Urinary Tract Infection

A Prevention magazine survey found that urinary tract infections are the most common health problem among women; nearly half of those who responded to the questionnaire said they’d had at least one.

Infection occurs when a microorganism invades your bladder or your urethra, which carries urine from the bladder and out of the body. The result is burning or pain during urination, the urge to urinate frequently, lower back pain and sometimes blood in the urine. Though they’re much more common in women, men can also develop urinary tract infections—especially those over age 50, who may have enlarged prostates.

Proper hygiene and drinking lots of fluids are both essential for preventing urinary tract infections. The natural remedies in this chapter—in con junction with medical care and used with your doctor’s approval—may help prevent urinary tract infections or speed their healing, according to some health professionals.

Aromatherapy

To speed the healing of a urinary tract infection, add 20 drops each of eucalyptus and sandalwood essential oils to a hot bath, suggests Greenwich, Connecticut, aromatherapist Judith Jackson, author of Scentual Touch: A Personal Guide to Aromatherapy. She says to soak in the tub for ten minutes. Juniper and thyme essential oils may be substituted for the eucalyptus and sandalwood if you prefer those scents, according to Jackson.

For information on preparing and administering essential oils, including cautions about their use, see page 19. For information on purchasing essential oils, refer to the resource list on page 633.

Herbal Therapy

Capsules of uva ursi, also called bearberry, may help treat urinary tract infections, according to Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., professor of pharmacognosy at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. These capsules are available in most health food stores, and Dr. Tyler says to follow the dosage recommendations on the label. But there’s a catch: In order for this remedy to work, according to Dr. Tyler, you must maintain alkaline urine by eating a diet rich in milk, vegetables, fruits and fruit juices. He also suggests taking two teaspoons of baking soda a day, a small dose with each of your meals. Do not use this remedy if you are watching your sodium intake, he adds.

Hydrotherapy

Water is the best way to treat any urinary tract infection, says Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama. “People who get infections usually don’t drink enough water, so the urine sits in the bladder too long, and bacteria build up,” says Dr. Thrash. She tells patients to drink “loads of water” at the first sign of an infection: 6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses a day for young, healthy people, 10 eight-ounce glasses for those over age 50 and 12 eight-ounce glasses for active people over 60, whose bodies need extra fluids, according to Dr. Thrash.

Along with drinking water, try contrast sitz baths to increase circulation in the pelvis, suggests Tori Hudson, N.D., a naturopathic physician and professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. Soak in a shallow hot bath for three to five minutes, then sit in a basin of cold water for 30 seconds. “Repeat this sequence three times, finishing with cold water,” says Dr. Hudson. “And if you don’t have two tubs, you can alternate hot and cold compresses to the pelvic area.” You can use this treatment once or twice a day, she adds.

Juice Therapy

While drinking fluids is the best way to flush out the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections, some fluids are better than others, says Michael A. Klaper, M.D., a nutritional medicine specialist in Pompano Beach, Florida, and director of the Institute of Nutritional Education and Research, an organization based in Manhattan Beach, California, that teaches doctors about nutrition and its relationship to disease. He says that cranberry juice is probably the best, because it helps prevent bacteria from anchoring to bladder walls. “The key is to drink real cranberry juice, not those cranberry juice cocktails,” he explains. “Those drinks are too sweet. It has to be really tart to work.” If you can’t find cranberry juice, look for cranberry juice concentrate that you can mix with water.

Certified nutritionist Cherie Calbom, M.S., of Kirkland, Washington, co-author of Juicing for Life, suggests drinking 16 ounces of fresh cranberry juice per day to stave off the problem. “Mix it with some fresh apple juice for the best taste,” she suggests.

Like Dr. Klaper, she says to use fresh or frozen cranberries. “If you can’t find them, use cranberry juice concentrate,” she advises. “Mix ½ tablespoon of concentrate with a pint of fresh apple juice.”

For information on juicing techniques, see page 93.

Reflexology

Work the bladder and kidney points on the bottoms of your feet, say Kevin and Barbara Kunz, reflexology researchers in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and authors of Hand and Foot Reflexology. You can also use the corresponding golf ball technique (page 588) to work the kidney and adrenal gland points on both hands.

To help you locate these points, consult the hand and foot reflex charts beginning on page 582. For instructions on how to work the points, see “Your Reflexology Session” on page 110.