Interstitial Cystitis
Natural Remedies

Top Natural Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis Relief

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Katie (Atlantic, Pa, Usa) on 06/28/2010
★★★★★

I have been taking a teaspoon of colloidal silver daily for 6 months and its been amazing for my IC along w/ a little baking soda now and then. I feel human again, no more peeing razor blades.


Lysine
Posted by Dena Lewis (New Orleans, Louisiana) on 07/03/2026
★★★★★

I would drink apple cider vinegar and carbonated drinks and my bladder felt heavy and it would hurt. I always felt the urge to urinate. All my urine cultures came back normal at the doctor and the doctor said my bladder was irritated and wanted to hook me up to a catheter to blow air in my bladder. I was afraid so I refused. I took some Lysine 1000 mg and I noticed my bladder pain went away. I took it for a few weeks and I no longer felt the urge to urinate and I was able to drink soda again.


Pumpkin Seed Oil
Posted by Holland (Los Angeles, CA) on 05/18/2022
★★★★★

Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil for Interstitial Cystitis

For several years I suffered from interstitial cystitis brought on by a year's use of an anxiety supplement with low levels of an acid in it. The suffering was often intense, and initially I could only control it through diet, avoiding anything that was acid-forming in foods or beverages. I had a very narrow range of foods I could tolerate. The first thing that started to control it was an herbal formula with Marshmallow & Fenugreek as the main ingredients, with a little bit of fennel as well. But dietary lapses still brought the burning pain with a vengeance. To be clear, it was not a bladder infection as nothing for bladder infections made any difference at all, and I'm not prone to them.

I read an article mentioning Styrian Pumpkin Seed oil as a remedy for this. Desperate, I tried it and within about three weeks the cystitis was basically gone. I used one or two tablespoons/day of a high quality oil sold in a black glass bottle. I don't have to continue with the oil to keep symptoms away at all at this point, though if I eat very badly I can still have a rare reoccurrence of it. I've since discovered that about 1/2 tsp. of baking soda in water will eliminate a temporary flare up within about 10 minutes. My case wasn't as severe as some I've read about, but it was a daily concern, often awful, and I lived in fear of eating the wrong thing. Now, that is all history.


Baking Soda for Bladder Pain
Posted by Wendy (Dublin, OH) on 03/31/2021

Question for Mama to Many:

When people talk about "bladder pain", I assume this means a urinary tract infection or the start of one? I'm wondering if the baking soda actually stops the UTI in its tracts, I.e., completely gets rid of the infection? Can you please clarify? Thanks for all you contribute, too! :-)


Baking Soda for Bladder Pain
Posted by Madelyn (Idaho) on 03/04/2023

Hi Dr. Howard, this is valuable information. Thank you for sharing.

Would Calc sulph also be helpful in healing intestinal lining / mucosal barrier, specially for those that have allergies due to leaky gut?

I'm looking to heal keratosis pilaris which manifests rough, bumpy and itchy skin of the arms, shoulders, etc. caused by inflammation and a buildup of keratin in the hair follicles. It's somehow related to hormones (worse after pregnancy) and diet (does away while fasting). I wonder if Calc sulph would address the allergy component.

Would you agree that everyone should take Calc sulph for a period of time to allow the body to overcome any deficiency?


Multiple Remedies
Posted by Lynnann (Florida) on 05/07/2018

Follow up by LynnAnn in Florida: OK, so after two days of doing extracts and healthy supplements for the bladder, the pain returned. I was so disappointed that these healthy things did not have a long-lasting effect. Back to the drawing board, since the pain was unrelenting and I simply could not stand it. Further research led me to info about the Wise-Anderson protocol, a series of stretches for bladder and pelvic pain. I pulled up the first video I saw (I did not realize it was intended for men, by the way). But whatever, I gave it a shot.

After the first round of these stretches, I was 50% better! I did the stretches four times a day for the next five days and today, I am pain free!!! No pain meds of any kind. Apparently, all the sitting I was doing at work and the stress I was going through had irritated the nerves that go from the spinal column just to the bladder. I can't believe this much pain was caused from sitting and stress. These stretches saved me!

Also, I ordered a standing desk, and now alternate between sitting and standing which is so much better! Takes some getting used to, but it is way healthier for the body.

So folks, if you have severe bladder pain, you might want to try these stretches. They certainly can't hurt. Any stretching is good for the body.

Good luck to all, and good health!


Treat for Ureaplasma
Posted by Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 04/04/2018

I've dealt with UTIs my entire adult life. Since my kidney transplant in June 2016, I average one every other month! My go-to antibiotic has always been Cipro, BUT, after the UrgentCare lab did a CULTURE (VERY IMPORTANT TO DO A CULTURE, since this will pinpoint exactly which antibiotic will kill the bacterial infection! ), the lab prescribed Augmentin. I discussed this change with my post-transplant coordinator and he and I both thought that I was becoming resistant to the Cipro, and that I still had remnants of the infection after taking the Cipro! I'm now on day 3 of 10 days of the Augmentin. We'll see if this totally gets rid of the infection. I'll check back in a month or two with the status!

I also agree with prior posts about avoiding wheat, sugar, dairy, meat and nightshade vegetables for a while. Lately I've be eating more bread and sugar, so this probably was contributing to the issue.


Pelvic Floor Therapy
Posted by Kaylap (Abbotsford, Bc) on 02/03/2018 5 posts
★★★★★

Yes I would second pelvic floor therapy for Interstitial Cystitis. My physio who I saw said that I had muscles firing when they shouldn't be (overactive) and no muscles firing when they should (underactive). My muscles were all confused and stressed out from the chronic inflammation and pain. Intercourse was an absolute NO for a solid year because my muscles were just in a spasm knot. IC free for several years now. I do still need to be careful with intercourse to relax and not tense. I feel like pelvic floor therapy helped though once I was over the worst part of IC and was working on long term healing and future prevention. It did not really help with any of the acute immediate pain.


Marshmallow Root
Posted by Kaylap (Abbotsford, Bc) on 02/03/2018 5 posts
★★★★★

I have been *mostly* free from any IC flare ups for probably at least 3 years now (THANK GOSH). I say mostly because sometimes after intercourse if I am not very careful about keeping the area very clean, using lots of lube (coconut oil) and soothing any inflammation then I feel a wee bit of irritation that is mild but may last up to a week. I second the marshmallow root or leaf. My naturopath recommended that I drink it in tea format. I drank lots of that tea, probably 3x per day. This tea in combination with other natural remedies cleared things up within a matter of months. HUGE amazing results seeing as I had been suffering for over a year under the care of a general doctor who just kept prescribing me drugs. I feel it is very important to note as well the possible correlation between yeast infections, GI issues and IC. I feel like my IC cleared up once I also worked with my naturopath to clear my recurrent yeast infections and strengthen my GI tract. The gut has LOTS to do with health and inflammation, so what with my gut being out of wack, consuming too much sugar and fighting yeast infections, it was no wonder my bladder was getting inflamed also since it is in that same general body area.

Ozone
Posted by Missy M. (Virginia) on 08/11/2017
★☆☆☆☆

WARNING!

Hi, I did ozone in my bladder for IC ad it made me ten times worse. Ozone will deteriorate the lining of the bladder wall. I did with Dr. S and I wish I had not. Tread lightly.


Turmeric
Posted by Rsw (Oh) on 02/27/2017

Hi Heather,

If you Google LDN for Interstitial Cystitis, you will find a number of people who say low dose Naltrexone has either cured them or has taken the pain level so low that they now don't even notice they have it. There is hope out there! www.ldninfo.org. And join the Yahoo LDN Group mentioned at top of that site. It has over 13,000 members who will give you their experiences and suggestions. Best wishes.


Ozone Installations
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 03/23/2017

JULIE,,,,,,,, let me tell you a story. The only thing that Ozone has been FDA approved for is Interstitial Cystitis. That was many moons ago. It will cure a jullion things, but our med folks don't want that.You don't need Anne to tell you a doctor to go to. Just go on the internet and ask Google to tell you of an Ozone doctor in Houston. Talk to all and choose which one to go to. If it is expensive, then that is not the one. Ozone is dirt cheap and if the doctor is high, then they are typical doctors and will die by drowning when they see themselves in the water and fall in love with themselves and fall in and drown.

That story is not original with me, but still a true story.

I wish you well. ====ORH========


Dietary Changes
Posted by Allyson (Colorado) on 08/25/2015
★★★★☆

Pain Erasers for IC:

I have had interstitial cystitis for 35 years, what a blessing....not! I read an article that they think it is caused when you have sex cause you are not born with it so it is a bug. They said there are 3 medicines that help it, not cure it but calm it down is doxycycline 100 mg 2 tablets a day, one in am, one in pm (which is the best of the 3, the other two are augmentin, ) so I use it and it will make you feel so good at first then it levels out and at least gets rid of the pelvic pain.

I found that yeast cream the cheapy stuff works when I have a flare/infection on top of an infection. I have tried the apple cider deal and I thought I was going to die with pain.

Everyone is right, quit the sugar (do honey if you must), no flour of any kind, no sodas of any kind, no preservatives, and the acidic fruit. I also read it gets WORSE as you age and I can attest to that! Watch what kind of soap you use as well. It is a prison sentence but some things definitely help. I am trying the cabbage and colloidal silver next!

Good luck to all of you, if men got it in greater numbers, there would be a cure by now!! It's like ulcers were years ago, they blamed it on stress and it took them 50 years to figure out it was a bug! Sure hope we do not have to suffer another 50 years!

Dietary Changes
Posted by Whisperingsage (Ca) on 08/30/2017 45 posts

Ulcers are not alwways H Pylori. There are ongoing studies using rats, mice pigs, and horses understress showing that fasting and stress ( like moving them in a trailer for pigs and horses, shocking their feet or making them swim in cold water for rats and mice), continue to shed light on adrenal cortisol stress related ulcers. I have always been negative for H Pylori and yet the ulcers persist. I know it's stress, but found recently on NCBI that butyric acid (in butter) heals damaged villi, and more recently gelatin and collogen type II, which is what I am researching here.


Diatomaceous Earth
Posted by Vicki (Kansas City, KS) on 05/22/2015
★★★★☆

Interstitial Cystitis and Candida

I have read so many helpful things to try on here so I would like to give something back. I only found out I had IC by trial and error and a lot of research. The pain was so bad a couple of years ago that I went to the emergency room. You know how they have you in those curtained partitions, right? So this older Dr. Comes in with a learning the ropes young intern and they are just not taking me seriously about how bad the pain is and saying I didn't have kidney stones and didn't have this or that and I got enough of that and yelled, " Look! My VAGINA is killing me! " You should've seen their faces, lol. I had no infection of course and they were clueless. My regular Dr. told me I would need to see 3 different specialists to rule out different things and after we pay over $600 a month for insurance there's no money for 1 office visit, let alone 3 specialist ones.

Anyway I am still on a journey to find what will work best but I do have some experience with cleaning out parasites and/or Candida and since 80 to 90% of your health starts in your gut and has to do with your immune system I thought you all might benefit from this. Diatomaceous Earth food grade is totally organic and natural. There is even a test you can do in the morning first thing to see if you have Candida and I promise you most of us do. It is a powder with no taste and are actually very tiny little fossilized skeletons? that have edges that will clean out and kill parasites and also clean out the sludge that has been building in your colon for years. (Poor John Wayne's autopsy showed he had over 25 lbs. of well poo in his intestines). It does not give you diarrhea at all I promise but you must start off small and build very slowly to 2 full Tablespoons. You will not believe the stuff that will come out of you.

Try to stay away from anything with sugar as that just feeds the little sh1ts. Do Kefir to restore your good gut bacteria but not dairy kefir. Very simple to do your own from coconut milk or even water. It is good for your pets too as unless you feed them raw they have Candida too. As a bonus you can sprinkle some on them to keep fleas off natural if you let them out in the yard. Remember ONLY food grade and I got mine on Amazon really cheap. Best to you all and I was so heartened to see so many of you spurning main stream medicine and their treating of symptoms rather than fixing the problem. In today's world, we have to take our health and our loved ones into our own hands. Stay away from Cymbalta; thought I would die from the withdrawal. No liver tests for 6 years, very bad.

Alkaline pH
Posted by Grace (Pdx., US) on 03/08/2015
★★★★★

IC:

Cabbage can be juiced and drunk, it is alkalizing; perhaps the cure is in keeping the urine alkalized. The high content of sulphur in cabbage removes (free radicals and uric acid) which are the main causes of arthritis, skin diseases, rheumatism, and gout.


Magnesium Oil (Transdermal Method)
Posted by Jill (North America) on 05/29/2021

Magnesium oil [magnesium chloride] is also antibacterial along with being a muscle relaxer


Green Coffee Bean Extract Caused IC
Posted by Christine (Vista, Ca) on 07/20/2014
★★★★★

I wanted to add some information to my comment that may help someone else in their struggle with interstitial cystitis (IC).

I had been taking the green coffee bean extract to lose weight, but used it far longer than what is recommended. According to a recent Dr. Oz (big promoter of this supplement) comment, the green coffee bean extract capsules are only to be used as a "jump start" to losing weight - especially fat around the waistline. I did not know this until after I had been taking it for two years! A friend told me about the Dr. Oz comment which was made during a TV segment.

I noticed that the green coffee bean extract label contains 50% chlorogenic acid (200 mg). I was taking one capsule twice a day, so I was ingesting 400 mg of this acid each day!

When my gyno suggested that I either lessen or eliminate acidic foods, it occurred to me that this supplement was probably worsening my urinary tract problems!

Since stopping the green coffee bean extract (over 2 months now) I haven't been completely cured of IC, but the pain and frequent urination has been greatly reduced! Therefore, I think that the extract was a big part of my particular problem with IC.

I hope that this additional information will be helpful to those who may have been taking green coffee bean extract and have been suffering with interstitial cystitis.


Cornsilk Tea
Posted by Sd (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 01/21/2014
★★★★★

I suffered with Interstitial Cystitis since I was four years old. My older sister had it to and went to countless doctors and physicians, who didn't help her at all. I also tried a number of things that never cured it. When I was about ten years old, a woman that we knew who was knowledgable about health suggested a few things for me. The biggest thing was CORNSILK tea. You can buy this in any health store, or you could make it yourself. They dry the silk from corn and then you brew it to make tea. I drank it for a few weeks and noticed a difference. I continued drinking it for years because it actually worked! I was cured! While I was a teenager, I occasionally had the problem and the cornsilk tea always fixed it. I'm writing this now because after about 8 years, the problem came back. I've been taking cornsilk tea again, and it's been helping. I'll probably drink it for a few months before I stop again.

SO...drink about 4-8 cups of cornsilk tea each day as well as plenty of water each day. Do NOT drink juices, sodas, coffee, or milk except very rarely and in very small doses. Let your liquids simply be cornsilk tea and water.

Eat lots of vegetables. Avoid sugars and any processed foods. Eat organically. Get lots of exercise and sleep.


Black Cohosh
Posted by L (Florida, Usa) on 10/31/2013
★★★★★

Black Cohosh for Interstitial Cystitis - Update

Following up on my previous post...good news! I took the Black Cohosh for 4 days, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and have not had to take any since! I am back to normal and that is a wonderful feeling. We are all unique and what works for one may not work for another, but this has been my Godsend. Blessings to all of you as you search for what works for you!


Black Cohosh
Posted by L (Florida, Usa) on 11/15/2013

Wanted to update you...after I posted that the Black Cohosh worked for me, I got another UTI that was very painful, with blood. I'm not sure if it was because my body was "cleaning house" or what...got a prescription for Macrobid. This took care of the infection but I still had the terrible urge to pee all the time.

I looked more seriously at the foods I was eating, trying to change to a more alkaline diet as well as cutting out all coffee, soda, alcohol. Then I started taking the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide each morning. I also began taking turmeric. I took warm baths with epsom salts before bed. But the thing that has seemed to help me the most was the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. I rubbed it in externally over the bladder area for a couple of nights before going to sleep, and I am now also taking it with each meal.

I do believe our bodies want to heal themselves and I am trying to help with what I know and have read from others. I also know the Good Lord answered my prayers as I have been pain free now for a couple of days and I am so thankful.

Blessings to all--


MSM
Posted by Annie (Somewhere In The World) on 08/19/2013
★★★★☆

I have IC. I found that MSM, a nicer derivative of DMSO works quite well. It reduces inflammation and that is what IC is, chronic bladder inflammation.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Isabel (Guelph Canada) on 01/21/2014

This is very interesting. For a while I have thought that IC is caused my by leaky gut syndrome in my case so the coconut oil would make sense because it helps shut the gut.


Cornsilk Tea
Posted by Marie (Atlanta, Ga) on 06/04/2013
★★★★★

I actually used corn silk herb. I started taking 1/2 tsp twice daily for about a week, then decreased to 1/2 tsp once per day. The pain had stopped after the first day, that's why I only use it once per day for maintenance.

The corn silk that I purchased in the herb shop, I just further grind it in the vita mix. It lasts longer that way. I have also used the tea.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Hannah (Paris, France) on 12/14/2012
★★★★★

Hello all, I have what seems to be IC, and have had vaginal burning/itching/discomfort, pretty much everywhere and in every situation for the past two or three years.

I just recently eliminated acidic foods from my diet, since I'm trying to treat the IC, and I noticed the vaginal itching and burning has been gone completely since.

When I first started having vaginal pain, I did notice that certain foods, like chocolate would trigger almost immediate burning. This was before I developed IC symptoms.

Now, I notice the only time I've had burning or itching has been during or right before and/or after my period. I started taking coconut oil regularly (1 tsp in the morning and 1 at night) and I haven't had any burning or discomfort this cycle expect for the one day that I didn't take the coconut oil!

Everyone's body is different, and perhaps this isn't a solution for everyone... but for those of us that have really sensitive bodies (prone to IBS/vulvodynia etc) like me, I have a feeling that diet plays a really important role.

I wonder if trying to eliminate acidic foods for a while would help relieve the symptoms for other vulvodynia sufferers? I would recommend starting with the IC diet and then adding in foods little by little to find the real culprits... I was surprised when I realized I could eat dairy, which I thought was a big no no, but not oranges!

I guess what I realized was that food was playing a huge role in my suffering, maybe for some it has nothing to do with acid at all, but the burning is a symptom of another food sensitivity that could easily be eliminated.

I hope this is helpful to someone!


Pumpkin Seed Oil
Posted by Linda (Allentown, Pennsylvania) on 10/07/2012
★★★★★

Hi All, Ive been reading over these postings because I was curious about Cayenne pepper as a Tx for I. C. I really empathize with you all and desire to share my Tx remedy. I suffered with mild I. C. for years while having my children (5, total). After my fifth, the I. C. really flared up and I just couldn't get more that 45 min. of sleep at a time. In addition, activities involving impact of any kind (ie. Running, household chores, intimacy) were out of the question.

My husband did some research and started me on a two week regimen of Cornsilk extract (20 drops in 1/4 cup water 2-3 times per day) followed by 2x daily dosing of Pumpkin Seed oil everyday. I have maintained the oil at 1 tablespoon in am and 1 tablespoon in pm, preferrably with food or drink, for about 2 years now. It has made all the difference in the world. If I maintain this dosage I have no symptoms except for mild ones during ovulation and the first two days of my period. I up my dose by another tablespoon sometime in the middle of the day during these times. If I run out of oil, pumpkin seeds (in any form, roasted, raw etc. ) will suffice until I can restock but they add a lot fiber to my diet since I need to eat almost 3/4 cup of them per day to achieve the desired effect. I also stay away from Tannic Acid whenever possible and have greatly reduced the gluten in my diet. I am otherwise a healthy 38 year old mother of five. I don't get back here very often at all so I may not be available to answer any questions but I truly hope that this helps as many people here as possible!


Cayenne
Posted by Shampoo (Los Angeles, California) on 07/03/2012

Update::::: By now, I feel pretty foolish with all Ive gone thru these last 4 months with this horrible IC with natural remedies that didnt work for me, when all I had to do was take antibiotics, and Id be cured.

However, I had already tried 2 rounds of Cipro, and macrobid, and then started testing negative on all urine cultures, and being sent home empty handed, in horrible, horrible, horrible, crippling pain, feeling like I still have a bladder infection.

After finishing the z pack, I was almost all better, But 2 days later, symptoms returned full force and the nitemare was starting all over again for me. However, I knew the symptoms would return, and I couldnt get an appointment with my urologist, (which was 2 and a half hours away by the way, and I dont have a car) for another month. She wouldnt precscribe me another z pack, unless I retested again for the Ureaplasma. I would have to wait a month. Get retested, and wait an additional 4 days, then get more antibiotics, and hopefully be cured, but I knew it was impossible to wait the long, and it seemed horribly cruel, when I felt so close to a cure. Id have to start all over.

From the research Ive done on Ureaplasma, you almost always have to take more than one round of strong antibiotics to cure it, and some people take low dose long term antibiotics, from months to years to eradicate it. I saw a long painful road ahead, and I decided, getting Genital Herpes would have been a better fate for me than this, as at least with herpes u get periods of respite and you can SOMETIMES have sex, if your not having an outbreak. I was ready to Die.

I got the numbers of several Urologists closer to my area, about four. NONE of them tested for Ureaplasma, or even heard of it. I asked if they would do a test, they said no. You see. Many Urologist do not believe or even acknowledge the role Ureaplasma plays in IC, since 70% of the population carries this in their genital, bladder tracts without any problems. The community is split on the issue.

Ive been doing alot of research on this little bug, Ureaplasma. Its getting more and more attention, as more and more people are having problems with vulvodynia, and IC. Like I said, its considered sexually transmitted (but not), as we arent born with it, we get it thru sex.

A good gynecologist will also test for ureaplasma if you are having problems becoming pregnant, or have a history of miscarriages, or early deliveries. There's alot of talk about it on infertility boards on the net. The test is expensive. And the cure requires the use of long term antibiotics. Many doctors are hesitant to do that, these days.

As there is more and more hype about the overuse of antibiotics. Especially long term.

So I panicked, and I took matters in my own hands. I knew I needed more antibiotics. I had a reoccuring sinus infection for months. I made an appointment with my family doctor, and explained the situation, plus I made great emphasis on my sinus infection, (which had actually gotten better) but I wanted to make myself sound really sick (hammed it up), and she gave me Augmentin. A 10 day, supply and guess what. It is the third day, and I feel 95% awesomeness.

I then made a few more calls, and found out, I can get my doctor (the one that actually believes in Ureaplasma) to fax over an order to my family doctor or lab of my choice to do the test and everything will be gravy. So Im gonna test again for it, a week after I finish the Augmentin. Its also interesting to note that after researching IC, unrelentingly, for the last 4 months, and visiting, every IC website, and healthboard on the planet, and hearing people talk, Augmentin is considered one of the successful antibiotics for IC.

Thers only 3 that work against IC, only three.

Zinthromax (z Pack)

Doxicycline

Augmentin.

From what I read, its hard, hard, hard to cure. Harder than any STD. But its not incurable. It usually takes months to eradicate it.

many women just live with the pain, and take steroids, pain killers, and ANTIDEPRESSANTS. Isnt that sad?? Thats part of the protocol for IC patients. They give you an antidressant too, to cope with your life being over!!

I know on a gut level, this was some kind of elusive, hidden bacteria, embedded deep inside my bladder. Most people develop IC after a bad bladder infection. The pain lasts for years, YEARS. and its almost impossible to get a Urologist to help or even hear you.

I prayed to God to help me.

Its a miracle, and I will never doubt his presense and his ability to heal me again. Its a miracle the first Urologist I saw helped me, and was cutting edge enough to do this test.



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