Can Natural Remedies Really Help A Bladder Or Urinary Tract Infection?

I have more and more patients that are turning to natural remedies when they become sick or have a medical problem such as urinary tract infections (bladder infections).

Some of you may experience bladder infections regularly to the extent that you have been placed on a daily antibiotic by your doctor to help prevent recurrence. It is common for some women to experience symptoms after sex as the bladder is partially attached to the uterus, so it can take quite a beating. Another reason for recurrent bladder infections after sex is the way we as women are made. Our vagina, urethra (opening where we pee from), and anus are so close to each other that during sex bacteria from the anus can accidentally be dragged up to the urethra or vagina.

The anal area, even if we are very clean, can harbor E.coli and other types of bacteria that live in our intestines. E.coli, outside of the intestines, can make us sick and cause infections and the closest target is the urethra and bladder. Let’s be real, we all know that during sex sometimes he can have trouble finding the vagina and for a few seconds he might be too low, right? Well, that is usually when the bacteria gets transferred from the anus up to the urethra, during that moment.

One way to prevent a bladder infection is to urinate before and after sex. Urinating before helps as it prevents the bladder from getting bumped around during sex. And urinating afterwards helps push bacteria out of the way that may be sitting at the opening of your urethra. I find that wet wipes, like the ones used on babies bottoms, are nice to have by the toilet to wipe with rather than toilet paper as they clean so much better.

If you enjoy anal sex, the rule is to never return to the vagina after or go back and forth as again, it will drag that .E.coli bacteria right into the vagina and cause an infection.

Some bladder infections come even without having sex. There are many reasons why this happens and if you have more than 6-8 episodes a year (not after sex) it should be evaluated by a urologist.

So what about natural remedies for this? Prevention is very important, but do cranberry juice and pro-biotics really help? Absolutely, and many of you know this by experience. Of course, being a trained physician it’s nice to know that controlled scientific studies have verified its efficacy. So how does it work? Well, one important property of cranberry juice is that it acidifies the urine. Why is this important? For the same reason that it is important for the vagina to maintain a slightly acidic environment - most bacteria that infect our bodies (like E.coli) cannot grow in an acidic environment. Our bodies, blood, etc. have a physiologic pH of around 7.4 which is compatible with life. The acidity of the urine, vagina and mouth are a natural barrier created by God to protect against bacterial invasion from the outside. If there is a breakdown in the defense that changes that pH, it creates a way for the bad bacteria to flourish.

So, if you feel like you are getting a bladder infection, get some cranberry in juice or pill form and take often. It is also important to drink lots and lots of water to flush out your bladder. That is a good way to prevent recurring infections too, as drinking too much soda and coffee can irritate the bladder. We also know cranberries contain certain components that adhere to the bladder wall that block bacteria from invading. Fortunately they are finding some natural probiotic remedies that are helping to naturally fight infection.

WaterWorks is a natural remedy to help you feel fresh and clean and it fits into the “green” protocol. It provides a natural way for you to cleanse the vagina and labial area to help eliminate odor. Try WaterWorks after sex to rinse out the semen. It works better than just the shower spray that some of you use to clean with because it is designed with a light weight stainless steel nozzle that inserts into the vagina and releases water to gently cleanse. The stainless steel reacts with our vaginal mucosa to remove unwanted odors. WaterWorks is a safe and effective way to clean vagina out naturally.