Health Conditions from A to Z

Urinary Problems

Disorders of the urinary tract system, which includes the kidneys, the ureter, and the urethras, can vary widely, and can occur anywhere along the entire urinary tract, including the kidneys.

Symptoms
Symptoms vary, ranging from urinary tract infections, excessive need to urinate, pain that radiates along the urinary tract, difficulty urinating, and urinary incontinence (see Bedwetting). Cloudy, pus-filled, and blood-filled urine are other possible symptoms.

Types
Various urinary problems can occur. They include:

• Nocturia
  Nocturia is characterized by excessive urination during the night and can be an indication of early diabetes, kidney, heart, or liver disease. If not due to a serious disease, it is usually due to obstruction, such as (in men) an enlarged prostate gland.
• Straining
  Straining changes in force of stream of the urine, and hesitancy are other types of urinary problems and usually indicate signs of bladder obstruction and are more common in middle-aged to older men.
• Dysuria
  Dysuria is characterized by pain or burning sensations during urination, usually indicates suggests inflammation or irritation of the bladder or the urethra and is usually due to an infection from bacteria.
• Incontinence
  Incontinence causes urination to occur without warning, often after sneezing, laughing, running, or coughing, is another common urinary problem.
• Painful urination
  Painful urination is characterized by pain anywhere in the urinary tract and which can also radiate to different areas of the body, such as the low back, chest, pubic bone, and the abdomen.

Causes
Urinary problems can be due to a variety of factors. The most common causes are bladder obstruction, benign prostate hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), bacterial infections within the urinary tract, stretching or aging of muscles of pelvic floor, injuries from childbirth, cysts or fibroids on the uterus that push down on the bladder, excess stress, allergies, and a delayed reaction to recent infections of the respiratory tract, the heart, or skin, and kidney disease. All of these factors must be screened for and treated before long-term relieve of urinary problems can be achieved.

Self-Care Tips

Aromatherapy
For urinary tract infections, use sandalwood, bergamot, or juniper essential oils.

Diet
For urinary infections, organic cranberry juice can help inhibit bacteria from sticking to the lining cells of the bladder. For urinary incontinence, avoid all beverages containing caffeine, as it has been shown to cause the muscles around the bladder to contract and exert additional pressure. The following foods and additives can also irritate the bladder coffee, non-herbal tea, artificial sweeteners, carbonated beverages, and tomato-based foods. Also screen for and eliminate all foods to which you are allergic. Otherwise, eat and organic, whole foods diet.

Herbs
An infusion of equal parts of bearberry, dandelion leaf, and nettle can be helpful for soothing irritations along the urinary tract. Drink hot three times a day or as needed. For blood in the urine, drink comfrey root tea. For difficult or burning urination, a mixture of fennel, horsetail, jasmine flowers, and licorice tea is helpful, while buchu, burdock, coriander, cornsilk, echinacea, goldenrod, juniper berries, marshmallow root, and shave grass teas are useful for relieving symptoms of urinary tract infections. Skullcap is recommended for urinary incontinence.

Homeopathy
Aconite, Apis mel., and Cantharis are useful homeopathic remedies for most types of urinary problems.

Hydrotherapy
A cold sitz bath once a day can strengthen the bladder.

Juice Therapy
Organic cranberry juice.

Lifestyle
To address incontinence, contract the bladder muscles 100-500 times throughout the day. This can greatly improve bladder control.

Nutritional Supplementation
Recommended nutrients include, vitamin B1, vitamin C, and a complete multivitamin/multimineral formula. Adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to pure, filtered water can help alkalize the body, thereby alleviating urinary problems due to over-acidity in the body.

Caution

Back to Health Conditions A to Z