How Is Aromatherapy Used
Aromatherapy uses quality essential oils that are cold-pressed or steam-distilled from plants to support your mind and your body, according to the National Cancer Institute. The oils can come from a plants leaves, bark, or peel. Different plants have different oils that have varying effects on the mind and the body.
Essential oils can be inhaled, massaged into the body, rubbed onto the skin, or put in a bath. If you do rub them directly onto your skin, youll want to dilute them in a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil , almond oil, or avocado oil.
Using essential oils if you are prone to UTIs can support your body and help you feel better, Chesla says.
Botanicals Used For Uti
Supplement of aqueous extract of corn silk to UTI patients significantly reduced the symptoms by reducing the number of RBCs, pus cells, and crystals in urine without any side effects . It is rich in diverse therapeutic compounds . Plants belonging to family Apiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae followed by Asteraceae and Cucurbitaceae were found to be very effective against UTI . Ethnomedicinal use of some plants against recurrent and chronic UTI is listed in Table .
Table 1 Directory of some important ethnomedicinal plants/plant parts used for UTI
Using Essential Oils As Prescribed By Your Doctor
Remember, consult your doctor first before making any health decision. Many people have found success with essential oils to treat Urinary Tract Infections but every single person is unique and subject to react negatively to essential oils.
Also, you don’t necessarily have to shun modern medicine when using essential oils to treat your UTI. The good news is that many of the essential oils that are effective for getting rid of UTIs are just as or even more effective when they are taken in conjunction with prescribed antibiotics.
That means that you can use natural oils to make the antibiotics that your doctor prescribes for you even more effective. Be sure to research and apply the necessary application or ingestion method for your chosen essential oil before use.
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Other Uti Treatment Options
Antibiotics are usually the first line treatment for UTIs. While the prescription takes time to set in, some complementary home remedies may help with UTI pain and discomfort. These include:
- Drinking plenty of water. This will make you have to pee more, which can help flush the bacteria from your urinary tract.
- Avoiding alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and anything with citrus juice. These can irritate the bladder, making you feel the need to urinate more often.
- Applying a warm heating pad to your abdomen to ease bladder pressure and discomfort.
Review Of Oil Of Oregano Products: Which One To Buy
1. Food grade.
Make sure to take a food-grade oil of oregano as many of the aromatherapy versions are NOT safe to eat.
2. High Carvacrol content.
Another thing to look for in your oil of oregano is the percentage of carvacrol. While carvacrol is not the only source of oreganos effect, it remains a significant part. There is some controversy over how much is ideal, but generally, the oil should have between 60% to 80% carvacrol.
3. Low thymol content.
Also, be aware that high levels of thymol are toxic. Make sure that your oil has low amounts of thymol, at doses higher than 5% can cause neurological side effects.
4. Made in Greece.
Oregano is grown throughout the world, but high-quality Oregano oil generally comes from the Mediterranean region, especially Greece.
Generally, studies have tested the Greek wild oregano . There are many other varieties of oregano, however, the scientists consistently choose Greek Oregano Oil for their experiments.
It can take fifty pounds of oregano leaves to extract a meaningful amount of the oil with its infection-fighting compounds, thats why its quite pricey.
The following two options check off all three parameters: food-grade, high Carvacrol, made in Greece:
Remember that pure essential oil of oregano is potent and can burn the skin or mucous membranes, so never take it undiluted.
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What The Cranberry Research Tells Us
There are numerous studies into the effectiveness of cranberry as a UTI home remedy. At least two of these studies have been funded by cranberry beverage brands, which raises questions over potential bias.
Even so, we have included one of these studies in the list, and you can read it if you so desire.
Cranberry studies:
*This study was funded by Ocean Spray
What was tested:
- Whether drinking cranberry juice decreases the chances of a recurrence of UTI.
- Evaluation of cranberry juice/concentrate, cranberry tablets and capsules when used to prevent urinary tract infections.
- The effectiveness of cranberry capsules on the presence of bacteria and white blood cells in the urine over a period of 1 year.
What was found:
- Although some small studies demonstrated a small benefit for recurrent UTIs, this was negated when larger studies were included.
- Many participants dropped out of trials because consuming cranberry products over long periods was undesirable.
- Cranberry capsules did not have a significant effect on the presence of bacteria or white blood cells in the urine of older females living in nursing homes.
- Drinking cranberry juice twice daily did not decrease the incidence of a second UTI among otherwise healthy college age females with an acute UTI.
What you need to know about cranberry:
Summary on cranberry for UTI:
As far as UTI home remedies go, this one has little to back it.
Diagnostic Tests To Rule Out Cat Uti
A urinalysis must be done as the first step for ruling out whether your cat has a bacterial infection thats causing the urinary symptoms like commonly peeing outside the litter box.
You should never just put your cat on an antibiotic since stress cystitis is the number one reason for cat urinary problems.
Other diagnostic tests your veterinarian may recommend include bladder ultrasound to rule out sludge and bladder stones, an abdominal radiograph to rule out bladder and kidney stones, and a urine culture.
A urine culture is very helpful to make sure the right antibiotics are used if your cat has bacteria in its urine on the urinalysis. Antibiotic resistance is, unfortunately, becoming a bigger issue and many commonly used antibiotics are not working as well.
Doing this test will speed up treatment and help your cat feel better, usually meaning less vet visits and expenses in the long term.
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Peppermint Essential Oil Good For Digestion
Peppermint essential oil is known for its various benefits to the digestive system. To start with, it has carminative properties and can help expel gas from the body, along with providing relief from the symptoms of gas like abdominal cramps, headaches, chest pain, bloating, indigestion, and flatulence.
You can use peppermint oil to treat a number of stomach issues like motion sickness, nausea, upset stomachs, along with low appetites.
Peppermint essential oil can be combined with caraway oil in order to treat heart burn. It smoothens out the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract and can be used as an effective remedy for irritable bowel syndrome, which is basically a combination of discomfort in the abdomen and pain.
More Natural Pet Health Information
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*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor. Dr. Katie Woodley cannot answer specific questions about your pets medical issues or make medical recommendations for your pet without first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Links in the blog are typically affiliate links that let you help support us.
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Frankincense Essential Oil For Uti
Extracted from the resin of the olibanum trees, the Frankincense Essential Oil for UTI is one of the most opted for essential oils for the treatment of the infection. This is mainly because of the fact that this specific essential oil has healing properties in it.
If you are treating UTI with essential oils, using Frankincense Oil can actually help in cleaning up and detoxifying the entirety of the urinary tract, thus aiding in keeping the infection from getting worse and affecting the system further.
Essential Oils That Can Be Beneficial For The Kidneys
Essential oils that have a particular affinity with the kidneys include:
- Diuretic oils to increase flow of urine such as: Fennel, Cypress and Rosemary
- Antiseptic oils : Sandalwood, Juniper, Geranium, Cypress, Cedarwood and Chamomile
- Calming confidence boosting oils: Chamomile, Thyme, Juniper, Cypress
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Water Is Your Best Friend
When you first notice burning when you use the restroom, its tempting to reduce your water intake. After all, that will prevent the pain, right?
Wrong.
It seems counter-intuitive, but you need to flush out your system. You should drink plenty of water to help your body remove the E. Coli. Dont overdo it, but drink as much water as possible in those crucial first 24 hours.
Peppermint Oil Health Benefits Uses And Its Side Effects
Peppermint essential oil offers a ton of health benefits that have been studied and confirmed by scientists. It can significantly improve your digestive system. It is used to improve oral hygiene and is also very good for your skin and hair.
To prevent headaches start using pepperming oil as it has a cooling effect. It is used to relieve pain all over the body. It can be used to relieve stress and anxiety as well, and is known for its antispasmodic properties which help prevent spasms all over the body.
Peppermint essential oil is known for aiding respiration and circulation and can also boost your immune system. It can also be used to treat a number of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections and is effective against urinary tract infections as well. Some studies have shown that peppermint essential oil can also be used to treat and control the number of herpes outbreaks.
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The Best Essential Oil Blends To Prevent Utis
If youre wondering how to use essential oils for UTIs, the best approach is to apply them to the areas of your body most affected, Chesla says.
People prone to recurrent UTIs can try to stave them off by applying a blend of oils to the skin of their lower abdomen and lower back, she says. Youll want to mix the oils into a carrier oil before you do this.
The blend Chesla recommends are a few drops, in equal parts, of the essential oils cypress , juniper berry , and cedarwood . The cypress and juniper berry help to move fluid through your system, while the cedarwood helps kill germs. Rub a small amount of the blend onto your lower abdomen and lower back twice each day, in the morning when you wake up and two hours before bed.
Consider This Before You Try A Home Remedy
Not knowing if or how something works comes with a set of problems you shouldnt ignore:
Studies into natural remedies is an area that requires urgent attention. We need answers to these questions.
There is plenty of evidence that some herbal compounds can be as or more effective than antibiotics in certain cases, but we dont know if they work the same way on pathogens in the urinary tract.
If you use UTI home remedies, or are considering trying something, it pays to do a little research so you can make a more informed decision about what youre putting into your body.
Although studies are lacking, you can often find helpful information online if you look in the right places. Well provide a few tips on what to look for below. But first, let us do some of the work for you.
You can also learn more about non-antibiotic UTI remedies that may help, in our expert video series.
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Use Peppermint Oil For Head Massage & Headache Relief
Peppermint essential oil is known for fighting headaches. It can be applied topically onto the forehead when you experience the pain. Inhaling it can cure motion sickness and nausea as well, and these sometimes contribute to getting headaches. Since oil of peppermint oil has both, cooling and anti-inflammatory properties, it can cure migraines within 15 minutes and is a good alternative to using pills.
Cats Are Obligate Carnivores And Have No Physiological Requirement For Carbohydrates Which Are Kibble Diet
Your veterinarian may recommend special prescription diets to help dissolve the stones, but make sure to continue reading for other natural remedies to help your cats crystal issue if this is occurring, because many of these diets are kibble which is a root cause for your cats urine problems in the first place.
The crystals and inflammatory changes are what can lead to sludgy debris that can lead to a urinary obstruction, especially in male cats whose urethras are not as wide as a females urethra.
So if youre seeing your cat, especially male cat, go in and out of the litter box but not product any urine or very little urine, this is a symptom of a urinary tract infection and urinary blockage.
You must go to the vet right away since this is an emergency.
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How To Prevent Cat Utis
Ensure adequate hydration
This can be done with a switch to a higher moisture diet like canned food, homemade diets, or raw diets that naturally have more moisture content than a kibble diet.
Other ways to help include getting a water fountain, adding tuna water or broth to the food, or even just adding plain water to canned or raw food diets.
Use canned cat food or a raw food diet
Changing your cat to a species-appropriate diet is essential to fixing the problem since food tends to be the root cause of the problem.
Remember high carb diets tend to cause the urine pH to raise, leading to crystal and stone formation.
Reduce stress
Stress causes inflammation in the body long-term if its not managed.
Simple ways to reduce stress for cats are to make sure they have a quiet room to themselves away from the noise and activity of the rest of the household.
In this space, make sure they have a place to hide if needed, comfortable bedding, scratching post, water, and a litter tray if needed.
Also, make sure you have enough litter trays in the household. Ideally, you want 1 + the number of cats that you have.
For example, if you have 2 cats, youll want 3 litter trays. And make sure to clean them every day since cats can stop using them if they are not clean enough.
If your cat is prone to stress cystitis, make sure to get calming products for them.
To learn more about CBD, .
What The Wild Oregano Oil Research Tells Us
Although wild oregano oil has demonstrated strong antibacterial and antifungal properties, there have been no studies in humans to evaluate its effectiveness for the treatment or prevention of UTI.
Wild Oregano Oil studies:
- The antibacterial activity of wild oregano oil.
- The activity of carvacrol against biofilm development.
- The antimicrobial and antifungal activity of carvacrol bearing essential oils.
- Wild oregano oil as an alternative antimicrobial agent against vaginal infections.
- The antifungal activity of wild oregano oil as compared to the most common antifungal drugs.
What was found:
In vitro
- Oregano oil was active against all tested strains of E.coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but strains of E.coli were more sensitive to the oil.
- Carvacrol was demonstrated to be effective against the usual biofilm development in S. aureus and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, S. epidermis bacteria and candida species
- Escherichia coli 1, E. coli 2, Staphylococcus aureus 3 and Candida albicans isolated from vaginal infections were found to be susceptible to wild oregano oil.
- Wild oregano oil displayed greater antifungal activity than the most common antifungal drugs against Candida albicans.
In vivo
- When placed in the ear canal of rats, Carvacrol effectively treated infections of the middle ear caused by pneumococci or Hemophilus Influenza.
- Oral candidiasis in immunosuppressed rats disappeared completely from the tongue mucosa in the animals treated with carvacrol.
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What The Probiotics Research Tells Us
Given the close relationship between vaginal flora and UTI, studies often cover both and you will note this in the results below. Studies have focussed on evaluating the use of oral probiotics, as well as probiotic vaginal pessaries, with some very promising results.
Probiotics studies:
- The effectiveness of different strains of probiotics on vaginal health
- Whether different strains of probiotics reduce the recurrence of UTI
- A comparison of the effectiveness of oral and vaginal probiotics
What was found:
- Specific Lactobacilli strains may prevent adherence, growth, and formation of uropathogenic bacteria.
- The use of vaginal pessaries with Lactobacillus crispatus in premenopausal females was associated with a significant reduction in recurrent UTI.
- Oral capsules with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus reuteri in postmenopausal females are promising.
- Probiotics containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus fermentum were shown to normalize the vaginal flora, reduce recurrence of UTI, and may be a possible long-term therapy for pregnant females and those susceptible to UTI.
- Insertion of Lactobacilli into the vagina provides a better cure rate than using an antibiotic alone.
- For some females, up to 77%, episodes of recurrent UTI may be reduced for at least one year after discontinuing use of vaginal probiotics.
- In vitro studies have shown that Lactobacillus strains can disrupt bacterial vaginosis and yeast biofilms and inhibit the growth of urogenital pathogens.