Can cystitis and thrush be linked?
If you suffer from both recurring thrush and cystitis, or find that when you develop one, the other follows soon after, you’ll know how frustrating it can be.
Find out what the link isDigestive complaints and urinary symptoms often go hand in hand, but now it seems that constipation could have even more direct links with cystitis than we once thought. Here I explore some of the links between these two conditions and what can be done to help manage the symptoms.
There are a number of possible mechanisms as to how a slow moving bowel could be contributing to uncomfortable bouts of cystitis, and particularly, in cases of interstitial cystitis:
Throughout this blog we explore these themes in more detail and offer some tips to help manage the symptoms.
In most cases of cystitis, bacteria are thought to be at the root of the cause. This is known as infectious cystitis. However, in another type of cystitis, called interstitial cystitis, the root of the cause isn't thought to be infectious.
Instead, interstitial cystitis, otherwise known as 'painful bladder syndrome' involves long-term inflammation of the bladder, of which, the causes are poorly understood.
Whilst many of the symptoms are still characteristic of traditional cystitis including pelvic pain and discomfort, frequent urination, urinary urgency or nocturia (needing to pee frequently during the night), the likely causes are somewhat different in comparison to traditional cystitis. Some of these include:
Whilst there may be some degree of overlap in many of the above causes, here we aim to explore underlying constipation as a possible mechanism, in more detail.
As a recent A.Vogel survey revealed that over 1/3 of people considered themselves to be constipated, it's important to try and understand some of the possible causes of this. These are as follows:
Although it isn't so well recognised by the allopathic medical community, from a more holistic standpoint, there are a number of possible ways that we suspect constipation could have an impact on the prevalence of the symptoms of cystitis.
Luckily, some of this is also starting to have some backing from the available research as I outline some of the possible mechanisms below:
One of the main things to appreciate when it comes to constipation and cystitis is the close proximity of your colon to your bladder. This can have a number of implications but the physical relationship is one to consider first of all.
If your colon is full of old waste, this can apply pressure to your bladder and compromise on space and proper functions. Firstly, this added pressure could affect the proper emptying of your bladder (much like some of the processes involved in instances of enlarged prostate). This can result in more frequent infections as bacteria is able to populate within stagnant pools of urine.
Secondly, this intrusion by a bunged up bowel could also potentially contribute to the backwards flow of urine. This means any bacteria lingering towards the extremities of your urinary tract could be carried backwards towards your bladder and pose a problem.
We've already discussed the more direct transport of bad bacteria as a result of altered urine flow thanks to an overly-bulky bladder, but in a more indirect (harder to detect) way, the delicate balance of bacteria throughout our system more generally, could also be having an impact.
See, billions of bacteria naturally exist throughout our digestive system already, but depending on how well your digestive system is functioning, (together with a number of other diet and lifestyle factors) this can become altered.
Slow moving waste is a prime target for bacteria (especially the bad guys)1, and due to the close proximity of the bladder to the bowel, this could potentially be having an influence. This wouldn't necessarily show up as a typical, infectious bout of cystitis, as the imbalance in bacteria may be more subtle than this; we call this dysbiosis.
With slow moving waste and/or dysbiosis, come degree of inflammation is also inevitable.2,3 Nowadays, more chronic, also known as 'sub-clinical' inflammation is thought to be an underlying factor in a number of health conditions including those affecting the digestive system including IBS. Interestingly, it's becoming more recognised that the symptoms of IBS and interstitial cystitis often go hand in hand, and some underlying inflammatory processes may be involved.4
After touching on some of the processing mentioned above, by addressing the underlying constipation, we're hopeful that we could therefore also help to improve some of the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. Some ways to approach this are as follows:
Naturally, many of the foods that can help to manage constipation are also anti-inflammatory, so this is a win-win if both constipation and cystitis trouble you!
Dietary fibre should firstly be a primary focus. This dietary element can be found in a range of fresh foods including fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Next, sources of omega-3 would also be a good addition for an extra dose of anti-inflammatory action. Good sources include oily fish, walnuts, chia and flaxseeds.
Especially if you're actively upping your dietary fibre intake, consuming more water is a must. This helpful habit is vital for managing both the symptoms of constipation or cystitis.
Aim to drink at least 1.5-2l of water daily, and remember this should be separate from any warm drinks. Another thing to consider with any drinks other than water is the inflammatory ingredients that they may contain. Watch your consumption of sugar or caffeine (limiting both can be helpful), whilst including herbal tea options such as rhubarb or liquorice could help to get things moving along in the right direction.
When it comes to both constipation and cystitis, getting into bad habits where going to the loo is concerned, can have long-lasting, detrimental effects. The best advice from me is when you feel the urge to go to the loo – just go! Don't put it off as this could affect how your bladder or bowel continues to operate in the future.
Depending on your primary symptoms, some herbal remedies could help to normalise your toilet habits initially. If constipation is occasional, remedies such as Linseed and Senna can certainly make a welcome addition. Although I don't often recommend using it in the long-term, alongside some of the aforementioned diet and lifestyle tips, it can help to get you off to a more regular start.
Then, despite your best efforts, if the symptoms of cystitis are still lingering, adding in some Uva-ursi & Echinacea complex may be a good option for you. This remedy has been used traditionally to help counter the symptoms of cystitis and can be taken up to 5 times daily during a course.
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4951383/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206564/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6207018/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415690/
If you suffer from both recurring thrush and cystitis, or find that when you develop one, the other follows soon after, you’ll know how frustrating it can be.
Find out what the link isEmma our women's health advisor recommends Uva-ursi & Echinacea complex to help ease symptoms of cystitis and Cranberry Complex to maintain bladder health.
Learn more about CystitisCystitis is sometimes known as ‘honeymoon cystitis’. Why? Well, during sex, bacteria can spread from the perineum to the urethral opening. The risk of developing cystitis is therefore increased depending on the frequency you have intercourse (sorry honeymooners!).
7 reasons you keep getting cystitisDiscover the story of Alfred VogelNature is just about the best thing we’ve got!