What do you know about the bladder? This article by Susun Weed talks about our bladder, some problems that can occur and the bladder star: comfrey!
I am the holdingtank. I am the lowest point. It all flows down to me. The blood goes round andround, and the liver decides what stays and what goes. What goes, goes to thekidneys. And when the kidneys are done with what goes round, it goes down tome. It all comes down to me.
It goes round and itcomes down and I hold it in until it is time. Then I let it go, so it can goround somewhere else, back into the flow of nourishment and change.
I am part of it all,but I am apart; I am touched by it all, but not taken. I am the container, notthe contents. I offer short-term storage, no interest, no credit, just in andout, here and gone. I have no plans, no memories, no desires. Fill me. Emptyme. Again. And again.
I am your bladder. Iam your servant. But I can only hold so much.
Your rage tricklesdown to me. It burns me; it irritates me. Your fear of life seeps into me. Itannoys me; it compresses me.
Grudges precipitateand settle into me. Your suspicious nature grabs hold of me. It tears at me; itagitates me. Controlling me doesnt give you control over your life. Trust theprocess; surrender to the flow.
I am your bladder. Itall comes down to me. It all goes round and round, and it comes out here.
HealthyBladder
The urinary bladder is an elastic,muscular, thin-tissued storage place for urine, which is produced by thekidneys. Urine travels to the bladder via thin, foot-long tubes called ureters.The tube from the bladder to the outsideis the urethra. An adults bladder can hold at least 1000ml beforebursting.
The bladder has an inner layer ofprotective, collagen-rich mucus, a middle-layer of smooth muscle (the detrusor- thrust out - muscle), and an outer layer of connective tissueswhich unites the bladder, ureters and urethra.
At the base of the bladder, smoothmuscles form an internal sphincter that involuntarily releases urine. Belowthat, skeletal muscles - which are under conscious control - form the external urethral sphincter, giving us achoice in when we void. The average human bladder is emptied every 2-5 hoursduring the day.
When the bladder is about half full,stretch receptors send an impulse to the sacral spinal nerves, which send amessage to the brain, causing the detrusor muscle to contract, theinternal sphincter to relax, and alerting us to our need to go. If we dontvoid, the urge disappears within a minute, then recurs at intervals. Thetighter the stretch, the more frequent the messages to let go.
Although womens bladders aresomewhat constrained in size by theuterus, which lies behind it, there is little difference in thecapacity, or functioning, of healthy mens and womens bladders.
But the bladders proximity to theovaries and uterus in women, and the prostate gland in men, give a subtle,hormonally-mediated twist to bladder problems. A womans shorter urethra (4cmversus his 20cm) makes bladder infections more common for her; more women thanmen are incontinent; and prostate problems interfere with bladder functioningin many men as they age.
BladderProblems
There are many problems that canbother the bladder, from infections to retention (cant go) toincontinence (cant not go). If the muscles of the pelvic floor areweak, urine leaks (stress incontinence); if they are very lax, thebladder prolapses down into the vagina. As men age, the growth of theprostrate can press on the bladder, preventing it from fully emptying andincreasing the frequency of urination. And some men have paruresis orshy bladder, while women are more bothered by an overactive bladder orurge incontinence which bothers many women as well. Exercising thepelvic floor muscles is the best medicine for anyone with these problems.
If bacteria move from the anus intothe bladder the result is a urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis,which can range from acute episodes to chronic urgency and pelvic pain.Bacteria - including gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasmagenitalium - can inflame the urethra (urethritis) and cause pain. Herbs are very effective in soothinginflammation and in clearing infections of all sorts, though drugs may berequired.
Symptoms of cystitis includefrequent intense urges to urinate, often with burning pain, tenderness,incontinence, and bloody, cloudy, or strong-smelling urine. When treatedpromptly, cystitis is not threatening. Left untreated, however, the bacteriacan move up the ureters and into the kidneys, causing fever, chills, nausea,vomiting, back pain on one side, and eventual kidney damage.
Interstitial cystitis is an ulceratedcondition of the bladder which mimics cystitis, but gets worse, or fails torespond to treatments that relieve cystitis. Interstitial cystitis may berelated to fibromyalgia.
And cancer can grow in thebladder or kidneys.
Bladder Star- Comfrey
An herb that can improve muscle tonein the bladder, ease irritation in the bladder lining and ureters, heal allsurfaces, counter inflammation, and create resilient health throughout theurinary system is a true bladder star. Thats comfrey - Symphytum.
I dont use Symphytum officinale,which is often cited, and is associated with alkaloid-overdose of the liver.Instead, I use the comfrey from my garden, Symphytum uplandica x, alsocalled Russian or blue comfrey. In fact, Ive never seen anyone growing officinale,which is a small plant with yellow flowers. I strongly suspect that all thecomfrey for sale in the United States in uplandica.
The allantoin in comfrey is asuperb healer of mucus surfaces, such as those lining the bladder and ureters.It gives almost immediate relief to those with interstitial cystitis andworks to counter urge incontinence and overactive bladders.Comfreys anti-inflammatory action relieves urethritis and prostateswelling, too.
The astringent tannins incomfrey help tone and tighten the bladder and pelvic floor muscles, countering stressincontinence. Comfrey also relaxes the detrusor muscle.
The lavish amounts of minerals,vitamins, and protein found in comfrey allow the body to engage in any repairsthat are needed and may counter bladder cancer.
A sitz bath of the leaves orroots works well for those reluctant to consume comfrey. But, for best results,comfrey leaf infusion, a cup or two a day, gets my vote.
Legal Disclaimer: This content is not intended to replace conventional medicaltreatment. Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended todiagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personaldirections and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or otherqualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you. All materialin this article is provided for general information purposes only and shouldnot be considered medical advice or consultation. Contact a reputablehealthcare practitioner if you are in need of medical care. Exerciseself-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.
SusunWeed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax:1-845-246-8081
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Forpermission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com
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