Ayurvedic Treatment for Urinary Tract Infection

More than 50 percent of women during their lifetime faces urinary tract infections. A urinary tract comprises of bladder, kidneys, urethra, and ureters. This whole system expels out urine from the body. Men are at lesser risk of urinary tract infections as compared to women.

Most of the infections involve lower urinary tract that comprises urethra and the bladder. The bacteria that are responsible for urinary tract infections are Escherichia coli (E. coli), Chlamydia, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and mycoplasma. Ayurveda is the best way to deal with the urinary tract infections as it treats the condition from its root cause. When the root cause is treated the whole disease is under control.

Which Factors increase the Risk of Urinary Tract Infections?

There are various factors that are responsible for developing urinary tract infections:

• Diabetes
• Kidney stones
• Bowel incontinence
• Weak immune system
• Sexual intercourse with multiple partners
• A problem in completely emptying the bladder
• Blockages in the urinary tract
• Menopause
• Excessive usage of spermicides and tampons
• Pregnancy
• Excessive use of antibiotics

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Urinary Tract infections?

The different signs and symptoms of urinary tract infections are mentioned below:

• Burning sensation while passing urine

तीव्रा रुजो वङ्गंणवस्ति मेढ़ े स्वल्पं मुहु मूत्र य तीह वतात।

पितं सरक्तं सरुजं सदाहं कृच्छा ंमुहुमूत्रयतीह पित्तात। (च। चि २६/३४)

This shloka says that due to an imbalance of Vata there is a pricking pain in the bladder and groin area. The flow of urine is slow and dropwise. When there is an imbalance of Pitta dosha the urine that passes is dark yellow along with blood, very painful and causes a burning sensation.

• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Weakness
• Passing cloudy urine
• Pelvic pain
• Foul smell in the urine
• Nausea
• Blood in the urine
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Passing urine frequently
• Catheter use
• Pregnancy
• Pain during urination

पृथङ्ग मला: स्वै:कुपिता निदानै: सर्वे अथवा कोपमुपेत्य वस्तौ।

मूत्रस्य मार्ग परिपीडयन्ति यदा तदा मूत्रयतीह कृच्छात। (च। चि २६ /३३)

This shloka states that when Vata, Pitta, and Kapha individually or in combination, these three doshas when enters the bladder disturbs the urinary system. In a person, it causes pain while passing urine.

What are the Two Types of Urinary Tract Infections?

The two types of urinary tract infections are:

• Simple urinary tract infections that occur in healthy persons having a normal urinary tract. It gets managed within 2 to 3 days of the treatment.
• Complicated urinary tract infections: These occur in people that have abnormal urinary tract. In this case, the antibiotics are not able to treat the bacteria that result in the formation of infections. This type of infection needs a longer period for proper cure between 7 to 14 days. People are more prone to complicated UTIs as compared to a simple one.

The Parts that Affected most are

• Kidneys (acute pyelonephritis): It is a severe kidney infection. In this condition, a patient may experience fever, chills, fatigue, mental changes, nausea, vomiting, upper back, and side pain.
• Bladder infection (cystitis): It is mostly caused by bacteria Escherichia coli. The patient feels pelvic pressure, painful urination, discomfort in the lower abdomen, frequent urination, low-grade fever, and blood in the urine.
• Urethra (Urethritis): In this type, the bacteria spread from the anus to the urethra. As the female urethra is near to the vagina, it may cause due to sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia, and mycoplasma.

What are the Preventive Measures that should be Taken During Urinary Tract Infections?

There is a different preventive measure that should be taken during UTIs are:

• Drink plenty of water as it will dilute the urine and flush out all the bacteria from the urinary tract.
• Always empty your bladder after intercourse
• Avoid using deodorant sprays, powders, and other products that irritate your urethra.
• Always wear loose clothes and cotton undergarments to keep your urethra dry.
• The genital area should be kept clean with a daily routine.

Best Home Remedies for Urinary Tract Infections

Home remedies for Urinary Tract Infections are the best way to manage all the symptoms and signs associated with urinary tract infections. These home remedies are safe for use and not cause any side-effects to the body:

1. Neem leaves

The antifungal and antibacterial properties of this herb give good results in UTIs. Take few neem leaves boil in half liter water. Boil this mixture for 15 mins. Filter the mixture, let it cool down. Wash your genital area with this water.

2. Water

Drink at least 1 to 2 liter of water daily. As it will flush out all bacteria from your urinary tract through urine passage.

3. Citrus Fruits

The usage of citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, etc will inhibit the bacterial growth in the urinary tract.

4. Cranberry

The juice of cranberry manages all the symptoms related to urinary tract infections.

5. Garlic

Use raw garlic for treating antibacterial and antifungal infection during UTIs.

6. Clove

Using clove oil kills all bacteria, fungus, and viral infections. The inflammation and pain also subside with the use of clove oil during a urinary tract infection.

Ayurvedic Support for Urinary Tract Infections

In Ayurveda, urinary tract infections are related to Mutrakrichh. Mainly Pitta dosha is aggravated as compare to the other two. Planet Ayurveda a best Ayurvedic clinic offers a UTI Care Pack for treating urinary tract infections with numerous herbs. This pack comprises of three products Punarnava capsules, Mutrakrichantak Churna, and varunadi vati.

1. Punarnava Capsules

The standardized extract of Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa) is used in a capsule formulation. These capsules deal with the pain, inflammation, burning sensation, and other symptoms related to urinary tract infections.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily with warm water after meal.

2. Gokshuradi Guggul

Dosage: 2 tablets twice daily with warm water after meal.

3. Varunadi Vati

These are classical herbal tablets prepared from herbs like Gokshur (Tribulus terresteris), Varun (Crataeva nurvala), Shudha guggul (Commiphora mukul), etc that deals with the signs and symptoms related to urinary tract infections.

Dosage: 2 tablets twice daily with warm water after meal.

4. Chandanadi Vati

Dosage: 2 tablets twice daily with warm water after meal.

5. Reno Plan Syrup

Dosage: 2 tsp twice daily with warm water after meal.