Other Herbs And Supplements
These herbs and supplements may work for OAB, but they still lack clinical scientific data and studies to support their effectiveness. These herbs and supplements include:
- gosha-jinki-gan, a Chinese herbal blend, which is shown to improve symptoms, but may also cause nausea and diarrhea
- corn silk, no direct study for OAB
- capsaicin, no direct study for OAB
- kohki tea, not yet studied in humans
You can read more about the studies behind these supplements here.
Mind-body treatments may be very helpful for your OAB. The following approaches may ease symptoms as well as help you cope with symptoms.
Urinary Incontinence In Middle Tennessee
If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, overactive bladder syndrome, or enlarged prostate, it may be worth it to try natural supplements. Of course, you need to consult your physician before starting vitamins or supplements, to ensure they will not react with your medications or have any adverse effects. If you live around Nashville, Tennessee our team of expert physicians would love to help. Contact our discreet, dedicated Medical Concierge by phone or private message today.
How Does A Doctor Diagnosis Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
If you suspect you are suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction, it is important you contact your doctor at All Womens Care to discuss your symptoms. A self-diagnosis should never be attempted for this condition. Your doctor will need to assess your medical records and discuss your symptoms with you. After the consultation, they will need to perform a physical exam and determine if there are knots or muscle spasms present. Your muscles will also be checked for signs of weakness.
Muscles and bones of your hips, sacroiliac joint, and lower back sometimes stress the pelvic floor muscles. Your doctor at All Womens Care will check externally and internally to determine if there are any conditions present, such as sacroiliac misalignment or weakness, spasms, or knots.
- Sacroiliac joint
The sacroiliac joints are the connection formed at the sacrum and left and right iliac bones. Your sacrum is the triangle-shaped bone in your lower area of the spine, located under the lumbar spine. The sacroiliac joints connect the pelvis to the spine.
An internal exam may be necessary using a perineometer, which will check for pelvic muscle contractions and pelvic muscle control. This small sensing device is inserted through the vagina or rectum and allows your doctor to detect any abnormalities in your muscle’s control.
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Benefits Of Supplements For Ic
Supplements can have many benefits for IC – they are far less expensive than prescription medication, often have fewer side effects, and can be purchased online or over-the-counter at stores. In general, supplements are not rigorously proven in clinical trials, and the claims on the bottles are not evaluated by any regulatory agency . We’ve included links below to some of the brands we typically recommend to our patients.
As with medication, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach – everyone with IC is unique and responds differently. You may want to try several of the options below and see what works best for your body. Using a symptom log can help you evaluate if the supplement is showing a benefit for you. Finding the right supplement can have significant upside for you, and little downside. As we always say: if it works, keep it if not, discard it!
Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Acupuncture. Some research has suggested that bladder-specific acupuncture may significantly reduce bladder muscle contractions and the urge to use the bathroom.
Biofeedback. Biofeedback is a method that teaches the mind how to control normally automated body functions. Bladder training is a type of biofeedback. Some doctors believe biofeedback and behavioral changes work better than medicines for treating urge incontinence. A combination of biofeedback and medications may work best.
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Can You Stop Bladder Spasms Naturally
There are certain steps you can take to relieve the discomfort of bladder spams, and prevent leaks.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to drink extra water if youre experiencing leaks, this can actually help you in the long run, since concentrated urine can be irritating to your bladder. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure that bladder irritation is kept at bay.
A change in diet may also help relieve bladder spasms if your spasms are being caused by certain foods that you are eating. Keeping a bladder diary for a few days can help identify food or drink triggers.
If youre experiencing discomfort, try using a heating pad to relieve some of the pain from bladder spasms.
If you are experiencing leaks due to bladder spasms, you can also try incorporating pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine. These exercise, known as kegels, can help improve the muscle strength of the pelvic floor, making it easier for you to hold urine until you get to a bathroom when the urge strikes.
And How Can We Best Up Our Magnesium Intake Diet Or Supplements
Leafy greens and nuts are great sources of magnesium, but likely not enough. One tablespoon of almonds has 33 milligrams of magnesium. So you would have to eat more than 20 tablespoons to consume the suggested amount! Thats a lot of almonds.
Fortunately there are many ways to supplement magnesium: oral supplements, magnesium oil , and magnesium flakes which can be diluted in water to make your own magnesium oil or sprinkled in baths. Since oral magnesium supplements can have a laxative effect and are not easily absorbed, applying magnesium topically is a great way to supplement.
Everyday after showering, I spray some magnesium oil on my legs and arms. It absorbs completely before I dress. I consider this a critical part of my daily routine along with dry body brushing and my morning warm lemon cayenne pepper water.
Dont go crazy now! Though it is thought to be impossible to overdose on magnesium, you know what they say about too much of a good thing. Individuals with improperly functioning kidneys may not be able to handle magnesium supplementation and should consult a doctor. It can also cause loose stools. Furthermore, magnesium may interact with certain prescription medications, so be sure to do your homework!
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Asutra Topical Magnesium Chloride Oil Spray 8 Fl Oz
- Ultra pure and effective: our magnesium oil spray is derived directly from the world’s purest natural magnesium chloride, 250 million years in the making. this pure magnesium oil comes from the zechstein seabed in the netherlands.
- Rapid absorption: asutra magnesium oil spray absorbs quickly. our spray is more effective than taking pills orally. your skin will easily absorb it and deliver much-needed magnesium to your bloodstream and cells for fast-acting relief.
- Doctor recommended: the active ingredients in asutra pure zechstein magnesium oil spray have been recommended by doctors to help with collagen production, boost the immune system, increase energy, and regulate bladder function for thousands of patients.
- Feel great – faster: research shows magnesium can ease stress, anxiety, muscle/joint pain, and headaches, and aid in promoting restful sleep. this powerful magnesium oil spray absorbs quickly into your body for maximum relief. same exact formula, re-branded packaging.
- Includes free must-read e-book: as an added bonus, we’ve included a 30 plus page e-book with important information about magnesium and how it can help you live a higher quality of life. the book will be emailed directly after you place your order.
Supplements To Avoid With Interstitial Cystitis
We want to make sure anything we put in our bodies isn’t flaring symptoms, and some supplements can be triggers for IC symptoms and should be avoided. As always, let your symptoms be your guide! In the course, we recommend creating a Symptom Log to track what is – and what isn’t – affecting your symptoms.
Patients often report multi-vitamins irritate their bladder and pelvic pain symptoms. Vitamin C, which is found in almost all multi-vitamins, may be a trigger for many. We also want to avoid any supplements causing constipation, diarrhea or GI issues. These gut health issues can have a major effect on IC symptoms. Probiotics and high amounts of aloe vera can contributing to bowel issues as well.
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Comfort Your Pelvic Area
When youâre experiencing the pain associated with pelvic floor muscle spasm, delivering some much-needed warmth to your pelvic area can soothe the discomfort.
Our perineal soothers can help relax your perineal area prior to dilation or can be used after intercourse to help relax your pelvic floor muscles. The best thing is you can heat them up and pop them in your underwear so you can keep going about your day.
What Are The Specific Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder represents a collection of symptoms that can include:
- Urinary urgency: This is a failure to be able to postpone the need to urinate. When you feel you need to urinate, you have a limited amount of time to get to a bathroom.
- Frequency of urination: People who experience this symptom need to urinate very often. Typically its an increase in the number of times you urinate compared to what you previously experienced.
- Urge incontinence: In this case, there can be a leakage of urine when you get the urge to urinate.
- Nocturia: This symptom is characterized by the need to get up and urinate at least two times each night.
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Fast Facts About Magnesium Deficiency
- Your body absorbs up to 30 percent less magnesium from foods as you age.
- Smoking and alcohol use reduce magnesium levels.
- Processed foods have lower levels of magnesium.
- Many common drugs, such as statins and antacids, reduce magnesium absorption.
- Low vitamin D levels reduce absorption of magnesium.
Magnesium is widely used to treat leg cramps, particularly in Latin America and Europe. But almost all of the many clinical studies of magnesium treatment for cramps found it to be ineffective.
Here are some of the specific study results:
A 2017 study of 94 adults compared whether magnesium oxide capsules were better than a placebo capsule for reducing night cramps. The randomized clinical trial concluded that magnesium oxide supplements are no better than a placebo in reducing cramps.
A 2013 review of seven randomized trials of magnesium for leg cramps found that magnesium therapy doesnt appear to be effective for the general population. The review noted that it may have a small positive effect for pregnant women.
A 2010 assessment by the American Academy of Neurology reported:
- A 2002 study of 58 people using magnesium citrate found no significant improvement in the number of cramps.
- A 1999 study using magnesium sulfate found that it was no better than a placebo in reducing the frequency, severity, or duration of cramps among 42 study participants.
Why Should You Take Magnesium In Supplement Form
Many doctors and nutrition experts recommend supplementing this vital mineral because its commonly used by the body and needs to be replenished, yet most foods only contain trace amounts of it. As such, the average person can typically benefit from magnesium supplementation.
If youve been eating a balanced and highly nutritious diet for a long time, you may not have a magnesium deficiency at all. However, most people who have only recently started to focus on their health havent been making an effort to consume foods that are rich in this often-overlooked mineral.
Its also possible to limit your absorption of magnesium by eating certain foods. Bioavailability the bodys ability to absorb the mineral in a usable form is another factor to consider if youre trying to determine which foods to eat. You could actually be getting more than enough magnesium in your diet, but the food sources that youre getting it from arent making the mineral bioavailable.
The National Institute of Health stated in their National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that the vast majority of Americans arent getting enough magnesium in their daily diets. This doesnt mean that theyre deficient in the sense that their levels are dangerously low, but it means that their diet is in a state of magnesium inadequacy, which puts them at risk for becoming deficient if corrections arent made.
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What Causes Bladder Spasms
There are a number of different causes of bladder spasms. The cramping pain could be due to something as simple as your diet or a medication that you are taking, or it could be associated with changes in blood supply and function of the nerves controlling the bladder.
However, bladder spasms may be the result of an infection or a recent surgery, or they may occur if you have nerve or muscle damage. So it’s important to see a doctor to determine the cause.
In some cases, your doctor may not be able to identify the cause. When this happens, the condition is called idiopathic bladder spasms.
Some common causes of bladder spasms are:
- Urinary tract infection : Bladder pain and burning are a common symptom of a UTI.
- Interstitial cystitis , also called painful bladder syndrome: This condition refers to bladder and urinary pain that is not due to other causes, such as a urinary tract infection. Pain is recurring and often severe.
- Catheter use: A catheter is a thin tube used to drain urine from the body, often after surgery. It is placed into the urethra and up into your bladder. Bladder spasms are a common and sometimes distressing complication of catheter usage.
Nervous System Disorders That Lead To Bladder Spasms
The feeling you get when you need to empty your bladder is normally an involuntary response. The brain signals the bladder muscle when it is time to tighten and release urine. However, certain nervous system disorders cause damage to the nerves that send signals between the brain and the bladder. When this happens, the bladder does not work properly. “Neurogenic bladder” is the general term for bladder problems due to nerve damage.
Nervous system disorders and injury that can cause bladder spasms include:
- Other lower abdominal surgery
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Is Magnesium A Miracle Mineral For Chronic Pain
Nov 2, 2017 | Nutrition |
Do you suffer chronic pain, chronic muscle cramps, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol? Do you know that we supplement our neuropathy and chronic pain patients with magnesium for some very important reasons? Lets talk about how magnesium affects both your general wellness and wellbeing. And, how it also helps with pain and many other problems.
From Carolyn Dean, MD, ND from her book, Magnesium Miracle:
Everything your body does, including repair of injuries and maintenance of good health depends on a series of chemical reactions we call metabolism. And, ALL OF THEM, depend on vitamins and minerals, which act as necessary co-factors.
Some of what Magnesium does for you
- Magnesium is a co-factor and responsible for the function of 325 enzymes. Your body uses enzymes to do many jobs like digestion and building muscles and repairing injuries.
- Mg is an absolute requirement for calcium to be used in building bone
- keeps toxic chemicals out of the brain
- works with calcium to create nerve impulses
- keeps muscles working correctly, including the muscles in your heart and blood vessels
From Mildred Seelig, MD: HMG-CoA reductase is a key enzyme that converts sugar into cholesterol. Magnesium blocks this enzyme. So, higher levels of magnesium reduce cholesterol levels.
You can read more of Dr. Seeligs research findings here: http://www.mgwater.com/seelig.shtml
What happens if your magnesium is too low?
So, how much magnesium do you need?
How The Intervention Might Work
The demonstrated efficacy of IV magnesium to prevent eclamptic seizures , and the neuromuscular suppression which can manifest when high parenteral doses of magnesium are used , both suggest that magnesium could potentially play a role in reducing neuromuscular excitability. Although the mechanism behind skeletal muscle cramps is unclear, if a threshold for depolarization needs to be reached within motor neurons to initiate cramping, anything which conceivably reduces excitability might provide cramp prophylaxis. Hence, if magnesium supplementation were to truly suppress excitable tissue, it might also suppress muscle cramps. This would be consistent with the description of symptoms said to arise from severe magnesium deficiency, which include muscle cramping, though probably as a manifestation of tetany .
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Magnesium And Its Uses
Magnesium is a mineral that is found naturally in the human body. In fact, it has been said that there are over 300 differing, naturally occurring processes in the body that are directly dependent on this mineral.
There are times when the body becomes deficient in this important mineral and adverse effects are noticed.
However, when properly diagnosed and treated these effects can be relieved almost immediately. Magnesium levels have a tendency to deplete faster in certain races and at certain ages.
For example, this is a common affliction in African Americans as well as in the elderly. That being said, many women of all ages and races tend to have trouble maintaining proper levels.
Magnesium is found in high fiber foods but a person must ingest a lot of them in order to see a noticeable change in the levels present in the body.
Linus Pauling Institute Recommendation
The Linus Pauling Institute supports the latest RDA for magnesium intake . Despite magnesium being plentiful in foods, it is considered a shortfall nutrient . Following the Linus Pauling Institute recommendation to take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement might ensure an intake of at least 100 mg/day of magnesium. Few multivitamin/mineral supplements contain more than 100 mg of magnesium due to its bulk. Eating a varied diet that provides green vegetables, whole grains, and nuts daily should provide the rest of an individual’s magnesium requirement.
Older adults
Older adults are less likely than younger adults to consume enough magnesium to meet their needs and should therefore take care to eat magnesium-rich foods in addition to taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement daily . Since older adults are also more likely to have impaired kidney function, they should avoid taking more than 350 mg/day of supplemental magnesium without medical consultation .
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