high toxicity of the plant, you should take compositions based on it with great caution, having previously consulted a doctor.

It is clear that goldenseal is not suitable for the treatment of pregnant women and nursing moms. It is contraindicated in glomerulonephritis (inflammatory disease of the renal tubular system). Caution in taking infusions of the herb should be observed by people with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.

Another of the well-established urinary antiseptics is cranberries. In the treatment of cystitis use the leaves of the plant, which is able to relieve inflammation, having a bactericidal effect (phytoncides are especially active against staphylococcal infection), as well as effectively clean the bladder, thanks to a complex antiseptic and diuretic effect.

An important point in therapy with chasteberry is the fact that the plant, which is practically as good as goldenseal with its antibacterial effect, is non-toxic and can be taken in courses for a long time (more than six months without consequences, which is very important in the chronic course of pathology). Good tolerance of compositions based on lingonberry leaf and the absence of side effects makes this natural "medicine" almost universal.

In cystitis is popular infusion of cranberry leaf (you can use the whole plant). For 2 cups of boiling water usually take 2 tbsp. Lingonberry leaves, insist at least half an hour. Take the infusion should be taken before meals half a cup. The frequency of intake - 3-4 times a day.

You can also prepare a healing decoction. 1 tbsp. Leaves pour hot water (half a cup) and keep the composition on low heat for 15 minutes, then remove, cool and strain. The resulting infusion should be taken in the first half of the day before meals.

No less useful, but more delicious will be a decoction of leaves and berries of cowberries. For a glass of water you need to take 2 tbsp. Of vegetable mixture, bring the composition to a boil and remove, leaving to cool naturally.

With cystitis you can take decoctions, teas, morsels of cowberries, which become even more useful if you add honey to them (with a good tolerance to bee products).

Lingonberries are not recommended for patients with low blood pressure and severe kidney disease. Those who have high blood pressure or have a history of gastritis with high acidity should take cranberries very carefully after consultation with a doctor.

Juniper, considered an excellent natural antiseptic, is used in the treatment of cystitis is not so often, however, experience shows that such treatment shows good results. In inflammation of the bladder, the greatest healing effect can be expected from the infusion of berries of the plant, cooked in a water bath. [3]

For 200-220 ml of hot boiled water you need to take 1 tbsp of berries. A bowl with a hot mixture put in another bowl with boiling water (water bath). Remove the composition from the stove after a quarter of an hour and cooled filtered through gauze, diligently squeezing the berries. During boiling, the volume of the infusion decreases. It will be necessary to add boiled water, so that the glass of infusion was full.

Take the infusion 4 times a day after meals in the amount of 1 tbsp. Per reception. It has a diuretic effect and cleanses the urinary tract from pathogenic microbes, relieves inflammation, improves bowel function (this is also important, because when the rectum overflows and stretches, it creates an obstacle to the passage of urine).

Juniper is not suitable for pregnant women (risk of miscarriage), patients with chronic pathologies of the kidneys and GI tract in the acute stage (in remission is allowed short-term treatment with small doses with the permission of a doctor). Overdose of juniper-based compositions can cause heart and vascular problems.

Yarrow is a plant with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic action. It is effective in both bacterial and fungal infections. [4]

Infusion of yarrow is prepared from 1 cup of boiling water and 1.5 tbsp. Of herbs. The composition should be insisted for an hour, after which it is strained and drunk for 4 meals.

This infusion can be prepared in a water bath. It is enough 15 minutes, after which the composition should stand for another 45 minutes until it is ready for use. Given the fact that while on a water bath the volume of liquid decreases, strained infusion is brought to the original volume of boiled water. Take this infusion in a warm form 2-3 times a day for half an hour before meals. The recommended single dose - 100 ml. If the bitter taste and specific odor of the drug is difficult to tolerate, you can limit yourself to 1/3 cup per reception.

Yarrow decoction is a strong concentrated remedy that should be taken 3-4 times a day, 1 tbsp. It is prepared from 1 cup of water and 4 tbsp. Of dry herb. Boil the composition for 10 minutes, after which it is left to infuse for half an hour.

The herb should not be used with increased blood viscosity and a tendency to blood clots. Caution should be observed hypotensive people, as well as people with acute GI diseases (with gastritis and peptic ulcer are not indicated strong compositions). High doses of herbal compositions have a toxic effect.

Yarrow is not suitable for the treatment of cystitis in pregnant women and nursing moms. In the first case, there is an increased risk of miscarriage, especially in the early stages, and in the second case, there is a greater likelihood that the baby will refuse the breast because of the specific taste of milk.

Ledum in cystitis can be considered an excellent antimicrobial and analgesic agent (antispasmodic effect). But it is worth considering the toxicity of the plant, used in high doses or for a long time.

In the therapy of cystitis is more popular infusion of the plant, which is prepared from 2-3 tbsp (10g) of finely chopped grass and 1 cup of boiling water. The composition should be sent to a water bath, where it will have to stay for half an hour. After that, the herbal infusion will need to cool down in natural conditions, filter and add to it so much boiled water that the total volume is 200 ml. Ready "medicine" is recommended to take after eating. The daily dosage of z - 2 tbsp. The frequency of intake - 3 times during the day.

Contraindications to the use of marsh marsh mulberry are hypotension and pregnancy. Due to the fact that the plant is considered poisonous, you should not take it and nursing mothers.

Applying herbs from cystitis can not forget about nettle. Although this plant does not have a significant antimicrobial effect, but it helps to strengthen the body and maintain its defenses, which is very important in the prevention of complications (and in chronic cystitis - recurrences). Useful properties of the herb are considered diuretic and wound-healing effect (the latter property helps to relieve inflammation in the appearance of microerosions on the mucosa of the bladder), the ability to reduce tissue swelling and pain.

Despite the stinging properties of young nettle leaves covered with tiny hairs, the plant is not poisonous, so treatment with it can be considered quite safe. If a spoonful of dry herbs pour boiling water and insist for half an hour, you can get a pleasant-tasting nettle tea, which can be drunk up to 3 glasses a day in warm form after meals.

Adding to nettle leaves chamomile, raspberries, echinacea, St. John's wort can change the flavor properties of the drink, while its healing qualities will be even higher.

Nettle in cystitis can be used in the form of decoctions and infusions, alone or in combination with other herbs, add fresh leaves to salads, soups and freeshes, but it should be remembered that the plant has contraindications. [5]

The blood-stopper property of nettle will not benefit people with a tendency to thrombosis and high blood viscosity. The herb is also not recommended for low blood pressure, as well as during pregnancy (increases uterine tone).

A pronounced anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect is characteristic of horsetail. Like St. John's wort or nettle, this medicinal plant is characterized by stopping blood and healing wounds, which is important in chronic cystitis on the background of urolithiasis. [6]

Popular in inflammation of the bladder is considered a decoction of horsetail. It should be prepared at the rate of 2 tbsp. Liters of herbs per 1 liter of water. The composition is kept on the fire at a low boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the stove, let cool and strain.

Take such a composition should be 3-4 times during the day, 3 tbsp. Per reception.

Well combined horsetail grass with chamomile, bearberry, nettle. It is allowed to combine the herb with birch leaves, juniper. Such collections of herbs have a comprehensive effect on the urogenital and immune system, so the effect of their use is stronger and faster.

Decoctions and infusions of horsetail, chamomile, yarrow and many other herbs can be used not only internally, but also use them to prepare therapeutic baths (warm foot baths, relieving spasms and pain, sitting baths with a temperature of about 37 degrees Celsius), add to the bath for bathing. But it is important to understand that thermal procedures are useful only in the absence of purulent processes in the organ and bleeding, so before practicing them, you should always consult a doctor.