Top Natural Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis Relief

I want to say thank you for this idea. I have been battleing urinary issues since just before Thanksgiving. These issues include constant burning, pressure and really bad spasms. Tests continue to be negative for infection. I've been on antibiotic off and on the whole time and __viaz for about a month, still no relief. Pain so bad at time I can't get out of bed, sleep in a recliner with pillows between my legs and have been off work for over a month. Running to the bathroom 30 or 40 times a day and 8-12 times at night has foreced me to hybernate. I started using the half perioxide half apple cider douche 3 days ago and drinking lemon juice with honey also and feel like a new person. Only getting up 1-2 times at night is awesome and I no longer feel the spasms or my bladder hardening. I quit taking my scripts yesterday and can not wait to go back in next week and find out the results of my scope and udi test. But am so thankful you shared this remedy.

I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis more than 2 years ago and it's been excruciating. Having been told there is no cure, and after many painful and expensive treatments I had to be my own health care advocate. A couple of months ago I began to douche 2x a day... Morning and afternoon... Using equal parts apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. (Do NOT douche in the evening or the hydrogen peroxide will keep you from sleeping. ) Within 4 days, the constant urge to urinate was completely GONE and I was able to discontinue the Flo*** I was taking to help me urinate. After the second week, I was able to discontinue taking El***** because all my symptoms of I. C. disappeared! My doctor is utterly amazed and telling his other I. C. Patients. I am able to eat anything I want (with the exception of beets and hibiscus tea) without fear of a flare up. I have my life back!!!! Amazing that the help I needed was under my roof the whole time. I am still douching 2x a day as of today.

I've been dealing with health issues for a long time. I have struggled with chronic Lyme and ulcerative Colitis. I've just gotten to a very good place with the Lyme and the ulcerative Colitis is very quiet. Back in September of last year I had a UTI infection that did resolve with antibiotics. Eight months later it returned and felt better after a few days of antibiotics except for an allergic reaction to the antibiotic- it was switched and then I felt better. Just to mention that I haven't taken antibiotics in many many years and just felt so desperate with the bladder infection that I felt I wanted it to be resolved quickly. But a month later, the symptoms returned, constantly feeling like I needed to urinate and my bladder feeling like it was so swollen. Doctor appointments led me to possible early signs of interstitial cystitis which I'd heard of because a relative suffers from this.

I quickly began reading about remedies here and around the Internet. It's been three months and the only thing that has helped is a douche with apple cider vinegar, curcumin capsule opened, aloe juice and distilled water. If I do this three times a day the pain stops completely. The issue I am having now is that I'm nervous that I'm putting things constantly in my vaginal area and changing the natural state of things, which I guess was obviously not very good anyway considering my bladder is having all these issues, but my vagina seems to be OK and now I'm concerned that I may be harming things further. I did a little bit of a internal exam and the skin inside my vagina seems very different raw - and I'm concerned as to whether the Apple cider vinegar maybe too acidic. I was fIlling half of a summers eve disposable douche bottle with apple cider vinegar which is obviously way way way too much so now I reduced it but I don't want to stop doing what I'm doing which will cause the pain to return full fledged and I also want the skin to heal - so this is half of a suggestion for a temporary relief but I also wanted to know if anyone has had any similar experiences or recommendations.

I am finishing my lYmir treatment and didn't want to do anything to interact with that so I plan to do prolozone Therapy at the end of the month when I complete my Lyme treatment. Also I'm taking aloe capsules and nutritional bladder support, a probiotic, colloidal silver and a few other things.

Been using it for years, I swear by it. People with IC are sensitive to acids and the baking soda is alkaline and calms things down.

I have had severe bladder problems for well over 5 years now and just recently been DX. With Interstitial Cystitis. My problems kept getting worse and worse and even though my doctor started me on Elmiron most of you know that it only works in 30% of patients and takes about 4 months just to see if it will work. I got on the internet and began reading and one day I ran accross the 1/8 tsp of baking soda and I told my husband the next time the pain starts I'm going to try it.

I didn't have to wait long and I tried the baking soda and within one hour the pain and frequency were gone. I have now used that on several occasions and for me it stopped the pain within the hour a simple miracle. CHEAP 1/8tsp in a very warm glass of water. Not particularly taste so now I put the 1/8 tsp in a gelatin capsule and I take it with the larage glass of warm water and golly gee, pain free within the hour. I know that everyone is different, thats for sure but this has to be a first try for everyone suffering like I was and like most things we take RX's they are costly and have all kinds of side effects, this is easy, cheap and it works great if not what have you lost. I encourage each of you to give it a try. Thanks for allowing me to tell my story, I hope it helps just one IC patient.

I have had IC for 30 years. My main pain triggers are vinegar, lemon, citric acid, acidic foods, vitamin C, some of the B vitamins. I am unable to take any products with citrates, orotates, asporotates. The perfect remedy for me is 1/8 tsp. Baking soda (I use nonaluminum product from health store) mixed into very warm water. Usually pain subsides within the hour. If not, I take another 1/8 tsp. It is important to read labels carefully because many products contain triggers. My flare will occur within hours of eating a substance so I have learned that even small amounts of vinegar in mayonaise and salad dressing can be a problem. Before I reached menopause, hormones (I believe estrogen) were a trigger as well. That occurred at onset of menstrual cycle. An over the counter product for vaginal burning was very helpful to me at that time. It contained Benzocaine for numbing. I would only use for extreme pain though because it contains parabans, etc.

I learned these are common causes of flares at the IC website: Vitamin C, some B vitamins, the hormone Estrogen, acidic foods. Unfortunately, I suffered many years before I found what was helpful for my flares. Now I forget that I even have IC because I can treat it so easily. I'm hoping this will be helpful to someone.

I have chronic bladder problems (Interstitial Cystitis) and am always looking for something to make it better. I drank 1/2 tsp of baking soda in some water during the worst possible bladder pain ever. In 15 minutes the pain was gone. I feel that the baking soda made the urine less acidic and that let my bladder be less irritated. Anyway, baking soda did what hundreds of dollars of meds could not do--make me feel better! Elizabeth

I have had trouble with bladder pain for the last year. Many things have helped, but baking soda has been the easiest, cheapest, most effective cure of all.

Red raspberry leaf tea helps if I drink at least 2 strong cups a day.

Marshmallow Root and Usa Urvi capsules help.

Quercetin and Bromelain help.

I was drinking the juice of a lemon for digestion and realized it was helping my bladder pain. I realized it was probably helping to make me more alkaline and perhaps that was what was helping.

Now I take some baking soda in water (1/4-1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 1/4-1/3 cup water) 2-3 times a day or as needed and rarely have pain.

I am thrilled to say the least. I hope others with this issue will have relief as well!

~Mama to Many~

I've been suffering a terrible flare of IC. Apparently, I've had it for years, although I just learned about it recently. I've adjusted my diet to eliminate all acidic type foods. Onions appear to have been a particularly bad thing for me, and I used to eat them all the time! Anyway, I'm still recovering from this flare -- it's been two weeks now that it's been bad. I came on the EC site about a week ago and read separate posts about peppermint tea and baking soda. Well, what I've discovered is that both of those things help me. However, what seems to help me best when I'm having a lot of pain and urgency is 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and a few drops of stevia extract mixed with either 7 drops of peppermint extract (not oil) OR a strong-brewed cup of peppermint (leaf) tea. Within minutes I'm feeling better. If it is during the night, I'm able to go back to sleep right away instead of laying awake with stabbing pain in my abdomen.

Additionally, I've lost 6 pounds in a week. I think it is related to all the inflammation that the IC was causing. I hope that it will continue!

I hope my little remedy will help others who are suffering. Thanks for a great site. I almost always come here first when I need a remedy for something.

Blessings!

Whole Barley Milk with MSM Recipe

This recipe is very easy and cheap to make. Whole barley flour can usually be purchased from a health food store or ordered online for about $2/lb. The cheapest source of pure MSM powder I have found is an online bulk food supply site for $9.71/lb, and it lasts a really long time. Even if you omit MSM from the recipe, it is still wonderfully soothing and healing. Whole barley milk is smooth, creamy, and easy to drink. Personally, I find it tasty. It is a perfect beverage for mixing in other supplements such as ph drops, aloe, condroitin, d-mannose, liquid calcium, etc. It makes a nice smoothie shaken-up with 100% blueberry juice. I have been drinking about a quart of whole barley milk a day and it has helped me greatly. I recommend it for any one wanting to improve their health, especially those suffering with IC, UTIs, arthritis, or heartburn. Like marshmallow root water, barley water is demulcent. It is purportedly soothing and healing to soft tissues, such as internal organ linings and soft tissues surrounding joints throughout the body. Water boiled from barley has been used for digestive health and general soothing tonic for centuries. Whole barley is rich in fiber and good for cholesterol health. I usually triple this recipe, making three quarts at a time. Ingredients:

2 tablespoons whole barley flour, organic preferred, - not coarsely ground
1 pinch sea salt, optional
1 tablespoon raw honey or organic agave syrup, optional
1 tablespoon safflower, grapeseed, or coconut oil; cold-pressed/organic preferred
1 level teaspoon pure MSM powder
4 cups cold water

Have a clean quart jar and lid handy for each quart of milk being prepared. In a good non-reactive saucepan, whisk the barley flour into 3 cups of the cold water, and heat over medium-low heat, stirring regularly until steaming. Do not boil. Whisk or shake the MSM into the remain 1 cup of water, and set aside. Add salt and honey or agave to the saucepan, if desired. Continue to heat and stir until thickened (about 5 to 10 minutes). It should look something like skim milk the consistency of heavy cream, and should be well heated like hot soup. Remove from heat. Whisk in oil. Whisk in MSM mixture. Pour un-cooled into clean quart jar, cap and refrigerate. Chill barley milk overnight before using. This allows fine barley particles to fully absorb liquid. Shake well before serving. If you prefer a thinner beverage, mix with water or blueberry juice. Keep stored barley milk refrigerated and use within a week. Notes about adding other supplements: A single serving size (as directed) of supplements such as ph drops, liquid condroitin, and/or d-mannose powder may be mixed in the last cup of water along with the MSM, before incorporating into the barley milk and refridgerating. Heat sensitive supplements - such as Aloe, or supplements that should not be taken near bedtime - such as liquid calcium, may be added when serving, if desired.

About me:
I am a 38 yrs old. I believe that I have had too much acid in my system my whole life, both as a result of diet and exacerbated by times of stress. As I approach middle age, soft tissues throughout my body are suffering, especially my bladder lining and those involving my joints. I have been a natural foods junkie most of my adult life - but unfortunately I also had a serious daily habit for all things extremely spicy and sour, as well as copious amounts of caffeinated tea. I also drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes socially. For bodily comfort, I have omitted these things from my diet/habits. General stress reduction is also a must. Yoga helps! Best of luck and health!

Wanted to share my story in the hopes it will help someone else...in the past I have been prone to uti or bladder or kidney infections...a trip to the doctor and Cipro would usually take care of it. This time I felt as if an infection was coming on, but it never did. Had my urine tested twice and no bacteria. I felt the urge to pee constantly, and though it was not painful, it was VERY uncomfortable. All day, everyday, feeling like I had to pee even after I had just gone. Slight twinge or ache in either kidney but nothing painful or particularly noticeable. Had CT scan to rule out kidney stones; had bladder scope to rule out anything else. With those and the urinalysis coming back ok, urologist, for lack of coming up with any other diagnosis, said it must be IC. Said to watch my diet and avoid coffee and alcohol and look it up on-line to see what foods were ok to have, etc. Came to this site and read everything that's been posted on IC. Made my lists and decided to try things one at a time. I could live with this feeling but didn't want to as it is a terrible thing to always have to feel like you need to pee.

Nothing helped until I tried Black Cohosh. Bought it at a health food store. It also has Isoflavones. I got it at work on my lunch hour and figured I had nothing to lose. So I took one after my lunch, about 1pm, to see how it would react. The urgency was gone within 30 minutes. Then again about 4pm I took another one. I had a night of relief from this terrible feeling for the first time in three weeks. In retrospect I would not take any after noon going forward as I do believe it kept me up taking one so late in the day. Today I will take one in the morning and one at lunch. I don't know if this is my answer, but I do know that I felt normal for the first time yesterday afternoon. Will keep you posted.

I was diagnosed with I.C. two years ago. Only in the last year has it become unbearable with my flare ups lasting for 6 weeks or longer. I eat extremely clean! I do not eat grain, sugar, or dairy. I only drink water and still the flare ups come. I just started drinking grass fed organic bone broth this weekend and OMG it is working! It almost immediately takes my pain and symptoms away. Starting today I will be doing a three day fast only drinking bone broth to really help my lining to heal. I will start to slowly add my lean protein and veggies back to my diet. This is such disease is horrible and only people that have it can possibly understand how depressing it is. I'm sharing this information in hopes that it can possibly help someone else.

Years ago I started having symptoms of IC, the same symptoms as a bladder infection, without the infection. (Google it) Symptoms would come and go through out the years. The inflammation would cause me to feel weak and tired. Then I remembered that my bladder problems always seemed to act up after I took antibiotics. So, this got me to thinking...."Candida fungus was probably at the root of my bladder problem."

So, I went on a Candida diet, for 3 weeks and I not only lost weight and started feeling better, but my IC symptoms seemed to let up...but not entirely.

Then, after my latest flare, I did some research and discovered Bone Broth. I mixed a cup, half and half with vegetable broth, heated it, drank it and within 4 hours the pain had let up.

My understanding is that the Candida fungus causes little holes to form in the protective lining of the bladder, causing pain when the wrong food is consumed, and the broth helps heal that lining. Much like it is suppose to help heal leaky gut.

I thought, "It can't be this simple." So, I tested it, ate some citrus (a big no-no for IC suffers), symptoms flared, I drank the broth and the pain let up. I now drink at least one hot cup of broth a day and, knock on wood, I think it's my answer.

I believe that the Candida fungus was the root cause of the IC. Going off bad carbs was really hard at first, but now I seldom feel hungry. I eat very little but what I do eat is very nutritious. I have so much more energy and feel much younger. I told my hubby..."Unless I'm dying, DON'T let me take any more antibiotics! "

Hope my story helps at least one IC sufferer.

Yes, I agree on the boric acid. I found that recurrent yeast infections were exacerbating the inflammation in the pelvic region and thus causing IC flare ups. I experienced lots of relief from IC once I started taking probiotics as well as another herbal supplement (forget the name) to heal my gut, and boric acid to fight yeast.

That is wonderful to hear! I also had suffered from IC and never once thought to look in that area until I read this article:

"Researchers Ruben Gittes, MD and Robert Nakamura, MD, of the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation recently published a research study on Female Urethral Syndrome: A Female Prostatis" in the May 1996 issue of WJM. Their studies have conclusively proven that women do indeed have a set glands, the paraurethral glands, which are homologues of the male prostate. In the abstract for their research project, they state "The most important aspect of recognizing this microscopic 'female prostate' as an anatomical feature is that it's infections may completely explain many cases of the urethral syndrome."

I noticed my symptoms decreasing when I started using boric acid capsules for my recurring bv/yeast infections. I noticed within weeks that my IC symptoms improved dramatically. I now use a verrrry diluted oregano oil for my vaginal health and guess what???? No IC symptoms.... I take my daily turmeric just in case (it's a great anti-inflammatory) I just thank the Lord that I found Earthclinic over a year ago. I have found soooo many awesome remedies that WORK!