Tips from doctors and specialists

Phytopower instead of antibiotics: Marlies von Siebenthal, head specialist for bladder and intimate complaints at the Cantonal Hospital Frauenfeld, says how many bladder infections can be treated without antibiotics

Marlies von Siebenthal, head specialist for bladder and intimate complaints at the Cantonal Hospital Frauenfeld, says how many bladder infections can be treated without antibiotics.  

Most women get the bladder inflammation in bed and because they do not drink enough, but not because of sitting on a cold stone. During and after sexual intercourse, the intestinal bacteria have an easy time getting üinto the bladder via the vagina via the urinary tract. But many sexually inactive women are also repeatedly affected by bladder infections. Urinary urgency, burning when urinating, cloudy, smelly urine, pulling pain in the abdomen – acute cystitis is in full swing. If this inflammation of the lower urinary tract repeats more than two to three times a year, it is called recurrent cystitis.

If there is pain in the kidneys or in the Rückenbereich, blood in the urine or fever, it is imperative to see a doctor, because in the worst case the inflammation can rise into the kidneys, and it comes to a renal pelvic inflammation, a serious disease.

Happily, however, this is rarely the case. How can the recurring bladder inflammation be put an end to? And above all, what can the women do themselves without having to swallow an antibiotic again?

A big problem is the increasing resistance to antibiotics. Hardly any new antibiotics are being researched, and so infections with multi-resistant germs can become a serious problem. Often we do not give our body time to activate its self-healing powers and resort too quickly to antibiotics. In the case of an uncomplicated bladder infection, it would make much more sense to treat it first with a phytotherapeutic. It is also important to drink at least two and a half to three liters in case of an infection and to take diuretic herbal preparations such as kidney and bladder lozenges for three to five days.

The ingredients such as birch ensure with their diuretic effect that the kidney increases excretion and there is an increased flow of kidney, ureter, bladder and urinary tract. Goldenrod also has a diuretic effect and also anti-inflammatory. Goldenrod has always been known for its antibacterial effect. Often, in a bladder inflammation the pain is in the foreground, so we additionally initiate a treatment with an anti-inflammatory painkiller.

That is, the affected woman should, before she reaches for an antibiotic, kidney and bladder dragees high enough doses – take three times two dragees daily – drink a lot and additionally take an anti-inflammatory drug in the first three days.

A hot water bottle and getting some rest will also promote healing. An antibiotic is recommended only if the inflammation does not improve after three days or if the patient is not symptom-free after five days. Of course, if there is a fever or kidney pain, do not wait.

Then it needs a urine examination with a urine culture – especially with recurrent Bladder inflammation – in order to be able to give the right antibiotic against the bacteria targeted. But even if antibiotic therapy becomes necessary, the additional support of a diuretic, antibacterial phytopreparation is worthwhile. The analysis of the urine culture usually takes three days. In order not to start blindly with an antibiotic before the result, it is worthwhile to start with phytotherapy and pain and inflammation treatment. This helps to avoid unnecessary antibiotic intake with the risk of resistance development.

Source: Phytopower instead of antibiotics, Marlies von Siebenthal, Sprechstunde Dr. Stutz, 11.2014