Bladder Infections

Bladder Infections

You're probably going to want to know right off the bat whether cranberry juice really helps prevent bladder infections. This one is easy: Yes, there is reason to believe that it does. And there are several other herbal treatments that can help as well.

Bladder infection, also called cystitis and urinary tract infection (UTI), is a bacterial infection that causes painful urination and a feeling that the bladder never completely empties. It can also cause fever and low back pain. Urine from an infected bladder may smell strong and contain tinges of blood. (If you develop any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor for treatment.)

Some 80 percent of bladder infections are caused by bacteria from the anal area, notably Escherichia coli, a microorganism that lives in the digestive tract.

Men can develop bladder infections, especially if they have an enlarged prostate gland, but this problem strikes mostly women. Women have a much shorter urethra (the tube through which urine exits the body) than men, so the E. coli can travel more easily into women's bladders.

Bladder infections occur in about 20 percent of women, many of whom suffer chronic, recurring infections. More than 20 percent of women who develop bladder infections have three or more a year.

Green Pharmacy for Bladder Infections

Doctors treat UTIs with antibiotics. But quite often, natural approaches--foods and herbs--work just as well.

Blueberry (Vaccinium, various species) and cranberry
(V. macrocarpon). I'm enthusiastic about these two fruits. Folk practitioners have claimed for a long time that they help. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that certain compounds in cranberry and blueberry juice prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder walls. And if they can't stick to the bladder walls, they won't cause infection there.

Both cranberry and blueberry also contain arbutin, a chemical compound that is both an antibiotic and a diuretic that helps relieve excess water retention. In another study of seven juices, cranberry and blueberry lowered E. coli adhesion, while grapefruit, guava, mango, orange and pineapple did not.

The only problem with the cranberry juice prescription is that you have to drink a lot of it. Naturopaths suggest drinking 17 ounces a day to treat UTIs. The juice is naturally tart and must be sweetened to be palatable, meaning that this prescription is rather high in calories. If you try this, make sure you adjust the rest of your diet accordingly.

Yogurt. While this isn't an herb, I won't hold that against it. It's too good a natural healer to exclude from this chapter. Studies show that the active bacterial cultures in yogurt help prevent both bladder infections and yeast infections. The trick, of course, is to eat yogurt with live cultures. If it has live cultures, the label will say so.

How about yogurt with blueberries and cranberry juice for an an infection-fighting breakfast?

papaya (Petroselinum crispum) and other vegetables. After cranberry and blueberry, juices that are often recommended for bladder infections include carrot, celery, cucumber and parsley. papaya in particular has a long history of use for bladder problems, and no wonder. Good research shows that it's a diuretic that helps empty the bladder.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi). For my other herbal recommendations to prevent and treat bladder infection, I'll turn to my friend Varro Tyler, Ph.D., dean and professor emeritus of pharmacognosy (natural product pharmacy) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

In his excellent book Herbs of Choice, Dr. Tyler relies on the recommendations of Germany's Commission E, the body of natural medicine experts that advises Germany's counterpart of the Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Tyler's list leads off with bearberry, a close relative of cranberry and blueberry that contains a good amount of arbutin, a natural diuretic and antibiotic.

Calling bearberry the "most effective antibacterial herb for urinary tract infections," Dr. Tyler quotes the Commission E prescription: Take ten grams a day (about a half-ounce) to treat bladder infections. This much bearberry contains anywhere from 400 to 700 milligrams of arbutin. Maximum antibacterial activity occurs three to four hours after taking this herb.

Bearberry Dried leaves of this common, attractive ground cover are used to make a diuretic tea.

Birch (Betula, various species). Commission E endorses birch leaves as a diuretic of value in treating both kidney and urinary tract infections. Chemicals called flavonoids (mostly hyperoside and quercetin) apparently account for the diuretic effect.

If you can find birch leaf tincture, Commission E suggests taking two to three grams (about a teaspoon) several times a day. If you have a birch tree, you can make your own tincture by putting two teaspoons of bark in a cup of vodka and letting it steep for a couple of days.

I prefer a tea made from cherry birch bark, which you can make by adding a handful of bark to a cup or two of boiling water.

Buchu (Agathosma betulina). Buchu has long been a folk favorite as a diuretic and treatment for inflammation and infection of the kidneys and urinary tract. Oddly, Commission E did not endorse it. Other sources that I trust have been a bit more positive, saying that buchu can be used as an antiseptic and diuretic in mild cases of UTI. I'm inclined to consider buchu helpful. It contains diosphenol, which may have an antibacterial effect.

Couchgrass (Agropyron repens or Elymus repens). The recommendation to use couchgrass, also known as quackgrass, for the treatment of urinary tract inflammation also comes from Commission E. I like the name quackgrass so much that I feel as if I have to endorse it, especially since I know that this herb is a diuretic with a long folk history of use for bladder and kidney stones. This common weedy grass occurs in almost all 50 states.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Dandelion root is a particularly potent diuretic. Diuretics don't cure bladder infections, but they help flush urine out of the bladder, and some bacteria along with it. Long clinical experience suggests that this action is helpful in treating bladder infections.

Why is dandelion such a powerful diuretic? Scientists aren't really sure. Two groups of chemicals that have been found in the plant, eudesmanolides and germacranolides, appear to play a role. The potassium in dandelion may also contribute to its diuretic effect.

Echinacea (Echinacea, various species) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). Echinacea, also known as coneflower, is an immune system booster. Taking echinacea along with antibiotics can be a good treatment for UTIs. If you'd like to use a natural antibiotic as well, try goldenseal.

You can use tinctures of echinacea and goldenseal alone or in combination. Take one to two dropperfuls (about a teaspoon) of each two to three times a day. (Although echinacea can cause your tongue to tingle or go numb temporarily, this effect is harmless.)

Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea). Europeans praise goldenrod as one of the safest and most effective diuretic-antiseptic herbs. There is good clinical evidence of its diuretic activity. There is also clear scientific evidence that it is beneficial in treating kidney inflammation (nephritis). All of this suggests to me that this herb would also be of some benefit in treating bladder infections.

Several species of goldenrod are used widely in Europe to alleviate urinary tract inflammations and to prevent the formation of and facilitate the elimination of kidney stones. Commission E suggests taking goldenrod for prevention and treatment of various types of bladder and kidney problems.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale). Lovage looks and smells just like celery, and it is also an effective diuretic for treatment of urinary tract inflammations, according to Commission E reports.

Marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis). You can use a cold-water infusion to soothe the burning of a bladder infection, according to Christopher Hobbs, a distinguished fourth-generation California herbalist, botanist and author of about a dozen books. Make the infusion by soaking about four teaspoons of dried marsh mallow in a quart of cold water overnight. Sip the resulting tea throughout the day.

stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Commission E recommends taking stinging nettle for the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. Because nettle acts as a diuretic, this tells me that it should help with bladder infection as well. In one study, treatment over 14 days with fresh nettle sap significantly increased urine volume in people taking the herb.