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Ayurveda And Urinary Tract Infections: Herbal Medicines That Can Help Reduce UTI Symptoms

Ayurveda And Urinary Tract Infections: Herbal Medicines That Can Help Reduce UTI Symptoms
These herbs should be used under the guidance of registered Ayurveda practitioners.

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.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori |Updated : May 18, 2021 3:51 PM IST

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) can be described as an infection in any part of one's urinary system that consists of the kidneys, ureters, urethra, and the bladder. It is caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Most UTIS (70-95%) are caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) that enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. Usually, UTIs involve the lower urinary tract the bladder and the urethra and women are at greater risk than men. Typically, urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotics. But prolonged use of antibiotics is known to cause several health problems like indigestion, mouth ulcers, kidney damage, diabetes, breathlessness, and weakened immunity. Looking for a safer and more effective treatment than antibiotics? Go Ayurveda way!

Dr. Pooja Bhingarde, Ayurveda Consultant, Vedicure Healthcare And Wellness, Mumbai, Maharashtra explains how a UTI can be managed with the help of Ayurveda.

Causes and symptoms of UTIs

According to Ayurveda, UTIs are mainly due to an imbalance of pitta dosha in the body. Causative agents for this are eating food that is too hot, too spicy and sour, drinking alcohol, suppressing usage of urination i.e., mutravegdharan, retaining urine for a longer time, overexposure to heat, not drinking enough water, environmental factors like toxins/chemical contact.

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Common signs and symptoms of UTI include burning micturition, cloudy white /bloody urine, frequent urination, fever, incomplete urination. As per Ayurveda, UTIs are discussed under a term called 'Mutrakrichha.'

Herbal medicines used for treating UTIs

Dr. Pooja 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.

Note: Dr. Pooja cautions that these medicines should be used under the guidance of registered Ayurveda practitioners.

Lifestyle changes to improve UTI

Besides these herbal medicines, Ayurvedic treatment for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) include lifestyle modifications. Dr. Pooja suggests some lifestyle changes to improve UTI:

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.

Yogasanas like Gomukhasan, Pawanmuktasan, Viparitkarni mudra, Moolbandh and pranayama can be helpful in strengthening the pelvic floor muscles and improve UTI.

According to Dr. Pooja, coriander and cumin seeds water and black raisin water can also be used to reduce UTI symptoms.