Dr. Kamlesh Shah

Urinary tract infection is a type of infection that occurs in the urinary tract of the body. This disorder tends to occur more in women than men as the length of the urethra is shorter in women, thus increasing chances of this infection. The most common cause of urinary tract infections is the E. Coli bacteria, especially in the lower part of the urinary tract consisting of the urethra and the bladder.

Homeopathy adopts a holistic approach to urinary tract infections, the remedies aim to treat the underlying causes of the infection. The treatments are free from any side effect and have a beneficial impact on your overall wellbeing. Before prescribing a remedy, the practitioner diagnoses by asking about your medical history, work habits and your mental health. Based on a thorough diagnosis, remedies will be prescribed.

Some of these homeopathic remedies to treat UTIs include: 

1. Apis: Apis is recommended if you have symptoms such as experiencing a burning feeling after urination and less urine. You may have swelling around the eyes and also may not experience much thirst. The condition tends to worsen in hot weather conditions.
2. Cantharis: Cantharis is recommended if you experience constant urges to urinate; however, the amount of urine may be very low. Apart from this, you might also experience intense pain while urinating along with traces of blood in the urine. Back pain is another complication that occurs along with the above mentioned symptoms.
3. Sarsaparilla: This remedy is recommended when you experience pain in the lower abdomen and the back. Your urine may also contain blood and sediments.
4. Benzoic acid: In case your urine has a strong odor, benzoic acid may be the recommended remedy. It is also used to treat pain in the urethra which flares up when you are not urinating.
5. Staphysagria: This remedy is used when UTIs develop as a result of any sexual activity. You may experience a constant urge to urinate and feel pressure in the bladder. Prostatic enlargements which cause infections in the urinary tract can also be treated using this remedy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a homeopathy and ask a free question.

The urethra is a thin tube that is responsible for carrying urine from the bladder. The urethra is wide enough to facilitate a free flow of urine. However, in some cases, the tube can narrow down and it can restrict urinary flow. This condition is known as a urethral stricture. It is a condition that affects mostly men.

Causes:
The inflammation of the tubular tissues or the presence of scar tissue is the number one cause for urethral stricture. In some cases, an accident or the injury to the groin area can also lead to the formation of such thin tubes. The other factors can include pelvic fractures, radiation, urinary infection and in some cases even STDs(Sexually Transmitted Disease).

Symptoms:
Most of the symptoms of Urethral stricture are mild. Only in some rare cases, the symptoms can be extreme. These can include weak or restricted urine flow, frequent urges to urinate, and feeling of heaviness in the bladder, a burning sensation during urination, swelling and pain while urinating. Sometimes your urine may discharge volts of blood and the color of urine may change.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis is by a physical examination and by analyzing the urine samples. In most of the cases, the thickness of the walls is measured by cystoscopy. The rate of the urine passed may also be checked for identifying the symptoms.

Treatment:
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Nonsurgical methods aim to improve the width of the urethra. This is done by using an instrument called a dilator. This is done as an outpatient procedure. This procedure is the most common method done and is done for most of the milder cases. Surgery is another option. The surgery aims to remove the heaviness of the urethra and enlarges the size of the flow.

Urine Flow Diversion:
This is done in extremely rare cases if the bladder has to be completely removed. In those cases, hole in the abdomen is done and urine is bypassed to that hole. However, this is an extremely rare scenario.

Prevention:
Try to avoid injuries in the groin area. If you are playing sports or a fitness enthusiast, use proper protection for your abdominal and groin regions. Try to always have safe sex and if you feel that there is some discomfort or some uneasiness while passing urine, do consult with a doctor immediately. In many cases, the condition can be avoided if proper precautions are taken.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The structure responsible for production, transportation, storage and excretion of urine form the urinary tract. Kidney, ureters, bladder and urethra are structures involved in urine formation and excretion process. Kidney filters nearly 3 ounces of blood, removes waste materials every minute. When these get infected with entry of any micro organism or any other pathological condition, then the person gets urinary tract infection (UTI).

Causes and symptoms
Urinary tract infections are more common in women than men because of the small size of the urethra (4cms) and also because of the squatting position of voiding. Entry of organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi are the major cause of UTI. The person may experience burning sensation and pain when voiding, fever is indicated when the infection has reached the kidneys or prostate glands in male. Other symptoms include pain in back, ribs, nausea and vomiting.

Preventive measures
Though antibiotics are used to treat the present infection there are increased chance of getting the recurrent infection. So it is best advised to follow the preventive measures to stay away safely from getting infected.

1. Drink plenty of water nearly 2- 3litres of water per day and urinate when you feel the need , don’t control or resist voiding when you feel the urge as this may give room for the organisms to grow well
2. Urinate after sexual intercourse. change the birth control measures if UTI is a recurrent problem
3. Wash front to back, wipe off thoroughly after emptying the bladder so as to prevent the entry of organisms into the urethra.
4. Avoid wearing tight fitting clothes. Always prefer cotton inner garments and loose fitting clothes so that air entry keeps the area moist and free from bacteria.
5. Cranberry juice works best and it is the natural treatment for bladder infections. Cranberries have a special substance that can avoid the entry of E.coli into the bladder, but it does not have much effect on recurrent UTI infections. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a nephrologist.