A urinary tract infection or UTI is an infection and inflammation of the urinary tract. When it effects the bladder it is called it is
called ‘cystitis’ and when it effects the kidneys it is called ‘pyelonephritis’.

Symptoms of cystitis UTI include:

• Pain with urination
• Frequent urination

The need to urinate despite having an empty bladder

Symptoms of pyelonephritis UTI include:

All of the above symptoms with the addition of:

• Fever
• Flank pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Causes

The most common cause of infection is E.Coli (80-85%), and other sources may be Staphylococcus (5-10%) viral and fungal.

As E.Coli primarily lives in the intestine and is excreted in the stool, due to female anatomy, women are much more likely to suffer this infection.

Other risk factors are sexual intercourse, especially with multiple or a new partner, diabetes, obesity, and a family history.

Commonality

Around 150 million people develop a UTI each year and up to 10% of women have a UTI in a given year. It occurs most frequently between the ages of 16 and 35 years old.

Men and Women

In young sexually active women, sexual activity is the cause of 75-90% of bladder infections. In menopausal and post-menopausal women, a drop in estrogen levels causes a loss in the protective flora of the vagina, sometimes also causing vaginal atrophy.

Men with chronic prostatitis may also be prone to bacterial infections, especially as they age.

Diagnosis

UTI’s can be difficult to diagnose, especially in the very young and old, however it is often diagnosed on symptoms alone, possibly followed by and blood test and urine culture.

Treatment with Western Medicine

Many women will try chemist OTC products such as ‘Ural’ or cranberry tablets, while drinking lots of water, which will help occasionally with mild infections. Most UTI’s are treated with a short course of antibiotics, however resistant strains are becoming more common.

Treatment with Chinese Medicine

In emergency situations, such as with fever and vomiting in infants or the elderly, it is always wise to seek medical help from your GP or hospital. Antibiotics can be a life-saver in an emergency. However, some cases, especially stubborn and chronic, can really benefit from acupuncture and herbal medicine.

One of the issues of treating UTI with antibiotics is resistant strains, another is wiping out the intestinal flora, which can then lead to an unbalanced state of healthy to harmful bacteria in the colon, thus possibly potentiating further infection at a later stage.

Chinese medicine diagnosis views your issue in two ways. Firstly, what is the nature of the inflammation and how to reduce symptoms. Secondly, what caused the inflammation in the first place and how do we stop this from re-occurring? This is the root of the disorder. Is it a deficiency in the digestive system, the urinary system or the reproductive system? By correct pulse, palpation and specific Chinese medical diagnosis we will diagnose a personal treatment plan.

How does this work? Well, to go into Chinese medicine theory properly will take me hours and pages, so perhaps I’ll explain with a case study.

Case Study

Case: Woman, 50 years old, UTI (cystitis) for 10 years. Frequent urination with slight irritation but no pain. May urinate up to 20 times per day, often with a feeling of ‘needing to go, but nothing coming out’. No fever, red tongue, rapid, slippery and deficient pulse. Has been treated by urologist and diagnosed with bacterial cystitis (E.Coli). Has been treated with antibiotics for 1 year, daily and is about to go on another year of antibiotics to see if it will change.

1st Treatment: Diagnosis kidney deficiency and damp heat. Acupuncture Sp 6, 9, SJ 5, Li4, Li11, Master Tung Sheng Guan (77.18) all bilaterally, herbal powder for 2 weeks (Ba Zheng San – formula for rectification of urinary dysfunction).

2nd Treatment, 1 week later: Symptoms reduced by 80%. Repeat same acupuncture treatment

3rd Treatment, 2 weeks later: Symptoms reduced by 100%. Repeat same acupuncture treatment.

Follow up 6 months later: Symptoms were great till 1 week ago, back but only 50% of usual. Applied same treatment
acupuncture without herbs and follow up revealed symptoms reduced by 100% again.

Follow up 1 years later, symptoms had not returned.

Follow up 2 years later, symptoms had not returned.