What does a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) feel like?
It can feel like a dull ache in your bladder area but it often builds up to a burning sensation when you pee. You can frequently feel like you urgently need to pee but then there is nothing but a fiery dribble that comes out of you. Your urine can look cloudy and you can sometimes even see watery blood in it.
What is actually happening?
This is a bacterial infection of the urethra which if left untreated can lead to a kidney infection. Women are prone to these infections because there isn't much space between our anus and the opening to our vagina. The bacteria causes inflammation which leads to the formation of small cracks which then sting as your acidic infected urine passes over them. This is why we are taught to wipe from front to back and why it's important to always pee after sex to give the whole area a good flush.
What the doctor will tell you
They will give you antibiotics. The symptoms may pass but a couple of weeks following the treatment, it is not uncommon to experience thrush - an itchy va-jay-jay with a creamy like discharge. This is a fairly common side effect of the antiobiotics as unfortunately the antibiotics tend to kill off the good bacteria too which allows for an opportunistic yeast overgrowth.
This said, IF YOU SEE BLOOD IN YOUR URINE, you might be on your way to a kidney infection so you must go to the doctor.
The natural alternative
All of the below suggestions are more likely to work if you catch it early. These steps are meant to work together as a holistic treatment plan:
1) Make your pee less acidic to reduce the burning
- 1 tsp of Baking Soda in 8oz of water, 3 times a day will remove the sting by making your pee more alkaline.
- Reduce the consumption of refined sugar, meat, coffee and alcohol
2) Repair the damaged tissues
Leave 2 tbsp of Marshmallow Root to soak overnight in 1 quart of water. Drink throughout the day and repeat for 7 days
3) Fight the infection
Raw garlic is nature's antibiotic. Eat at least one clove of raw garlic a day chopped up into your salad or soup until symptoms pass
IF YOU ARE NOT PREGNANT, you can also make this tea:
3tsp of Juniper berries, boiled with 3 cups of water. Strain.
Re-use the Juniper berries 2 more times to make more tea throughout the day following the same instructions.
The energetic dimension
All pain and discomfort is here to teach us something or at the very least to make us pay attention. Some argue that UTIs are here to make us reflect on our personal boundaries. People with a long history of recurring UTIs may have deeper set emotional issues to do with sexual boundaries or intimacy. Looking to heal these patterns can also help break down the UTI pattern. Just some food for thought.
If you want more recipes and rituals to keep you healthy in a stressful world, please sign up to the monthly newsletter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER:
The content provided is for information purposes only and is in no way intended to be a substitute for medical consultation with a qualified professional.