Your bladder is a hollow organ in your pelvis. After you kidneys process fluids, water-soluble wastes are held in your bladder until they are released out of your body as urine. Problems that may arise in your bladder include infection, incontinence, interstitial cystitis and cancer. Certain herbs have an affinity for the bladder and may be helpful in alleviating some bladder problems. For safe and appropriate herbal combinations, forms and dosage, you should consult a botanically trained health care provider, such as a naturopathic physician.
Uva Ursi
Uva ursi, also known by the names bearberry, kinickinick and arbutus, as well as the Latin name Arctostaphylos uva ursi, is a member of the Ericacea, or heath family. It is an evergreen shrub that grows in alpine forests in areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Its flowers are pink or white and the fruit is a shiny red or pink with a sour taste. Uva ursi leaves have historical and modern medicinal uses for urinary tract infections, including in cystitis, or infection of the bladder. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that modern research has discovered the components of uva ursi--including arbutin, hydroquinone, flavonoids and tanins--that are antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and therefore helpful in fighting infection. Uva ursi is most effective when it's used at the first sign of infection. Uva ursi is available as a tea, powder or tincture. Uva ursi should be used for only short periods of time, as higher doses can be harmful to your liver.
Stinging Nettle
Stinging nettle is member of the Urtica genus and the Urticaceae family. The plant derives its name from the fine chemical-containing hairs that line the stem and leaves, which cause irritation when they contact your skin. The root is used to make medicine, and it has a bland taste. Stinging nettle has historical use in medieval Europe as a diuretic and to treat joint pain. Current uses for stinging nettle include hay fever and urinary tract problems. A main application for stinging nettle within the urinary tract is for the early stages of benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, where the prostate is enlarged. BPH occurs in men and causes symptoms of constant urge to urinate, diminished urine flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder and dripping after urination. Stinging nettle also addresses bladder infections, which can occur in both men and women, although they are more common for women.
Horsetail
Horsetail, also called scouring rush, shave grass and Equisetum arvense, is a nonflowering fernlike plant that grows throughout parts of Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America. Horsetail was used in ancient Roman and Greek medicine to stop bleeding, heal ulcers, treat tuberculosis and address kidney ailments. Currently, the stems are an herbal remedy for ailments of the connective tissues and the urinary tract. According to Dr. Jill Stansbury, a naturopathic physician and professor of botanical medicine at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, horsetail treats bladder infections, blood in the urine, cloudy or foul-smelling urine and a tendency toward bladder weakness. Also, those who experience a frequent urge to urinate or adults who have occasional difficulty with wetting the bed may benefit from using horsetail. Horsetail's therapeutic actions may explained, at least in part, by its high silica content, which is thought to repair connective tissues, such as those of the bladder. Horsetail may be taken as a tea, tincture or capsule.
References
- Medline Plus: Bladder Diseases
- "Urinary Materia Medica"; Jill Stansbury, N.D.; National College of Natural Medicine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Uva Ursi
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Stinging Nettle
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Horsetail
