Urinary tract infections are usually treated with antibiotics, but prolonged use of antibiotics may lead to several health problems. Ayurveda is believed to a safer and more effective treatment than antibiotics.
According to Ayurveda, the underlying cause of UTIs are triggered by an imbalance within pitta dosha. Ayurveda offers guidelines to balance pitta dosha and strengthen the urinary tract in order to avoid recurring infections. First understanding and removing the cause begins the healing process.
Having a suppressed immune system or chronic health condition can make you more prone to recurring infections, including UTIs. Diabetes increases your risk for a UTI, as does having certain autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases and kidney or bladder stones and chronic stress!!!
Main factors that aggravate pitta dosha and contribute to UTIs are:
- Eating foods that are too hot, sour, or spicy
- Drinking alcohol
- Suppressing the urge to urinate
- Habitually retaining urine in the bladder for long periods of time
- Exposure to extreme heat, and overexposure to sunlight
- Emotions of anger, impatience, jealousy
- Environmental factors such as working with fire, chemicals, or toxic fumes
- Not drinking enough water
- Plus Age & general injury! Problems in the urinary tract can be caused by ageing, illness, congenital disorders or injury. With age, changes in the kidneys’ structure and function can lead to reduced ability to remove waste from the blood. If the muscles in the ureters, bladder and urethra are not well exercised, they can tend to lose some of their strength. If the bladder muscles do not tighten enough to empty your bladder completely, it may lead to infection. A decrease in the strength of muscles of the sphincters and pelvis can also cause incontinence, the unwanted leakage of urine.
Herbal medicines used for treating UTIs
Ayurveda provides the benefits of some important herbal medicines that can be used for treating UTIs.
Gokshur (TribullusTerestris): Great importance in treating UTIs. Helps in reducing inflammation, swelling at the urethra and bladder. Acts as a diuretic and aphrodisiac and balance your kidneys.
Punarnava (Boervia diffusa): Helps in rejuvenating the whole body. Has diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Reduces urea and creatinine levels in the blood. It also helps in reducing kidney stones.
Varun (crateva Nurvula): Blood purifier and maintains homeostasis. Has a diuretic property and increases urine flow. It also helps in reducing benign prostatic hypertrophy in males.
Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia): Helps in increasing immunity. Moreover, you will also be shocked to know that it also helps in reducing fever and painful urination-like symptoms.
Bangshil: Helps to cure genito- urinary tract infection. Acts as an antiseptic and antibacterial along with aiding in the treatment of mild prostatomegaly, urethritis, vaginitis, and pyelonephritis.
Other than these there are some more medicines like shatavari, yashtimadhu, pushanbhed, Darbh, Kush Kash which help in treating urinary tract problems. Also, certain Ayurvedic medicinal preparations like chandraprabhavati, Varunadikwath will be of great use.
Coriander and cumin seeds water and black raisin water can also be used to reduce UTI symptoms.
Lifestyle changes to improve UTI
Besides herbal medicines, Ayurvedic treatment for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) include lifestyle modifications.
Reduce hot spicy oily food, drink plenty of water, eat seasonal fruits, use pink Himalayan salt, use barley water to drink, limit exposure to heat and don’t hold urination urge and cultivate emotions of peace and contentment.
Yoga
Yogasanas like Gomukhasan, Pawanmuktasan, Viparitkarni mudra, Moolbandh and pranayama can be helpful in strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and improve UTI.
Include yoga poses that target the kidney and abdominal area such as Cobra (Bhjangasana), Bridge (Setu Bhanda Sarvagasana), and Bow (Dhanurasana) pose. These help to massage and tone the kidneys and improve the function of genito-urinary organs.
Pranayama
Sheetali is a cooling pranayama or breathing exercise that is effective in reducing excess heat in the body. Sheetali also helps dispel emotions of anger and frustration. It is a practice that brings tranquility and contentment to the mind.
- Sit comfortably, with spine long and in alignment.
- Curl the sides of the tongue up so that they touch each other.
- Close the lips around the tongue, forming a circle.
- Begin to slowing inhale air through the “straw” which is the tongue.
- At the top of the inhalation, release the tongue and close the mouth.
- Exhale out through the nose.
- Continue for up to 10 rounds of breath.
- Sit calmly and notice the cooling effect of this pranayama.
Ayurveda offers the healing tools of self-care – diet, lifestyle, herbs, yoga, and pranayama to support a healthy urinary tract and bring balance to the body.
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