Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder caused by a bacterial infection. It occurs primarily in women and rarely in men. Bladder infections can lead to permanent damage in the urinary tract, which can lead to kidney damage and failure. Bladder infection also can be a sign of sexually transmitted disease that can affect other pelvic organs (uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes) and cause sterility.

Common Symptoms

• Burning sensation when urinating
• Difficulty urinating
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Strong, foul odor
• Lethargy, incontinence (leakage of urine), and mental confusion (in older people)

What You Need to Know

If a man has a urinary tract infection, it always needs to be evaluated by a urologist for underlying structural problems. Women who have recurrent bladder infections (more than two or three in a year) should also be evaluated by a urologist. Some women develop infections after sexual intercourse, especially when not well lubricated. Proper lubrication and urinating after intercourse can help prevent these problems.

Over-the-counter antihistamines that contain Benadryl, chlorpheniramine, hydroxyzine, or cyproheptadine can underlie recurrent bladder infections in some women because they cause retention of urine. Stop taking them, and if these medications are causing your bladder infections, your symptoms should improve within a few weeks.

General Recommendations

Diet: Drinking large quantities of fluids, (water, juices, or tea are preferred) can help prevent bladder infections. Avoid fluids that irritate the bladder, including alcohol, coffee, black tea, peppers, chocolate milk, carbonated beverages, and citrus juices.

Your Herbal Healing Action Plan for Bladder Infection

• If bladder infection symptoms are moderate to severe, or have been present several days, go to step 3.

Step 1: Increase Your Fluid Intake

After the first signs of bladder infection (within 24 hours), drinking lots of water (twelve 8-ounce glasses daily) or unsweetened cranberry juice (16 ounces daily) may alleviate the symptoms. Cranberry juice prevents bacteria from adhering to the walls of your bladder.

Step 2: Take a Chinese Herbal Remedy

Along with step 1, there are Chinese herbal formulas that are very effective in reducing symptoms and helping to alleviate the infection. Ba Zheng San is a common formula, but there are several others, depending on the herbalist’s diagnosis. Consult a practioner qualified in Chinese herbal medicine to determine which herbal formulas are the best for your particular syndromes.

Step 3: Take Prescription Antibiotics

If you still have symptoms after 24 hours, you need to see your doctor for a prescripttor antibiotic to clear up the infection. There are many antibiotics that can be effective. Most doctors will prescribe one of the common ones, such as amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim or Septra), which usually resolves the infection. f your bladder infection comes back or does not respond to initial antibiotics, your urine needs to be tested for the type of bacteria and its resistance to various antibiotics. Then your physician can prescribe an antibiotic that will kill the specific bacteria causing the infection.

Your Balanced Healing Action Plan for Preventing Recurrent Bladder Infections

Step 1: Drink Cranberry Juice

Drink 16 ounces per day of unsweetened cranberry juice, to help prevent bacteria from adhenng to your bladder’s walls. Try to avoid sweetened juice because sugar can decrease resistance to the bacteria.

Step 2: Use Acupuncture

Acupuncture can reduce recurrent bladder infections for as long as a year or more. It takes four to eight treatments, on average, to obtain this effect. Principal points are usually found on the lower back, feet, and ankles. You should always seek evaluation and treatment from a practitioner certified in acupuncture.

Step 3: Take the Western Herbal Remedy Uva Ursi (Bearberry)

If the previous steps do not keep your bladder infections from coming back, take Uva ursi (bearberry or upland cranberry), an herb that has antiseptic effects and has shown benefits in preventing recurrent bladder infections. Take it three times a day as a tea (2g to 4g), tincture (1:5, 4ml to 6 ml), or fluid extract (1:1 in 25 percent alcohol, standardized to 20 percent arbutin, O.5ml to 4ml).

Step 4: Make Your Urine More Alkaline

In addition to step 3, alkalinizing your urinary tract can sometimes fend off bladder infections. I recommend potassium or sodium citrate solutions, 125mg to 250mg orally three to four times per day. You can obtain these solutions at your local pharmacy.

Do not use this treatment if you have high blood pressure or heart failure because these solutions can make these conditions worse by causing fluid overload. Consult with your doctor if you want to explore this option.

Step 5: Take Long- Term Prescription Antibiotics

If your bladder infections still return despite the previous steps, then you and your doctor need to consider long-term treatment with antibiotics. There are several antibiotics that are used for this purpose, the major one being a sulfa drug combination (trimethoprim­sulfamethoxazole).

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