Essential Oils for UTI
If you’ve ever had a UTI, you know exactly how much of a pain it can be. From the constant need to scan the room, making sure you know exactly where the closest bathroom is, or the frustration knowing you’ll be back in a few minutes. Let’s not even talk about the pain.
Do you have an urgent need to urinate, but end up eliminating only a bit of urine? Do you feel a burning sensation while passing urine? If this is the case, you are most probably suffering from a UTI, or urinary tract information.
It’s also called a bladder infection or cystitis, and is triggered when bacteria enter and multiplies in the urinary system. This has to be treated immediately. If left untreated; the bacteria may travel to the kidneys and trigger a more severe infection called pyelonephritis.
Don’t worry. You are not the only one suffering from the condition as UTI affects a large amount of the population. It’s, in fact, a very common bacterial infection in women, sometimes occurring more frequently than the common cold!
While it is not dangerous, it’s uncomfortable as you get frequent urges to urinate. This is usually accompanied by lower abdominal pain, fever, chills and in some cases, even blood in the urine.
Escherichia coli or E. coli is the bacteria responsible for a bladder infection and is also the same organisms needed for proper digestion. While it is usually found in the intestines and bowels, it’s when it moves to the bladder that it feeds on urine and multiplies to start a UTI.
Types of people prone to cystitis
While anyone can suffer from an infection, some people have a higher chance of getting infected:
- Women are more prone to suffering from bladder infections because of their natural anatomy. Their shorter urethra makes it much easier for bacteria to reach the bladder.
- People with diabetes are more susceptible to the condition because of their altered body defense systems.
- People who have blocked urinary tracts, due to perhaps a kidney stone are more likely to suffer from an infection.
- Men having an enlarged prostate are also more prone to the disease as their prostate blocks urine flow.
- Those who have had a catheter placed in their bladder for a long time are at a higher risk of suffering from the infection. This may result in the bladder getting infected by the bacteria in the catheter.
- Pregnant women are more likely to get UTIs, which may lead to complications if the bacteria travels to the kidney. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have an infection to avoid problems like high blood pressure and a possible premature delivery.
Children are also at risk
Though not so often, children, especially girls aged 4 to 8 are more likely to suffer from cystitis than boys. Even infants with urinary tract abnormalities are at a higher risk of getting an infection.
Since children often can not recognize the symptoms of an infection, parents should look out for signs like low fever, crying due to the burning sensation, cloudy and smelly urine, or sudden day or night wetting in a child who is normally dry.
Antibiotics and UTI
Most doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections. This is pretty standard.
While antibiotics do help, they do not selectively destroy bacteria. This means that there is a chance of the antibiotics killing both good and bad bacteria.
This isn’t healthy as your body takes years to recover from all the lost antibiotics, and to rebuild beneficial gut flora. In the meantime, a deficit of good gut flora can lead to an increased susceptibility to infections, weakened body immunity, and mood disorders.
Taking too many antibiotics to treat recurring urinary tract infections may lead to mutated bacteria and superbugs. While your doctor isn’t wrong, why go through all this trouble if there are safer, natural remedies for treating cystitis like essential oils.
How essential oils can provide UTI relief
Essential oils have therapeutic properties to treat various conditions, including bladder infections. They help improve your body immunity levels, reduce the amount of fluid retention in the body, helps eliminate toxins from the body, and has various antibacterial, antiseptic, and antifungal properties.
1. Eucalyptus essential oil
The lemon-scented variety of eucalyptus oil may help naturally treat bladder infections with its soothing and healing properties. It can also be used for treating thrush, which is a side effect of taking antibiotics for UTI.
Application: Just mix 2-3 drops of the oil with a carrier oil, or other essential oils used for treating cystitis, and apply to the bladder region. Keep on massaging till symptoms reduce.
2. Tea tree essential oil
How to use: Fill a stiz bath tub or any large tub quarter way with hot water. Then mix half cup of salt, a tablespoon of coconut oil and 3 drops of tea tree oil to the hot water. Remove your clothes and sit in the bath till you get relief.
3. Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil is not only soothing and calming in nature, but also has antibacterial properties. This adds to its natural management of various urinary tract infections.
To use: Mix 5-10 drops of lavender oil to ¼ cup castor oil and massage over the bladder region.
4. Rosewood essential oil
Rosewood essential oil can be used individually or with other oils like lavender or cajeput essential oils for relief from the infection.
Uses: Gently massage over the bladder region for relief.
5. Myrrh essential oil
Best use: Mix 5 drops oregano oil with 10 drops each of clove and myrrh oils and pour the mixture into a roller bottle. Rolling the blend to your feet before sleeping, and wearing sock helps target and treat the urinary system area and gives relief.
Prevention tips
Besides using the best essential oils for urinary tract infections, you can also prevent its recurrence by drinking at least eight glasses of water a day, not holding your bladder when you need to pee, and taking probiotics, like yogurt and fermented foods for improved body immunity.
