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and Conditions Treated by Chinese Medicine
and Acupuncture
Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections
It is estimated that half of all women experience a urinary tract infection (UTI) at least once in their lifetime and many of these women experience chronic UTIs. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) addresses both the symptoms and the causes of UTIs in order to treat current infections and prevent future recurrence.
Urinary infections occur when there is a bacterial overgrowth in the bladder and urinary tract. Factors contributing to the development of a UTI include: sexual activity, improper wiping during urination, vaginal yeast overgrowth, overly-tight undergarments, and hormonal imbalances which encourage vaginal pathogens to proliferate. While these factors may leave a woman vulnerable to bladder infections, Traditional Chinese Medicine can balance and strengthen a woman's body so that she does not develop this bacterial overgrowth.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, an acute urinary tract infection is too much damp heat in the bladder. The heat element is represented by the burning sensation during urination. The dampness obstructs the flow of urine causing difficulty with urination, fullness and pressure and can be seen as cloudiness in the urine. Acupuncture treatments, along with Chinese herbal medicine, work to rebalance the body and clear this heat and dampness out of the body. Once the treatments effectively clear the pathogen from the bladder, acupuncture and herbal medicine are used to strengthen the body so you are better able to fight off future UTIs. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are effective because they treat the root cause of UTIs, while also dealing with the immediate symptoms.
As a woman specializing in ObGyn, Melani has successfully treated many cases of chronic UTIs. Melani uses a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and some dietary and lifestyle changes to clear out the root causes of the infections and therefore completely prevent future occurrences.
