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Health

Medicinal herbs for cystitis: how to use without harm to health

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 18.05.2024
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As it happens, it is easier for a modern person to discuss sexual problems than to talk about diseases of the system, the health of which largely determines the health of the entire body. We are talking about the urinary system and one of its structural components - the bladder. The media on the big screen can tell you for days and days how easy it is now with the help of numerous drugs to cope with a pressing male problem called "prostatitis", which in fact is an inflammatory process in the prostate gland. But few people talk about the more common "female" disease associated with inflammation of the bladder, which brings no less agonizing minutes. It would seem that there is nothing to say, because antibiotics and herbs from cystitis - a long-proven treatment scheme, relevant and to date. Nevertheless, a doctor, masterfully versed in medicines, does not always have enough information regarding folk remedies, which in this situation are very relevant.

What is cystitis?

When we hear the word "inflammation", we immediately get an unpleasant feeling in our souls, as if we are confronted with something foreign and hostile. In fact, the inflammatory response is our own body's response to irritating and disease-causing factors. Cystitis is the body's response to the invasion of foreign microorganisms into the bladder area or the activation of our "own" opportunistic microflora due to a decrease in local and general immunity.

These neighbors until the time peacefully coexist with man, inhabiting the skin and mucous membranes, but, feeling weakness, begin active reproduction. Increase in the "population" of opportunistic microorganisms leads to poisoning of our body with products of their vital activity, which the immune system can not allow, so it fights as it can.

An inflammatory reaction can appear in any part of the urinary and related sexual system, because microbes multiply and take over new "lands". Often a person with cystitis is found to have inflammation of the organs directly in contact with the bladder.

Inflammation, which implies hyperemia (redness) and swelling of tissues, is always associated with pain due to irritation of sensitive receptors of the affected organ. Not surprisingly, acute inflammation of the bladder is always accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, lashes during urination. The inflamed organ can not effectively perform its functions. Irritation of receptors at the slightest load on the bladder causes frequent unjustified urges to urinate, although the amount of urine is insufficient.

The presence of bacteria in the urine is indicated by its turbidity, but the inflammatory process is indicated by a change in the acidity of the urine and an increase in body temperature. Such changes can appear and in the inflammatory process in the urinary system of another localization (for example, in inflammation of the kidneys) or cause (for example, urolithiasis). But the localization and nature of pain allows the doctor to assume that it is cystitis, which is subsequently confirmed by diagnostic tests.

Cystitis can occur in acute and chronic form. In the first case, the disease is accompanied by severe pain spasmodic character, to relieve which can be used and medications and herbs from cystitis. In the chronic course of the disease herbs are even preferable, because the treatment of this form is long, and chemicals in many medications can accumulate in the body and harm it.

At the very beginning of this article, we called cystitis a woman's problem. This is not quite correct. Yes, the prevalence of the disease among women is higher due to the peculiarities of the structure of the urogenital system. The short and wide urethra (compared to the male) predisposes to the redistribution of microorganisms that are always present on our body. Especially many opportunistic and sometimes pathogenic, and sometimes pathogenic, transmitted during sexual contact, microbes in the area of the anus and vagina. From here they easily move to the entrance to the urethra, and from there rise to the bladder.

Poor genital hygiene, hypothermia (especially in the area of the genitourinary system, which often happens when wearing capron tights in winter or during "sitting" on a cold surface), congestion that develops due to sedentary lifestyle, existing or previously transferred diseases of the genitourinary system and some other factors contribute to the development of cystitis. The risk of getting sick is higher in women with an overly active sex life.

In most cases, cystitis is caused by bacterial infection, much less often the disease has a non-infectious character (for example, inflammation is caused by irritation of the walls of the bladder with concretions, increased acidity of urine, etc.).

In women, the very structure of the urogenital system predisposes them to infectious inflammation of the bladder. They get sick more often than men, and therefore more actively use herbs for cystitis. In addition, many women are future mothers who care about the health of their offspring, and give preference to natural remedies.

The structure of the male urethra is somewhat different. Bacteria that have settled in the groin and perineum can travel towards the urethra and even penetrate the urethra, where inflammation is usually localized. Narrow and long urethra does not dispose to further travel towards the bladder. But germs can get into it in another way. For example, from the prostate (not in vain, after all, it is believed that cystitis is one of the complications of prostatitis) or kidneys (in pyelonephritis).

Cystitis can be a consequence of urolithiasis, hypodynamia (congestion in the organ), urethritis, sexual infections. Sometimes it is considered as a complication after surgical intervention on the pelvic organs. In some people, the disease develops against the background of systemic infectious diseases, especially when bed rest and drinking regimen are not observed.

As you can see, men also have many factors that can cause such an unpleasant disease. Even if the statistics are more favorable to them, nevertheless, the stronger sex would also be well advised to be guided in the questions of what herbs can be used for cystitis in men, if suddenly the bladder is covered with inflammatory process.

Treatment of cystitis with herbs

You can talk about cystitis for a long time. This insidious disease can catch a person suddenly, recalling itself with unpleasant symptoms: frequent urges for small needs and painful urination, in which unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen are noticeably increased.

This problem is faced at least once by 50 to 60% of women of reproductive age who do not suffer from hypodynamia and congestion, and less than 1% of men. And this is despite the fact that the urinary system is designed to remove harmful substances from the body, and its dysfunction causes serious poisoning, affecting the work of other organs and systems.

The bladder is located inside the body, which means that it is not so easy to clean it from bacteria, products of their vital activity and inflammatory elements. Antibiotics can destroy or reduce the activity of pathogens, but to avoid a relapse of the disease (reactivation of the infection), it is necessary to remove pathogens (or allergens) from the body.

This can be done artificially or naturally. In the first case, a rubber catheter is used, inserting it deep into the urethra; in the second case, the patient is treated with diuretics, which allow the active removal of all unnecessary things from the body with urine and prevent stagnation. The second way is less traumatic, more pleasant, quite effective and quite safe, if you use medicinal plants. Among diuretics used for cystitis, there are many herbs and herbal collections, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by traditional medicine.

There are many herbs with diuretic action, and this is what is needed for effective natural cleaning (washing, rinsing) of the bladder. But, even after removing the irritating factor from the organ, you can not expect a quick recovery due to the fact that the inflammatory process itself can not stop as on "command".

Treatment of cystitis with herbs will help in a short time to stop the inflammatory process without the use of medicinal chemistry. When the bladder is sick, the entire urinary system suffers. It is clear that the use of drugs without extreme necessity will only aggravate the situation, so even doctors in this case give preference to phytopreparations, ie, herbal medicines with diuretic and anti-inflammatory action.

It should be said that some of the herbs that have the ability to soothe the mucosa and reduce inflammation, have some antibacterial activity, but unlike antibiotics do not destroy the beneficial microflora. This property can also be used in the treatment of cystitis, which makes it possible to reduce the course of treatment with antibiotics or reduce their dosage.

It is clear that in a serious infection can not rely only on herbs, because their effect is weaker and spreads mainly on opportunistic microflora, reducing its activity. Many pathogens in this case will not die, but only lurk in the bladder, waiting for the right time, and the disease will thus acquire a chronic course, worsening at the slightest hypothermia and reduced defenses.

Chronic diseases are diseases that run for a long period of time with alternating periods of remission and exacerbation. They exhaust the body and make it easier prey for pathogens. To cure such a disease is very, very difficult. Here it is important to prevent the spread of infection to other organs, i.e. Complications arising as a result of weakened defenses.

Treating chronic disease will take a lifetime, but by constantly using antibiotics and other medications (which are mainly excreted by the kidneys), we risk serious kidney disease (and not only them). Medicinal plants with antibacterial and diuretic effect help to regularly clean the kidneys, bladder and other structures of the urinary system and restrain the activity of microbes that have not died, but turned to a dormant state.

By taking other herbs that support immunity, we provide our body with protection from the outside and inside, because adequate work of the immune system helps to normally coexist with opportunistic microorganisms, controlling their activity.

Thus, the treatment of cystitis with herbs - is at the same time and the prevention of possible complications. Moreover, safe prevention, which without harm to health can be carried out for a long time, which is especially important in the case of chronic course of the disease.

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Where to buy herbs for cystitis?

Many people today are familiar with the disadvantages and effects on the body of synthetic drugs and antibiotics, so they are very reluctant to use them, leaning towards herbal medicine. But the question arises: where to get these healing herbs?

Herbs for cystitis can be collected independently, but this requires certain knowledge: what part of the herb has the desired effect, when and how it should be harvested, what conditions should be observed, etc. In addition, the value of only those herbs that are collected in ecologically clean places, away from roads and industrial enterprises, not exposed to radioactive radiation. In Ukraine, not everywhere herbs grow in such conditions. In addition, some medicinal plants do not grow in our regions at all.

If you buy herbs and collections at the market from old herbalists, you also run the risk of falling for a dishonest procurer. It is good if a person has the necessary knowledge and responsibility to buyers, otherwise you can buy poor quality goods and harm your health.

It is best to buy herbs for cystitis in a pharmacy or pharmacy kiosks. This is mostly certified and tested goods, which means you can be sure that all the requirements for the collection and dosage of herbs are met. The packs also indicate the method of application, possible contraindications, expiration date of the raw materials used and storage conditions.

By the way, in pharmacies you can buy not only herbs, but also medical preparations on a plant basis, actively prescribed by doctors for diseases of the urinary system.

Use during pregnancy

Expectant mothers usually put the health of the child in the first place, and then already take care of their own. But cystitis, especially in acute form, is such a disease that simply cannot be ignored, so a woman and her doctor have to choose such drugs that will help mom without risk to her baby.

Among pharmacy herbal drugs there are those that are prohibited during pregnancy (for example, "Cyston"), but "Kanefron" for pregnant women is quite acceptable. Most of the drugs in the instructions indicate that they do not have toxic or teratogenic effects on the fetus, but in pregnancy, drugs can be taken only with the consent of a doctor.

Herbs for cystitis in pregnancy should also be taken with extreme caution, taking into account not only their effect on the fetus, but also their effect on the uterine musculature, because the preservation of pregnancy depends on it. Many herbs can cause uterine contractions, which is especially dangerous in the early stages, when the fetus is not yet firmly fixed inside it and the risk of miscarriage is high. In small doses of such herbs usually do not provoke abortion, but the therapeutic effect in this case may be insufficient to control inflammation of the bladder.

Most of the herbs used in the treatment of cystitis have a bitter taste, which affects the taste of breast milk. Some herbs are not desirable to give to a small child, even in small doses noted in mother's milk (most often due to possible allergic reactions). This suggests that when breastfeeding to the treatment of cystitis with herbs should be treated very carefully and do not use such treatment without consulting a doctor.

Conclusion

Herbal medicine is a very popular direction in folk medicine, which is joined by an increasing number of people. This is facilitated by the relative cheapness of herbs compared to medical drugs, including plant-based, a minimum of negative effects on the kidneys and heart, a small number of contraindications and side effects.

Using herbs and their pharmacy analogs (combined herbal preparations, teas, medicinal collections), acute cystitis can be cured much faster. Herbal treatment of chronic cystitis takes much longer, but it is a good opportunity to achieve a stable remission, without planting kidneys and heart because of taking drugs "chemistry".

Reviews say that the course reception of effective herbal collections for six months allows some patients to achieve such results that they do not remember about the disease for several subsequent years. Not all drugs give such a result in the treatment of chronic cystitis, because chronic diseases are considered almost incurable.

Let us not barefacedly assert that the treatment of cystitis with herbs has only positive reviews. Doctors do not in vain insist that therapy should be comprehensive, and herbal treatment is only one of its components. In the most common infectious form of cystitis, the use of only herbal remedies is fraught with serious complications, as many people mention.

Complications are also possible in non-infectious bladder inflammation, but any inflammation and stagnant processes are fertile ground for the development of infection, which is always present in the body in a latent form. Therefore, even if the infectious agent is not detected in the tests, the possibility of treatment with herbs alone should be discussed with a specialist.

Herbs for cystitis should be used judiciously, taking into account all possible risks and consequences. Ideally, both drug therapy and recipes for the use of herbs should be prescribed by the attending physician, who often knows more about the patient than he himself. You should not think that urologists are against folk treatment with herbs. This would be nonsense, because they realize that nature allows you to effectively treat the disease of the system that most often suffers from the chemistry used. Doctors welcome the use of herbs and medicinal plants, but within reasonable limits, not contradicting scientifically based approaches to the therapy of cystitis of various genesis and forms.

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