The Tissue:

Since no one really knows why Interstitial Cystitis happens, there isn’t really one cure for it either. There are pain pills, antihistamine pills, antidepressants, over active bladder pills, instillation’s (placing a pain killer solution inside the bladder) and Elmiron (the only FDA approved drug for IC), but everyone reacts differently to each treatment and no one has yet found the one thing that will erase IC for everyone. Personally, I think that if my condition isn’t life threatening or outrageously painful and the doctor agrees, trying to cure my problems through alternative medicine is the way to go.

Alternative Medicine Treatments Available

I found there are many forms of alternative medicines recommended to help treat IC. Some of them are: diet, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, acupuncture, yoga, biofeedback, physical therapy, massage therapy and more. I have tried the diet, the dietary supplements, some herbal remedies, biofeedback, yoga, the allergy elimination technique and chiropractic care.

Types of Available Supplements

If you thought there were a lot of alternative medicine choices, just wait until I tell you about the many dietary supplement and herbal remedy choices out there. The following have been shown, through the experiences of IC sufferers, to alleviate some or all of their IC symptoms.

Quercetin with Bromelain, Marshmallow Root, Calcium Citrate, Prelief, Cystoprotek, Cysta-Q, Vitamin D, Colostrum, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Alkaline booster, Serrapeptase, Aloe Vera, glucosamine and more.

I have tried many supplements as well as a few alternative treatments. Some worked, some didn’t, and some were way too expensive. Hopefully by me reviewing some of these alternative medicines and telling you which ones worked and which ones didn’t, I may be able to save someone else from spending too much money or wasting too much time.

I’ll discuss more about all of these different supplements and treatments in future posts so stay tuned.

How many different alternative medicine treatments have you tried?