Interstitial cystitis (IC) is otherwise known as painful bladder syndrome. In addition to frequency and urgency of urination, people afflicted with IC experience severe pain in the abdominal/bladder area. Nearly 100 years after the condition was first described, IC research and treatments are widespread. As supplements to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medications and lifestyle efforts to control symptoms, herbs, pantry items and food supplements are helpful at-home remedies.
Herbal Tea
Muscle relaxation and soothing of the bladder lining are key to reducing IC symptoms. Tea made from herbs that prevent infection and swelling, such as horsetail or usnea, and from herbs that reduce irritation of the existing lining, such as marshmallow root, can reduce painful flareups. Cold brewed marshmallow root tea can be prepared in advance and used on a regular basis. It is available in natural herbal form and in packaged products marketed for bladder pain relief. Horsetail products may heal irritated bladder lining scars, and usnea provides infection prevention at those irritations.
Baking Soda
Baking soda, directly from the pantry, has many uses in IC symptom control. Drinking a full glass of water that contains 1 tsp. of baking soda reduces acidity of the urine, which can greatly reduce bladder lining irritation---a major source of IC pain. Since baking soda contains sodium, people with IC should ask a doctor before taking baking soda by mouth on a regular basis for this use. Baking soda is also useful as a external soothing agent. Soaking in a bath or sitz bath of warm water and baking soda can reduce abdominal or bladder pain and increase muscle relaxation.
Calcium Citrate
Although Vitamin C is one of the "4-C" irritating substances for people with IC, another C substance can reduce flareup symptoms. Calcium, particularly in the form of calcium citrate, reduces acidity in the urine and prevents pain from acidic substances. This benefit of calcium citrate, available as an over-the-counter calcium supplement or vitamin, is similar to that of Prelief, a marketed acid-neutralizing product for patients with IC, although Prelief may be anti-inflammatory as well. By combining a diet free from most acidic foods that trigger flareups with calcium citrate supplements, bladder pain from food ingestion can be minimized.
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