The Urinary Tract Infections is a quite common condition characterized by an infection in the urinary tract i.e. the kidneys, ureters, urethra and the urinary bladder. This infection can affect the entire tract of urine passage. It generally starts in the urethra and travels up to the other parts of the urinary tract. Once the infection reaches the kidney, it becomes very uncomfortable and requires immediate medical attention. The urinary tract infection is more common in women than men since the female urethra is smaller and the bacteria such as E.Coli can travel to the kidneys easily, making it easily infected.
Urinary Tract Infections in Ayurveda
Ayurveda claims that the infection in the urinary tract occurs due to the aggravation of Pitta Dosha. Pitta Dosha refers to the Ayurvedic humour that stands for fire or heat. Pitta increases with the changes in the lifestyle and the diet in particular. An aggravated Pita produces toxic substances in the boy. These substances are accumulated in the mutrvahi strotas also known as the urinary tract. This imbalance creates a lack of immunity in the urinary system making it prone to infections.
ROLE OF THE URINARY TRACT
The function of kidney in our body is to eliminate the waste and remove the excess water from the body in form of urine. Elimination of excess water is crucial to maintain and control the blood pressure. However, the kidney is highly sensitive that even slight changes in blood pressure and blood sugar level can cause damage. Apart from these, hypertension and diabetes are also detrimental to the health of your kidneys.
The ureters are the narrow tubes with a length of 10 inches and drain the urine from the kidney and connect it to the urinary bladder. The bladder which is like a sack collects the urine and stores it until it is expelled from the body. The urethra is the tube that does this function. Urethra connects the urinary bladder to the outside of the body.
The commonly found symptoms of the urinary tract infection are:
• Feeling a burning sensation while urinating
• Frequent urges to urinate, although only very little urine comes out
• Feeling pain and pressure in the lower abdomen
• Urine becoming a cloudy dark colour
• Presence of blood in the urine
• Constant feeling of tiredness and fatigue
• Fever and chills. This is a sign that the infection might have reached the kidneys, in which case you should seek immediate help.
URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN AYURVEDA
Ayurveda claims that the infection in the urinary tract occurs due to the aggravation of Pitta Dosha. Pitta Dosha refers to the Ayurvedic humour that stands for fire or heat. Pitta increases with the changes in the lifestyle and the diet in particular. An aggravated Pita produces toxic substances in the boy. These substances are accumulated in the mutrvahi strotas also known as the urinary tract. This imbalance creates a lack of immunity in the urinary system making it prone to infections. An infection leads to a bacterial growth in the system that is known as the urinary tract infection. While allopathy drugs work on the bacterial infection, it fails to improve the immunity of the urinary tract. This continues to make it prone to infections and the accumulation of the heat toxins, making the probability of infections in the future quite high. Medicines prescribed in the Ayurvedic system not only fights the bacteria but also improves its general immunity and pacifies the Pitta Dosha, thereby offering long-lasting relief from further infections.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE AYURVEDIC CONSULTATION FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTION?
During the Ayurvedic consultation for the doctor will give you a new diet plan that consists of little or nothing of food that is salty, spicy, bitter and oily. You should completely reduce the consumption of oil food items to quicken the healing. You will be asked to drink lots of water every day. This can take the form of juices, cooling drinks and other healthy drinks like tender coconut water. An increased intake of water can flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract and also improves the general circulation in the body.
Food items that contain coriander, red sandalwood, green cardamom and licorice roots are known to have Pitta regulating content, therefore making the consumption of these things ideal for a quick healing from the infection. You should also avoid exposure to the sun or hot environments for this will aggravate the Pitta further. Avoid going near furnaces and boilers too. Your doctor will also ask you to take frequent cold baths every day, ideally around 2-3 times. Adding powdered red sandalwood to the water before the bath is also an effective cure.
