When simple measures such as increasing water and vitamin C (natural unsweetened cranberry juice) don’t work it can be daunting to know what to try next, especially if you want to avoid taking too many antibiotics. Homeopathy can offer an effective alternative for treating the troublesome symptoms of acute cystitis.
What is cystitis?
Cystitis is an inflammation of the lining of the bladder and urethra (a tube leading out of the bladder) that gives rise to unpleasant urinary symptoms. Severe attacks of cystitis can lead to a kidney infection. The infection is commonly due to a bacteria called E-coli which normally lives in the bowel and gets transmitted to the bladder. Causes include: poor hygiene, having sex, urinary catheters, being pregnant, using a spermicide with contraception, being in the menopause, an enlarged prostate in men, having diabetes or having a weakened immune system.
Symptoms of cystitis:
burning sensation and pain on passing urine
frequent urination and pain just at the end of passing urine
lower abdominal pain and occasionally low back pain
generally feeling unwell, achy, sick and tired
cloudy, dark or smelly urine
sensations of pressure and fullness in the bladder
Remedies:
Many cases of acute cystitis can be managed initially without allopathic or homeopathic remedies, so always try increasing your water and vitamin C intake first. If these measures do not rid you of the symptoms the following homeopathic remedies can be considered before resorting to antibiotics. As with all homeopathic remedies, you need to think about your symptoms carefully, in detail, or consult your homeopath to select the appropriate remedy.
Apis – Burning and stinging
Apis comes from the honey bee, it is helpful to think of the bee sting when you look at this remedy. It is for cystitis with burning, soreness and stinging when weeing. Your last drops of urine will burn and smart. Even though you might not be thirsty, you’ll wee quite a lot and have a constant desire to urinate, especially at night. You might also feel worse around 4pm. Cold bathing can be soothing, and heat can aggravate your symptoms. You might also be sensitive to touch and feel restless.
Cantharis – The No.1 remedy for cystitis
if you need this remedy you will have a constant, intolerable desire to urinate, but the pain is so intense you will dread going to the toilet. You will experience cutting pains before, during and after weeing. Further adding to the distress, your urine will dribble out drop by drop and your bladder will feel irritated. Even though you might be thirsty, you won’t want to drink for fear of having to go to the loo again. Resting and lying down can help relieve your discomfort but coffee will make it worse.
Nux Vomica – a constant urge to urinate but barely anything comes out
If you have painful, irritating and frequent urges to wee, but not a lot happens when you go, think of Nux Vomica. You go to the loo often, but little comes out, accompanied by deep itching and pain. These symptoms might make you feel angry and irritable, another characteristic of Nux Vomica.
Pulsatilla – sudden urges to urinate, with no capacity to hold it back
De-hydration is often a cause. If you need Pulsatilla you will experience increasing pain the longer you delay going to the toilet and at the end of urination, which may stop and start and spurt. The urge to go to the toilet will also start as soon as just a drop of urine has collected in your bladder. Your symptoms will be changeable and worse for feeling cold.
Sarsaparilla – severe pain at the end of urination
With Sarsaparilla, the pain can be so extreme it makes you scream. Your bladder is swollen and feels tender. When you sit down to urinate, it feebly dribbles out, and you find that it’s easier to wee standing up. You have frequent urging and burning pain that is worse right at the end of your wee.
Staphysagria – cystitis associated with sex, pelvic examination surgery or labour
Another popular cystitis remedy, Staphysagria, is often prescribed if your bladder is irritated from sex or pelvic trauma. If you need this remedy you might never feel like you’ve emptied your bladder, and you may have a sense of pressure in that area, particularly after urinating. You can have a continual burning sensation regardless of whether you’re weeing or not and may have the strange feeling of a drop of urine rolling down your urethra. There can also be an emotional connection, and you may have suppressed anger or grief that’s triggered cystitis.
All the remedies are best given in a 30c potency every 2 hours until the symptoms subside.
If symptoms do not respond to treatment:
These remedies are for acute cystitis at the start of its onset. It is important to keep a close eye on your own or others’ symptoms and if the symptoms do not start to clear within 3 days contact your homeopath or GP.
In any of the following circumstances call 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment:
you have severe cystitis symptoms, such as unbearable pain in your lower abdomen
you get cystitis symptoms frequently
your symptoms have not gone away after treatment with antibiotics
you have symptoms of cystitis and you're pregnant or you're a man
your child has symptoms of cystitis
you have a high temperature, or feel hot and shivery
you have a low temperature, or shaking and shivering
you have pain in the lower abdomen or in the back, just under the ribs
you are confused, drowsy or have difficulty speaking
you are feeling or being sick
you have not had a wee all day
you see blood in your wee
Contact me:
For more information on homeopathy and how it can treat you please call me on 07810 464527 or email at info@maggiejoneshomeopathy.co.uk.
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