IMPORTANT
Unless otherwise stated on the package, most supplements and herbal remedies aren’t suitable for children under 12.
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Non-Specific Urethritis

What you need to know:

If you think you have a urinary infection, you must see a doctor. Some can only be treated effectively with antibiotics.
Most women will get the occasional episode, however, but if it’s a regular problem you must take steps to prevent and treat.

The most useful Herbs:

  • Uva ursa
  • Goldenseal
Both of them as tea or extracts - but not if you’re pregnant


The most useful Supplements:

  • Vitamin C
  • Bioflavonoids
  • Potassium citrate
  • Zinc
  • Vitamin A - but not if you are, or think you might be, pregnant
Nutritional and lifestyle changes could be a key factor for this condition. Local trauma can make tissues more susceptible to infection. If necessary, use a lubricant before sex and always go to the loo as soon as decently possible afterwards. The latex in condoms can be a local allergen, so try the newer varieties made from inert plastics, like Avanti made by Durex.

Avoid irritant soaps, bath and shower gels, and add a few drops of Tea tree oil to the bath.

Dietary changes that may be beneficial:

Some essential dietary changes:
  • Drink at least 2 litres of fluid every day, including 250ml of unsweetened cranberry juice - always dilute 50/50 with water because it may be too acidic
  • Drastically cut down on sugar and refined carbohydrates
  • Don’t drink coffee, and stick to green or weak Indian tea
  • Dilute all juices 50/50 with water and avoid any foods you know may be allergic to
  • Eat plenty of the diuretic foods - celery, Parsley, Dandelion leaves - and make sure you take some of your fluid as home-made lemon barley water to relieve the burning and prevent the growth of bacteria. The commercial drinks, delicious though they are, do contain chemicals which could be irritant.

    If you have cyctisis, it’s safer to make your own by:

  • Pouring 1 litre of boiling water over 75 g of washed barley
  • Adding the grated rind and juice of an unwaxed lemon
  • Adding half a tspn of sugar
  • Leaving it to cool and drinking a glass three times a day

Other useful advice:

It’s also important to :
  • Wear cotton pants
  • Wherever possible, avoid tights unless they have a cotton gusset
  • Don’t wear tight jeans
Friction is also a cause of this condition, so during acute episodes you may need to give up sports like cycling or riding horses.

Cystitis may also be aggravated by stress, so any form of relaxation helps - try meditation, bio-feedback, Aromatherapy.

Avoid all coloured toilet paper as the dyes may be irritant. From the earliest age, all girls should be taught to wipe their bottoms from front to back, using fresh paper for each wipe to prevent spreading bacteria from the anus to the urethra.

It’s also essential to pass urine as soon as you feel the need to. Delay may cause pressure in the bladder and force infected urine back into the kidneys, resulting in serious kidney infection.

Recurrent cystitis often goes together with thrush.
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This information is licensed for use by Wellbeing Information Systems Ltd ("WIS"), and protected by international copyright law. All rights are reserved. (email info@wisinfo.co.uk).
The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.