ACONITE

Not a routine remedy for treatment of cystitis, but can be invaluable in treating an attack almost before it has begun. The patient may have begun to notice difficulty in passing urine. Burning pain during urination may be present. Patient may be thirsty, anxious, restless, fearful and develop a fever. Cystitis may have come on after a fright, over excitement or exposure to cold winds.

APIS MEL.

The remedy to consider when there is terrible burning stinging pain that is better for cold bathing. (Those who have to get in a bath of cold water to urinate!) The whole urinary tract is irritated. Terrible pain in region of bladder.  Cries when has to urinate because it was so painful last time. Frequent, extremely painful urination, very little is passed and has to strain a lot to pass it. Patient is generally thirst less.

CANTHARIS

One of the commonest and most successful remedies in treating cystitis especially if pain is the predominant symptom. There is frequent strong urging, and terrible straining to pass urine. There is extreme burning, stabbing pain in the neck of bladder, which is worst just before, during and after urination. Patient constantly feels the need to urinate even when there is only a small amount of urine in bladder. They can only urinate a few drops at a time. Haematuria (blood maybe present in urine). Patient may be restless and frantic with the pain.

EQUISETUM

There is constant desire to urinate. Bladder is aching, feels full. Patient passes large quantities of pale urine without relief. Severe pain comes at the END of urination. There can be burning or pricking pains in urethra while urinating.

MERC CORR.

Great straining, continuous urging, frequent urination of small amounts of hot burning bloody urine which tends to be passed in drops. Intense burning in urethra and bladder which is not relieved by urination. Discharge of mucous and blood with or after urine.  Cold pale skin with sweat. The more bloody the urine, the more likely Merc. corr. is the required remedy.

NUX VOMICA

Person is irritable, excitable, sensitive to light, noise, touch, odour, draughts. Cannot stand pain. Painful but very frequent and ineffectual urging to urinate, cramp in bladder.  Has to urinate quickly or urine will escape. Burning pain during urination. Urine burns and can contain blood. Urging with a few drops passed and urging then eases. Urine retention alleviated by a hot bath. Symptoms as a result of anger, humiliation / mortification, shock and exposure to cold.

PULSATILLA

A very useful remedy to consider when there is extreme urgency to urinate when the desire to is felt and patient can’t hold the urine back. As they have to concentrate on bladder all time to “hold urine in’, they can be incontinent at night. Has to urinate every time feels even a drop has collected in bladder. Patient cannot lie on back without wanting to urinate. Slight incontinence from coughing, sneezing, laughing. Extremely painful after urination but as with most pulsatilla states, pains may be irregular and changeable. There may be blood in the urine. Changeable mood, will be clingy, weepy, want company. Generally thirst less and feels better in fresh air.

SARSAPARILLA

Another remedy like Equisetum where there is intolerable pain at END of urination. The patient may scream because of the severity of the pain. Tenderness and distension of bladder. Pain in urethra extends back into abdomen. Patient can only urinate if standing. Enormous quantities of “sandy” urine. Passes drops of blood at end of urination. Incontinence at night.

STAPHISAGRIA

The remedy to think of if cystitis occurs after sex especially with a new partner, or as a result of indignation or resentment, (being “pissed off” with the partner). There is frequent and painful urging to urinate.  Urine is bloody, involuntary, corrosive.  There are burning pains. Urging to urinate after passing urine, but it still feels as if urine is present in bladder.

TEREBINTH

This is the remedy to consider when the urine smells sweet, like violets, and is ‘smoky’. There may be haematuria. There is sensitivity in abdomen; urging and pressing pains when sitting; pains shoot into kidneys. Terrible burning, cutting pains in bladder and kidneys, may alternate with similar pains in umbilicus. Patient may feel better walking outside.