My cystitis keeps coming back
and all you hear from your doctor is “everything is fine”?
I feel a little better when I take my medication.
but then you feel uncomfortable again,
and you’re frustrated because you don’t know why it’s happening again.
hello.
I’m Dr. Sangchul Hwang, an oriental medicine doctor who studies and treats autonomic nerves.
One of the most common questions we hear in the clinic is this.
“Dr. Director, why does my cystitis come back so often?”
“My tests show no abnormalities, so why do I keep getting sick?”
Cystitis Isn’t Just a Bacterial Problem
About 1 in 10 women in the United States
will experience cystitis at least once in their lifetime.
Many people think of cystitis as a bacterial infection,
it’s actually a combination of factors
- Lowered immunity
- Autonomic imbalance
- Constitutional issues
- Damage to the bladder mucosa
This is why it’s so common to have
recurrence is very common, even with antibiotics.
There are different types of cystitis
Not all cystitis is the same.
These can be broken down into three main categories
Bacterial cystitis
→ Bacteria are detected in urine tests
→ Characterized by stabbing pain when urinating
Overactive bladder
→ Frequent urination but little pain
Interstitial cystitis
→ Bacteria are rarely detected
→ Pain occurs when urinating
→ accompanied by mucosal damage and nerve irritability
Why is interstitial cystitis harder?
These are the main characteristics of interstitial cystitis.
- oliguria
- Desperate Urination
- Lower abdominal pain
- Very low urine volume (100 cc or less)
On cystoscopy
a lesion that looks like petechial bleeding or an ulcer
or ulcers,
there are many cases where there is no visible lesion at all.
The disease is caused by
nerve and mucosal damagerather than bacteria
rather than bacteria.
Why cystitis is accompanied by hematuria
If your cystitis gets worse
visual hematuria or microscopic hematuria may be present
microscopic hematuria.
Just because you have hematuria
does not necessarily mean something is wrong,
it is important to determine the cause
and treat your bladder condition.
The real reason for recurrent cystitis
There are three main reasons why cystitis keeps coming back.
- Bacteria lie dormant in the bladder and reactivate when
reactivate when immunity wanes - Weakened immune system allows other bacteria to re-infect you
- Repetitive Pain Sensitization
nerve sensitization
The last cause in particular is very important.
Even without germs
When the brain “remembers” pain, it causes pain even if there are no germs
pain occurs even if there are no abnormalities on tests.
This is why patients often say
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me”
“I don’t know why I’m sick.
Are vaginismus and cystitis related?
Vaginismus and cystitis are
have different causes.
However, they can affect each other.
Recurrent vaginitis can cause
the immune environment around the vagina is weakened,
and the effects can extend to the bladder.
In real-world practice
vaginitis and cystitis presenting together
very often in real life.
Euboxom, how does it work?
One of the most commonly prescribed medications in hospitals these days is
euboxom.
It’s not an antibiotic.
it’s an immunotherapy in the form of an “eatable vaccine.
Some components of E. coli can be used to help
the body’s immune system
to help your immune system remember the germ.
The advantage is that
is that it doesn’t build up resistance like antibiotics do,
they need to be taken consistently for at least 3-6 months
to be effective.
At the end of the day, this medicine is all about one thing.
The difference is that it’s an immune-building treatment.
This is how Chinese medicine views cystitis
In Chinese Medicine
focuses on the body’s environment
than just bacteria.
- If you have a weak digestive system
- Stress-sensitive constitution
- Feeling cold or feverish
If you have any of these problems
your immune system is easily compromised
and the bladder lining is weakened.
So no matter how many medications you take
if your body’s environment doesn’t change
you will relapse.
It’s time to change the direction of care
Even with antibiotics,
and eurobacilli,
if your cystitis keeps coming back.
It’s time to move
from treatments that kill germs to treatments that change
your body’s environment.
to treatments that change your body’s environment.
The real treatment is
immune, neurological, and constitutional
immune, neurological, and constitutional.
Wrapping up
When you have recurrent cystitis
can be really exhausting.
But you’re not alone.
And it’s not like there’s no workaround.
Even now
“Why do I keep relapsing?”
if you’re still asking yourself,
it may be time to take a different approach to treatment.
If you have any questions
feel free to leave a comment.
If you found this article helpful
please share it with others.
