Treat Cystitis

The term ‘Cystitis’ refers to ‘inflammation of the bladder’. It is a most common complaint in women. Escherichia coli infections are considered the primary culprit in cystitis. The female anatomy makes it more convenient for e.coli bacteria, which normally inhabit the colon., to travel from the rectum to the vagina, up the urethra and into the bladder. This condition is rarely dangerous but it is generally a forerunner to more serious troubles. The reoccurrence of cystitis may in some cases be associated with kidney troubles. The kidney and bladder are the principal strikers in the urinary system. The kidneys are situated on the back of the abdomen, one on each side of the spine at about the level of the lowest rib. The bladder is situated in the lower abdomen, in the pelvis. The body is relieved of the greater
part of the waste matter, resulting from the complex working of the whole body’s vital processes by means of these two organs.
Symptoms of Cystitis
Cystitis is characterised by symptoms which may cause great discomfort. The patient complains of frequency and burning on urination as well as an almost continual urge to void. There may be a feeling of pain in the pelvis and lower abdomen. The urine may become thick, dark and stingy. It may have an unpleasant smell and may contain blood or pus. The ‘scalding’ sensation on passing urine indicates that the inflammation has spread to the urethra. Some pain in the lower back may also be felt in certain cases. In an acute stage there may be a rise in body temperature. In the chronic form of cystitis, the symptoms are similar but generally less several and without the rise in temperature. The persistence of the chronic form of the disease indicates a process of deterioration, almost invariably due to wrong treatment of the acute form by suppressive drugs.
Cystitis Causes
Cystitis may result from infections in other parts adjacent to the bladder such as the kidneys, the urethra, and the vagina. Local irritation and inflammation of the bladder may be caused if urine is retained there for an unduly long time. It may also result from severe constipation. Continual draining of pus and germs from an infected kidney may injure the epithelial lining of the bladder. Trouble may also arise from the presence of a stone in either bladder or kidney. Childbirth injuries and major surgical procedures within the pelvis may also lower the resistance of the bladder-wall and predispose to the development of the cystitis. There is also the problem of new brides who sometimes suffer from so-called honeymoon cystitis. The bladder wall may become swollen and ulcerated so that the bladder cannot hold the normal amount of urine. Germs may then find their way into the bladder and bring about chemical changes in the urine. Calcium or lime may thus be deposited in the walls of the bladder, increasing the patient’s discomfort.
Cystitis Treatments
At the onset of acute cystitis, it is essential to withhold all solid food immediately. If there is fever, the patient should fast either on water or tender coconut water for three or four days. If there is no fever, raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice diluted with water, should be taken every two or three hours. By so doing the biochemical energy needed for digestion and metabolism of
food is diverted to the process of eliminating toxins and promoting healing and repair. It is advisable to rest and keep warm at this time. Pain can be relieved by immersing the pelvis in hot water or alternatively by applying heat to the abdomen, using a towel wrung out in hot water, covering it with dry towel to retain warmth. Care should be taken to avoid scalding. A little vegetable oil gently rubbed into the skin , will avoid too much reddening. This treatment may be continued for three or four days, by which time the inflammation should have subsided and the temperature returned to normal. For the next two or three days, only ripe sub-acid fruits may be taken three or four times daily. These fruits may include grapes, pears, peaches,apples, and melon, as available. While the hot compresses are intended to relieve pain, the use of cold water compresses to the abdomen is most valuable, if correctly applied, in relieving pelvic congestion and increasing the
activity of the skin. Care should, however, be taken to ensure that compresses do not cause chilling. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. The patient should avoid refined carbohydrates and salt, both at table and in cooking. Salt disturbs the balance of electrolytes and tends to raise blood pressure, which is frequently already raised in kidney troubles. The prescribed dietary should exclude meat, fish and poultry. They produce uric acid. Most cases of food poisoning and infections, which may lead to gastritis and colitis, are also caused by the flesh foods. In case of chronic cystitis, the patient should commence the treatment of strict adherence to the dietary programme, designed to cleanse the blood and other tissues and at the same time provide a rich source of natural vitamins and minerals in balanced proportions. The patient may adopt the following restricted diet for seven to ten days.
Upon arising : A glass of unsweetened apple juice or carrot juice
Breakfast : Fresh fruits, selected mainly from apple, pear, grapes, melon, peach and pineapple and a glass of buttermilk, sweetened with a little honey.
Mid-morning : Tender coconut water.
Lunch : A salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beetroot and cabbage, mixed with curd and a tablespoon of honey. This may be followed by a ripe apple.
Mid-afternoon : One cup of unsweetened grape juice.
Dinner : A salad of green leafy vegetables and a fresh fruit, preferably a portion of melon sweetened with a teaspoon of honey.
Before retiring : One glass of mixed raw carrot and beetroot juice.
After the restricted diet, the patient should gradually embark on a well-balanced diet , consisting of seed, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. Even after the recovery from the chronic condition, it will be advisable for the individual to live exclusively on vegetables or on tender coconut water or raw vegetable juices for a day or two, every month. The water treatment and other health building methods should , however, be continued to the greatest extent possible, so that the patient may stay cured.

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Leucorrhoea

Leucorrhoea, commonly known as whites, refers to a whitish discharge from the female genitals. It is an abnormal condition of the reproductive organs of women. If not treated properly in the initial stages, it may become chronic. Recent investigations have shown that secretions from the uterus and upper part of the vagina flow down and are reabsorbed in the lower parts of the vagina. This is the normal constant flow within the female organs. The whitish discharge is, however, caused by the presence of infection in any of these tissues and a variety of other factors . The condition may continue for weeks or months at a time.
Leucorrhoea Symptoms
In addition to the whitish discharge from the vagina, the patient feels weak and tired. She also suffers from pain in the lumbar region and the calves and a dragging sensation in the abdomen. Other symptoms are constipation, frequent headaches and intense itching. In the chronic form, the patient feels irritable and develops black patches under the eyes.
Leucorrhoea Causes
Leucorrhoea does not develop suddenly in an acute form. It denotes a devitalised and toxic condition of the system generally. The condition also involves one or many parts of the reproductive organs. Whenever the body is loaded with toxins due to wrong dietary habits and the eliminative organs such as skin, bowels, lungs, and kidneys are unable to eliminate the toxins, the body produces a profuse discharge or elimination through the mucous membrane of the uterus and vagina in the form of leucorrhoea. In the case of advanced, chronic inflammatory conditions of these organs, it leads to discharge with pus, offensive in odour and colour varying from cream to yellow or light green. In young girls, leucorrhoeamay occur during the few years before and after the start of the menstrual flow . It may be due to an irritation of the genital organs caused by various factors such as dirt, soiled under garments, intestinal worms and excessive mental stimulation of sex or masturbation. Some excess secretion is normal when the girl reaches puberty, due to overactivity in her sex glands and organs. This usually disappears within a short time. In your women, leucorrhoea may occur during intermenstrual periods, due to thickening of the mucous membrane in the reproductive organs. Such a discharge is associated with painful menstruation and other menstrual disorders. In mature women, a profuse yellowish discharge, associated with burning on urination, may be caused by gonorrhoea. This is a serious infection which should be treated promptly. During the child-bearing years, from adolescence to the mid-forties, the infection may sometimes follow the birth of a child due to damage of the cervix during delivery. This is increased by prolonged ill-health, anxiety, neurosis, sedentary occupation and standing for long periods. If not treated properly, this infection may continue for months or even years and may spread to other areas of the genital tract. Leucorrhoea may also result from a chill. A chill causes inflammation of the womb and vaginal membranes. Other common causes are the displacement of the womb and unhygienic conditions which attract bacteria to the geniral organs.
The Leucorrhoea Cure
A total health-building scheme is essential for the removal of the systemic toxicity which is primarily responsible for the disease. Such a scheme should consist of correct dietary habits, proper sleep, exercise, fresh air and sunshine. To begin with, the patient should fast for three or four days on lemon water or fruit juices for the elimination of the morbid matte from the body. During this period the bowel should be cleansed daily with a warm water enema. In case of habitual constipation, steps should be taken for its eradication. After a short fast, the patient may adopt an all fruit-diet for about a week. In this regimen , she should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple and peaches. If the patient is suffering from anaemia, or is very much
underweight, the diet may consist of fruits and milk. The patient may then gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet consisting of three basic food groups namely (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) fruits and (iii) vegetables. Fresh fruits or fruit juices only should be taken between meals. All forms of white four, white sugar, fried and greasy foods, condiments, preserves, tea and coffee should be avoided.
An effective home remedy for leucorrhoea is lady’s finger. A decoction of this vegetable is prepared by boiling of 100 grams of the fresh capsules, cut transversely, in half a litre of water for 20 minutes and then strained sweetened. This decoction, given in doses of two or three ounces frequently, is highly beneficial in all irritable conditions of genito-urinary organs including leucorrhoea. Fenugreek seeds are another excellent home remedy for leucorrhoea. They should be taken internally in the form of tea and also used as a douche. For a douche, the solution should be much stronger than tea. Two tablespoonful of fenugreek seeds should be put in a litre of cold water and allowed to simmer for half an hour over a low flame. It should then be strained and used as a douche. Treatment through water is extremely beneficial in curing leucorrhoea. A cold hip bath twice a day for 10 minutes will help relieve congestion in the pelvic region and facilitate quick elimination of morbid matter. A warm vaginal douche at 30 o to 40 o C is beneficial to general cleansing and elimination of the purulent discharge. The procedure is to fill the douche can with 1 1/2 litre of warm water and hang it at a level of three feet above the body. The patient should lie with the hips slightly raised above the body and a special nozzle applied for this purpose should be oiled and inserted slowly into the vagina. The flow can be regulated by the small value at the nozzle. In severe cases of leucorrhoea, the douche should be done daily. The passive inflammation of the affected organs can be cured by regular hot hip baths at 40 o C or 10 minutes and regular use of wet girdle pack for 90 minutes every night. For a hot hip bath an ordinary bath tub may be used. It should be filled with water at 40 o C. The patient should sit in the tub, keeping the legs outside, after taking a glass of cold water. The head should be covered with a wet cloth. A cold water bath should be taken after this treatment. For the wet girdle pack, a thin cotton underwear and another thick or woolen underwear are required. The thin underwear should be wrung in cold water and worn by the patient. The thick dry underwear should be worn above the wet underwear. If the patient feels chill, she should be covered with a blanket. Yogasanas, especially those which improve muscles of the abdomen and uterus are highly beneficial and should be practised regularly. These asanas are paschimottanasana, sarvagasana, halasana, padmasana, bhujansana, and shalabhasana. The patient should completely relax and should avoid mental tension and worry. Abdominal exercises and walking are also helpful.

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