The urinary system is normally bacteria-free and sterile. A urinary tract infection (UTI) originates when there is an invasion of bacteria or other microbes into the urinary system. When a woman has an imbalance of hormones, the normal bacteria in the vagina area can overgrow, leading to UTI. Acupuncture and herbs not only can balance hormones to create a normal environment in the urinary tract and vagina, but also can boost immune functions to prevent UTI. When women get older, their urinary tract and vagina become very dry, it is easy to develop UTI if they eat unhealthy foods which can create inflammation in the urinary tract and other body areas. In chronic UTI, it is important to clear up the inflammation with acupuncture and Chinese herbs.
Urinary Tract Infection and Its Types
The kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra together constitute your urinary system. A urinary tract infection is an involvement of any of these three parts of your urinary system. Urinary tract infections are hence of three types. Urethritis is the infection in urethra. When the urinary bladder is infected it is referred to as cystitis. When the kidney is infected it is known as pyelonephritis.
Causative Factors of UTI
Women have been found to be having an increased chance of contracting UTI when compared to men due to the shorter length of the urethra. People having diabetes have an increased propensity to develop UTI due to immunosuppression and systemic inflammation. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) caused by mycoplasma and chlamydia have been found to be another important cause of UTI. People that are ill or the elderly who need a catheter tube are more prone to UTIs since bacteria present on the catheter can cause urethra or bladder infection. Several people have complained of sexual intercourse as a common source of infection. Some research suggests that women who use a diaphragm are at greater risk of developing a UTI compared to women using other forms of birth control.
Acupuncture: A Traditional Healing
Acupuncture is one of the foremost traditional therapeutic methods in the world. Acupuncture targets to maintain and restore health as its principal reason for being a traditional Chinese medical therapy. This is achieved through precise stimulations of some anatomical points on the body. This is done utilizing several techniques.The most common acupuncture technique that is used and most studied has been the method of penetrating the skin using solid, fine, metallic needles that are maneuvered skillfully by hands or using mild electrical stimulation. Acupuncture can clear up the inflammation in the urinary tract by balancing the hormones and strengthening the immune function.
Acupuncture Research on UTI
Acupuncture was applied in clinical trials to prevent recurrent UTI in sixty-seven adult women. Patients were divided into an acupuncture group, a sham-acupuncture group and an untreated control group. Patients were followed for 6 months in an acupuncture clinic in Bergen, Norway. The results indicated that eighty-five percent of women did not have UTI during the 6-month observation period in the acupuncture group, compared with 58% in the sham group and 36% in the control group.
Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9612877/