By Lisa D. Ellis
Mother always knows best, right? This saying certainly holds true—at least when it comes to keeping your body functioning at its best. That’s why many women look to Mother Nature for some of the best remedies to keep their bladder health in check.
Lately, there has been increased attention on the “miracle” properties of a host of natural and herbal substances in fighting female discomforts like an overactive bladder, urinary leakage, and inability to empty the bladder completely. Complicating matters, though, is that the effectiveness of such natural options is often not tested in the same way it would be with more conventional medicines. This raises lots of questions for women in regard to how to take these alternatives safely. Here is a rundown of some of the popular options, along with what to expect.
Q: Why aren’t herbal remedies rigorously tested in the same way as prescription medicines to find out their success rate up front?
A: It can be very time consuming and expensive to perform controlled testing on alternative medicines, and there is little funding available for this area. Therefore, many herbal remedy claims have not substantiated. However, some medical experts do support certain ingredients that help maintain bladder health. Further, women who have tried some natural methods do say that they can make a difference. Always check with your doctor, though, before trying anything yourself.
Q: What is the most popular natural remedy used to maintain bladder health?
A: Pumpkin seed is the natural “treatment of choice” recommended by many doctors. One reason is because this is one of the few alternative remedies that have actually undergone clinical trials to prove that it works. In fact, some of the studies revealed that three out of four women who try this method had significant improvement in bladder symptoms. Further, this method has also been found to be particularly effective for women after menopause.
Q: What other alternatives are worth taking a closer look at?
A: In some people, magnesium has been found to help limit nighttime leakage, while an extract of Saw Palmetto can increase urine flow, allowing you to produce more at one time, and thereby reduce the need to urinate frequently. (However, this also has hormonal effects that can rule out its use in some women, especially those who are breast feeding, pregnant, taking birth control pills, or undergoing hormonal therapy.) Cornsilk can be an effective solution for people who get frequent bladder infections. It reduces the inflammation and can reduce the accompanying urge to urinate. The same has been said of a plant called Cleavers, as well as one called Bromelain, which is derived from a pineapple plant. These are both also known for their anti-inflammatory benefits.
Q: Where can I find these types of natural products?
A: You can look for these alternative remedies in supermarkets that carry organic foods, health food stores, pharmacies, and alternative medicine and nutrition websites.
Q: Is there any risk in trying such natural remedies?
A: Most herbal or natural remedies won’t cause you any harm. However, it is important to keep in mind that not all types of bladder issues will respond to these options. Therefore, always check with your doctor to find out if what you are considering is an appropriate choice for you. Also find out if there are other, more conventional, options that you should try to get the best results. Finally, the experts suggest you never stop taking prescribed medications in order to try alternative methods without first talking to your doctor about your plans and to make sure you won’t have any unexpected side effects and complications.
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