HONEYMOON CYSTITIS

Q. I have been spending lot of time running to the bathroom but when I try to pass urine nothing much comes out and when it does it burns…. At times when level of infection is high I develop chill with high fever, pain in vagina, difficulty in passing urine with severe burning. I have got this infection since last 5 years. It happened just after my marriage and doctors call it “Honeymoon Cystitis” (though honeymoon is over ages ago!). I am tired of taking different antibiotics with reputed urine culture and sensitivity test. (Very expensive too! ) Also my body is feeling weak because of strong drugs…! Can homoeopathy cure my “honeymoon cystitis?”

A. A common bladder condition is called “honeymoon cystitis”. It is usually the result of frequent intercourse, hence the name. The symptoms of this condition are bladder cramps, burning during urination and blood (at times) in the urine. Honeymoon cystitis need not be the result of bladder infection, it may be caused by an inflammation of the wall of the bladder.

Excessive of the cervix during sexual can led to a low grade cervicitis and the inflammation can spread to bladder wall resulting in a honeymoon cystitis. Honeymoon cystitis may also be caused by an infection, with bacteria pushed up the urethra into the bladder during sexual intercourse. Adequate personal hygiene on the part of woman and her partner may help prevent bacterial honeymoon cystitis. Women tend to develop urinary infection faster than men because woman’s urethra is so much shorter than a man’s urethra. Urinary infection is usually an infection in the bladder or kidneys. If it is left untreated permanent damage may occur. Usually, symptoms are burning during urination, pressure on the bladder, backache at time fever is also present. It’s absolutely one of the most common infections. Statistics say that 5 out of every 10 women of the world suffer from it. Sometime during their lives.

WHAT’S THE CAUSE?

Bladder infections are caused by bacteria known as E Coli that take up residence in the vagina and consequently make their way to urethra, the tube through which urine flows. In the vagina, the bacteria are no problem. Trouble only starts when they enter the urinary tract. These are bacteria normally present in all women. And the women who get UTI (medical shorthand for urinary tract infections) aren’t anatomically different from the women who don’t. But for reasons we don’t understand some are more susceptible. There is however good news, homoeopathic medicines have helped number of women suffering from this chronic problem. E coli infection is extremely stubborn and at times does not respond to antibiotics. Homoeopathic medicines treat urinary tract infection by increasing body’s natural immunity to fight invading bacteria. Thus each patient get medicine according to her set of symptoms.

COMMON MEDICINES ARE :

CANTHARIS

Intolerable urge to pass urine with pain. Severe burning before, during and after urine. At times burning is so severe that she manages to pass urine drop by drop.

Cantharis 200, 5 pills four times a day in severe cases every 2 hourly till relief.

SARSA PARILLA

Urine is scanty, flaky, sandy, bloody with severe pain at conclusion of urination. At times because of bladder weakness urine dribbles while squatting.

Sarsa Parilla 200, 5 pills four times a day till relief.

TEREBINTHINA

When there is blood in the urine with burning in lower abdomen.

Terebinthina 200, 5 pills four times a day till relief.

SILICEA

When urine has lots of pus cells with painful micturation, chill and fever. Along with urine infection there could be acrid vaginal discharge causing itching and burning.

Silicea 200, 5 pills four times a day.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER
This is probably the single most important tip, for two reasons namely comfort and health. Some women get UTI and think …. “Aha ! It only burns when I go to the bathroom”. They then reason that, they won’t have to go if they don’t drink, so they don’t which is absolutely the worst thing they can do. The reason : the longer any amount of urine stays in the bladder, the more bacteria there are in it – E Coli doubles its population about every 20 minutes i.e. more bacteria means more pain. Says experts “Absolutely, the best thing a woman can do to fight the burning is drink fluids t flush out the bacteria that are causing the inflammation”. The best test is to see the colour of urine, if its dark that means more liquids are needed. Lighter the colour of urine better it is.

CORRECT TOILET CLEANING
Wiping from front to back helps prevent infection recurring the doctors say. Wiping the wrong way is one of the most common causes of infection and a good way to get repeated infections. Wiping away is pure common sense, you want to move bacteria away from not towards the vagina and the opening of urethra. Experts say “Wash out vagina before intercourse, this will help flush out bacteria that may be present in the vagina”. Otherwise during intercourse these bacteria may get pushed into bladder. After intercourse also go the bathroom and pass urine. Most of the times urinating will flush out bacteria that have been pushed into the bladder during intercourse.

RECONSIDER THE USE OF DIAPHRAGM
Diaphragm have been documented as a major contributors to those who have stubborn repeated bladder infections. Two mechanisms are probably involved - Bacteria colonize the diaphragm itself, which is then inserted deep into the vagina and the diaphragm interferes with bladder emptying which means that bacteria already there aren’t flushed out.

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE
Good hygiene means wearing cotton underwear that keeps you dry, avoid tight pants that decreases venitation and most of all keep clean. Readers are advised that the medical advice offered in this column pertains to generalised treatment of condition. Kindly consult your doctor before self-medication.