Category Archives: CPPS

InterStim and Its Use with IC

When confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up   1  Why is this happening to me?  2  How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out?   The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory

And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function”   This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s suffering and want to alleviate it if you can  What would life be like without this chronic pain?  What would I be able to do that I can’t do now?

The Surgical Option and the Overactive Bladder(OAB)

The FDA approval for the surgical use of Medtronic’s InterStim is for the OAB syndrome not IC   And the urinary frequency/ urgency and urge incontinence is improved by the device in about 50-70% of cases as reported in 2009 but  usually doesn’t eliminate completely the voiding difficulty so as to give normal bladder function   The use of the device has carried over into the IC patient group because of the desperate needs of the IC patient to at least control the voiding problem aside from the associated pain

This is to say, the IC pain complex will not be taken care of by the device   As always there are anecdotal reports of pain cessation but this is not what the device is designed for

There will always be a surgical or mechanical alternative to chronic pain or for that matter any problem   Weight loss surgery, pancreatic islet cell transplant for diabetes, and for the OAB  InterStim has become a surgical option in the management of IC   If you pass a 2 week trial period then a permanent stimulating neuromodulator can be placed in a subcutaneous pocket overlying the right gluteal region

The bladder is innervated  by the sacral nerve roots S2-3  By placing needles that emit a low grade electrical current to the nerves going to the bladder, the nerves sending signals from the bladder that urination needs to occur(resulting in frequency, nocturia, and urgency) get overridden by the nerve stimulator   The result is a reduction in the bothersome voiding pattern of OAB but not the pain complex

Complications range from 10-25% and related to the mechanical aspects of the procedure such as infection and dislodgement of the wires due to falling or jarring can occur particularly if the needles are not well seated    At times such stimulation can bring on chronic pain from the placement compounding the problem rather than making it better

The Energy Science Perspective

Surgery is a part of the energy science of Ayurveda discipline   It clearly recognizes that surgery can be the best option in certain patients   But it also brings to the table a rich understanding of the origin of disease and therefore uses the surgical option in a more refined way   When adding the matter science technological approach to disease this can lead to a very effective holistic medical system

With this being said the use of a mechanical device should not be offered unless there has been an adequate trial of nutrition using energy science guidelines  Over the last 10 years I have personally witnessed OAB symptoms resolve using this kind of nutritional approach

As discussed in my upcoming book, IC Bladder Pain Syndrome, the OAB separates itself from the disease label of IC due to the pain component   You see the OAB problem is a Vata disturbance of bladder function whereas the IC disease label is a Vata AND Pitta disturbance of the bladder leading to not only the OAB symptoms(Vata)  but the Pitta energy pattern presence leading to the sharp shearing pain of IC that can be episodic and recognized as the flare

Patience is the KEY  Don’t Jump Too Fast

Using a surgical approach is an option  Using a nutritional approach is an option  But if the latter has not been given an adequate trial then that leaves the former as the only viable option

So my suggestion is to not act too hastily and give the energy science approach a really good trial before you open yourself up to the potential problems associated with surgery    And if you elect to have the implant know that the pain may not be affected

All the best                               To Health as a Skill     Love DB

 

 

Oh Nuts! and IC: 3 Nut Alternatives

Interstitial cystitis(IC) bladder pain with flares can be amplified by the routine use of nuts of any kind and this includes their butters!!  Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter

Why?

Unlike the matter science(MS) nutritional information that fatty acids are good and bad, the energy science(ES) of Ayurveda states that all nuts are inflammatory due to these molecular fatty acids regardless of the “good or bad nature of them”   The reason for this is that the post digestive(small bowel) effect is heating therefore inflammation provoking

The sweet taste of many foods covers the acidic nature of the foods itself and this is true of the nut category  This is why the ES nutritional information trumps the MS guesswork around nutrition and is why the anecdotal information of the MS nutritional realm is at times confusing hence flares and then no flares   What gives?   This also explains why various other inflammatory conditions are interrelated with IC such as fibromyalgia, IBS, chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS), GERD, prostatitis(did you know that PSA is a marker for inflammation?), and CPPS(chronic pelvic pain syndrome)

As an aside this sweet taste of nuts in general make them a great choice for building tissue since the sweet taste is anabolic

OK Then What Can I Use for Nuts? 

Sorry to blow your day if you crave the mixed nuts but there is certainly a favorite guideline of mine and that is “There are no hard guidelines in the ES realms”  Know that if you use the foods that are provoking that you increase the likelihood of a flare   That use of inflammatory foods will keep you up at the ceiling of the curve below rather than allowing your mindbody to do the rebalancing as the curve progresses to the right(BTW the ascent from the left shows how we gradually get sick over decades by our own choices(Oh shoot, you didn’t have to say that did you?)

Journey to Balance

Soaked and peeled almonds(this is very important! or you can use slivered almonds from the bulk section of the grocery store if they have one ) are very helpful for their nutritive benefit but also for their cooling effect  Turns out that the skin of the almond holds enzymes that in and of themselves are inflammatory   Almonds are not actually nuts but in the end who cares

Charole(actually seeds like sunflower) is another nut choice  It’s a very small nut found in very few stores in the US(I know because Ive looked; let me know if you have a source that you would share with the community) and is heating but due to the size and its energetics is acceptable and does not provoke Pitta(more about this energy pattern in future blog posts)

And of course coconut because it’s COOLING!  The general energy science principle is this:  Plants that grow in hot climates are there for a very specific reason  Their job is to make the environment cold(well cooler) and so Momma Nature is always taking care of balancing herself

What about nut milks?  Almond Breeze is made from blanched and peeled almonds so a great drink  Coconut milk also is a very nutritious drink and both these “nut” milks make great date shakes  More about that in the future

3 Nut Alternatives

Here are three options for substitution without provoking inflammation or the Pitta energy pattern in the physiology

Use the above three recommendations and make your own nut butters from the slivered almonds

Sunflower seeds can be used by anyone anywhere anytime  Sooo..  sunflower butter sold at Trader Joe’s is an excellent proprietary product and the best tasting sunflower butter on the planet    Have tasted many and this by far is the closest to peanut butter with a nice sweet taste  Mmm good!

Give yourself “permission” to have a few nuts every once and a while if the craving is too great   The ES reminds us that food cravings are a result of imbalanced digestion so the faster we can improve our digestion the better it will be

Interested in a free ES consultation with me?  Just tap on this link

Or sign up to join our growing ES IC community!

Well enough for now  Until next time                                           To Health as a Skill  Love DrBill

 

Every IC Patient Should Be Urologically Evaluated

Pelvic pain(also known as CPPS or chronic pelvic pain syndrome) has many different causes  When everything has been ruled out with CT scan, cytology, and cystoscopy then the urologist is left with the diagnosis of IC or chronic prostatitis   So the evaluation of IC pain is a diagnosis of exclusion

To the astute clinician often the symptom complex of IC stands out from other pelvic pain complexes having nuances that separate them apart from the IC label   Be that as it may it still is important to have studies done to be sure what you are dealing with IC

Then you can be rest assured that an energy science healing approach will clear your problem, symptom free and able to live a normal life

What Happens If You Don’t Get Better

I am so certain of this approach that I can say that if you’re doing this energy science work and you don’t notice a change in your symptoms or reduction in flares in 3 months you should return to your urologist and have studies repeated

I have seen patients in the past who even had a clear Hunner’s ulcer in the bladder by endoscopy and a complete workup who continued to have recurrent symptoms   She  failed to return on appt times and later I found a high grade cancer of the ureter

So it’s incumbent upon you to followup with your urologist despite supportive findings of IC if you don’t get better with the energy science approach

Flare Change

One thing to note about improvement is that the intervals between flares becomes longer, the intensity of the flare lessens, or both  The below diagram shows what happens as you reduce the imbalance of the hot quality

Journey to Balance

As you can see the apex of the graph depicts symptoms of the pain complex represented as spikes but as you make conscious choices to bring about cooling the physiology by nutrition and many other energy science techniques the flares lessen and lessen until they are negligible

Three Things You Can Do Right Now

Go to foodsheal.com right now and take the quiz    Then choose the appropriate nutritional format and print the pdf format off so you have it to follow

Read the incompatable food combination list and print off that file as well and post both on your refrigerator so you can reference them regularly  Incompatible foods produce inflammation

Use aloe vera gel(not the juice) on a regular basis (2T three times per day)   Take it to work, travel with it, and make a ritual out of its use  Why?  This herb reduces the hot quality(think of applying aloe on a hot sunburn) by using the opposite quality of cold

To Health as a Skill          Love DrBill

“Did this article interest or touch you? Why not share it with one friend?”

What Is IC?: An Energy Science Explanation

The pain of interstitial cystitis(IC) is chronic, intermittent, and eventually debilitating  It is pelvic in origin and often originates from the bladder but may also involve the vagina leading to painful intercourse(dyspareunia)  The pain distribution is from belly button to midthigh and is associated with episodic urinary burning, urgency, and frequency

Diagnosis of the Disease Label of IC

This complex of symptoms is labeled by the current matter or molecular science healing discipline(your urologist) by many different names:  chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS), painful bladder syndrome(PBS), vulvodynia(vaginal pain), chronic prostatitis, and of course interstitial cystitis  Fibromyalgia, depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome can be added to this list of synonyms as a frequent diagnoses often associated with IC   Read on to see why

The diagnosis of IC is based on a negative urological evaluation of the urinary tract which includes:

History and physical

Most often negative urine cultures(of many negative cultures there may be some positive)

Normal urine cytology

Normal  CTscan(xray evaluation of the urinary system)

Often a normal cystoscopic exam of the bladder(looking in the bladder) except there is pain with bladder filling during the exam

What is IC?

The current matter or molecular science understanding of IC is that the protective internal layer of the bladder(called the GAG layer) becomes damaged by unknown substances in the urine  It is unclear to the matter science discipline why fibromyalgia is associated with IC

The energy science understanding of IC pain is that it is an imbalance of qualities  Two basic vibrational frequencies among others become disturbed in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) leading to increased the increased hot and mobile qualities

This imbalance of the hot quality leads to the burning pain in the bladder, pelvic region, and thighs   Hence not only bladder symptoms occur but also vaginal pain as well leading to painful sexual intercourse also referred to as vulvodynia  Fibromyalgia occurs due to these qualities among others involving the liver  Chronic fatigue syndrome and depression occur due to the imbalance of qualities already manifesting as IC   Sooo… the imbalance of the qualities lead to a group of labels used in the matter science model of healing

The increased mobile quality in the bladder leads to urinary urgency and frequency which are the hallmarks of the pain syndrome

But you can begin to see how the energy science model in its simplicity helps you understand how all dis-eases can be simplified as opposed to the current matter science where there is such confusion

Gastrointestinal Tract(GIT) Origin

In contrast to the matter or molecular science theory of disease, the energy science view is that the GIT is the origin of all dis-eases that occur in the energy mindbody including IC

This explains why nutrition and change in the type of foods ingested is important in dealing with  not only IC pain  but dis-eases in general that are painful  The GIT imbalances increase the qualities that eventually lead to the symptoms in the pelvic region  Witness the association of acid indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) with IC

Why is the bladder or pelvic region selected rather than the lungs or brain or muscular system?  The energy science of Ayurveda describes that there are weaknesses in the mindbody that predispose the organ or area to be affected

Three Things To Do Right Now

Since the GIT is the origin of IC it makes sense to eliminate those foods that are producing the imbalance  You have two options  Either go to icdiet.com  or go to foodsheal.com and select the appropriate nutritional format

Look at the food incompatibility list

If you have had longstanding chronic symptoms you probably need more attention to your imbalances   In this case sign up for a free consultation with me to explore what can be done to help you with your dis-ease

Or right now you can sign up by putting in your email in the right hand column box on the page  You’ll also get a free report on healing IC and become part of our growing IC community interested in dealing with chronic dis-ease in a different more effective way

Until next time Ciao                                                                                                            To Health as a Skill     Love DrBill

PS  Our ic-solutions.tv Facebook page is up  Would you stop by and if so inclined like it

PSS If you know a friend who could benefit from this explanation of IC could you pass it along   thanks DB

The Painful Molecules of Inflammation: NO Infection NO Cure

Directionless

Everyone agrees that the pain of IC is related to inflammation but it may be surprising to find that all diseases from cancer to diabetes have an element of this inflammation  And this is where we are at in our current understanding of disease from a matter or molecular science point of view  And we as the signpost points are left with no direction

There are many painful molecules that have now been identified that produce inflammation in the mindbody  We have identified many of these molecules  But what causes them to begin to show up in the first place? The answer from the matter science is infection often times because foreign organisms incite a white cell response which produce this molecular inflammatory response

But IC is defined as a nonbacterial inflammatory response  So no infection but inflammation nonetheless  And we are all well aware of many different diseases that produce inflammation without infection such as rheumatoid arthritis

This is why at this point in time the matter science urologist has no answer for your IC  No infection No Cure  Treatable but not curable

Understanding Inflammation Through Energy Science Glasses

If we take off our matter(molecule) science glasses and view the mindbody through energy field glasses we see the mindbody as an energy field

There are three necessary biologic energy patterns according to the science of Ayurveda:  the energy of movement Vata, the energy of transformation Pitta, and the energy pattern of stability Kapha

As we discussed with you earlier inflammation is a result of excessive hot quality resulting in inflammation regardless of whether there is infection or not  

When the energy pattern of Pitta becomes excessive(too much of the hot quality) then inflammation and the excruciating pain of IC is the result

3 Ways To Reduce Inflammation and IC Symptoms

Unless we’re breatharians we routinely do one thing every day:  EAT  This is why foods become so important in the management of this chronic condition labeled as IC   “Label” is a specific term for the broader term inflammation  Other labels used by the matter science urology tradition include chronic pelvic pain syndrome(CPPS) and chronic prostatitis

So you can do 3 things right now:

Go to foodsheal.com right now and take the quiz    Then choose the appropriate nutritional format and print the pdf format off so you have it to follow

Read the incompatable food combination list and print off that file as well and post both on your refrigerator so you can reference them regularly  Incompatible foods produce inflammation

Use aloe vera gel(not the juice) on a regular basis (2T three times per day)   Take it to work, travel with it, and make a ritual out of its use  Why?  This herb reduces the hot quality(think of applying aloe on a hot sunburn) by using the opposite quality of cold

To Health as a Skill          Love DrBill

“Did this article interest or touch you? Why not share it with one friend?”

Heartburn and Interstitial Cystitis: 3 Ways to Go Beyond Prelief

The Hot Quality

You would do anything to deal with the pain of IC especially when flares occur so it would stand to reason that using an antacid of some form would be appropriate since for some it gives them relief of their heartburn but has also been anecdotally reported by some to help with their IC symptoms

Interestingly acid indigestion(heartburn) and GERD are strongly associated with IC  In an online survey done by the ICA:

559 respondents to the diet survey 

84% found diet helped reduced symptoms

59% used Prelief (OTC antacid)             ICA Update  April/May 2004  p 15-16

Perhaps because this was an online survey the results are not available for search at the ICA site any longer but the survey obviously underscores the importance of nutrition and shows the interesting correlation with acid indigestion and IC   From our previous blog discussion this correlation would be expected as the hot quality in the gut moves to affect the urinary system

Two Bowls of Ice Cream and Pharma

My father in law didn’t have IC pain and lived a relatively comfortable life except for anxiety now and then  He had an interesting habit that I think is germane to our discussion today

As a matter of evening routine he would sneak into the kitchen late at night to have his two bowls of Hagen Daz ice cream after which he would take his cholesterol lowering pills(maybe two for good measure!)  Comfortable that he had done his ounce of prevention he would then trundle off to bed

I think most would feel that taking two Lipitor after eating ice cream is …. well not preventative  But isn’t that the same thing we are doing with antacids?  Prelief  is an antacid like many OTC antacids to help with the stomach symptoms of heartburn GERD  Even Tagamet has been used off label for IC    But isn’t that the same thing?

Freedom: But At What Price?

We all want our freedom of choice and the energy science of Ayurveda does not say “Never”  It says that we all have free choice but we don’t have a choice about the consequences of our choices

Drugs and nutraceuticals are not meant to cover over poor food choices that cause the pain of IC which can be managed more successfully without the use of pharma

Of course there is the sentiment “My life is over  All of my favs taken away from me!”  These energy science nutritional formats are not an “all or none” proposition but the more closely you adhere to the format the better you will feel  And after a while you’ll get tired of taking in foods that make you feel sick

In the end the energy discipline can help us with a qualitative scientific assessment of what foods are best for our mindbody energy makeup

Three Ways to Manage Acid Indigestion

Go to foodsheal.com right now and take the quiz    Then choose the appropriate nutritional format and print the pdf format off so you have it to follow

Read the incompatable food combination list and print off that file as well and post both on your refrigerator so you can reference them regularly

Use aloe vera gel(not the juice) on a regular basis (2T three times per day)   Take it to work, travel with it, and make a ritual out of its use

To Health as a Skill          Love DrBill

“Did this article interest or touch you? Why not share it with one friend?”

Castor Oil Packs and Interstitial Cystitis: Why They Work

Castor plant

As you know at times the pelvic pain from IC can become unbearable and many in the IC community have talked and written about the use of  the castor oil pack  As a matter of fact these packs can be a great refuge from the chronic pain

Even if the relief is short lived it can bring a reprieve  Wow, what would it be like if castor could give you complete relief and the pain never came back ever?  In the energy science healing tradition of Ayurveda there are many reasons that a dis-ease occurs so the treatments must be multifactorial as well   But you may be interested in why castor works from an energy perspective

The Energetics of Castor

The oil expelled from the seeds of the castor plant have medicinal purposes when used internally or externally  Not to be confused with cascara which comes from the bark of a tree castor seeds specifically reduce the hot quality when applied externally

As we discussed last time with you the combination of the hot and mobile qualities or vibrational frequencies(these terms are interchangeble) lead to the sometimes excruciating  symptoms of IC in the pelvis, at times focused in the area of the bladder  IC is marked by inflammation which is hot

Taken internally castor brings the hot quality because of how it’s digested and as a result produces diarrhea  The hot vibrational frequency in the small bowel and colon leads to increased bowel activity   But castor oil applied externally in the form of a pack is cooling or brings the cold vibrational frequency

Hence balance is created when hot is treated with its opposite quality cold   In energy science healing as you remember it’s not about the molecules and dis-ease labels as in matter science healing    Healing is brought about by balance   But balance of what?   Balance of the vibrational frequencies that are out of balance   In the case of interstitial cystitis the imbalance of the hot and mobile qualities is balanced by the qualities of cold and stable    If you question some of your friends you may surprised to find that they have a subtle sense in the pelvis of hot which becomes even more pronounced when they urinate with a burning sensation

How To Make and Apply a Castor Oil Pack

It’s quite simple to do   Fold a thin cotton towel that you don’t want anymore into the size of the lower abdomen(below the belly button)   Moisten the cloth with castor oil thoroughly and apply some castor also to the area   Then apply the towel and cover with a dry towel or heating pad   Moist heat as from a hot water bottle works best but an electrical pad will work as well   I have been asked “If you have the hot quality why use more heat”   The heat relaxes the abdominal wall muscles reducing muscle spasm   Spasm from muscle contraction can be quite painful   This allows the castor to be more effective

Leave in place for 30 minutes or so then wash the excess castor off the skin  Don’t try to scub it off but leave a slight film to allow it to continue to have its effect   The pack can be re-used for a couple of weeks so store in a plastic bag but should consider “recharging” the thin cotton towel with more castor as you reuse it

You should use a high quality castor product   I have used a brand named Palma Christi which you can find in any number of online stores including amazon

What To Do Next

As I mentioned in the beginning there are multiple reasons why IC occurs and so healing is mutifactorial  It’s not just one thing that solves the imbalance but multiple things that we do   If interested in this curative approach to IC you can also do some other things

1  Go to foodsheal.com and take the quiz and find out what nutritional format you should use

2  If you haven’t already sign up to join our growing IC online community

3  Sign up for a free consultation to help you determine how you can implement completely this information to cure IC

To Health as a Skill  Love DrBill

“Did this article touch you? Why not share it with one friend?”

 

 

 

 

The Pain of Flares: 3 Energy Science Things To Do

A “flare” is a common phrase used in IC circles to describe the sudden occurrence of pain around voiding  It can also describe the pelvic pain associated with the burning and frequency of urination that can be part of the recurrent symptom complex so characteristic of interstitial cystitis

You may remember the graph on the home page near the bottom  If not go check it out now because it will show you the ups and downs of ANY dis-ease in the physiology  Even acute conditions such as renal colic from urinary stones or appendicitis have these ups and downs through their period of dis-ease  But chronic dis-eases such as IC as you know have their ups and downs as well  And these ups are called flares when there is an upswing  A sudden change in dis-ease or loss of the balanced steady state

But what would it be like to gradually be free of the flares?  If you resolved your flares it would free you up for so many other things that you want to accomplish in your life  If interested read on

Almost universally survey respondents voiced their disbelief that there was not a determined scientific causation by the urological community  What can be done to get help?

Change the Model of Healing

Our current molecular medical model states that the molecule causes the disease  One quote from a survey respondent was “That the pain gets out of control, I stress, I cry and then it gets worse because of the acid pouring into my bladder”  This comment underlies the premise by the current healing model that the acid molecule causes the pain

No question that acid causes the pain  And no question that if a change is diet takes the acid out that molecule then the flares will resolve  End of story  IC is fixed  But unfortunately that’s not the case   You know that by experience

Since Einstein made his elegant mathematical observation E=mc2 matter and energy are recognized as interchangeable at a constant  Because of this new understanding of nature as a scientific world community we are able to put men in space, explore Mars, and enjoy Facebook!  But the world of biological healing is woefully mired in the matter science world of Newtonian physics

If we put on our energy science glasses to view the human physiology we begin to see not molecules but energy patterns that express themselves as qualities   Qualities become the footprints of the biological energy field

For example, words you use contain the clues as to what qualities are occurring in the physiology  “Flare” is one such example   When you use that word what comes up for you?  Heat, hot, a blast of heat  And by the way, what do we say when voiding occurs  It’s burning again suggesting the hot quality

So the current matter or molecular model measures molecules and how they cause disease  The energy science model sees dis-ease in terms of qualities  Too much hot represents an imbalance somewhere in inner space   Dis-ease is an imbalance of qualities

OK, So What?  Just Fix Me

If people are sick some might feel a bit uneasy if they asked their surgeon why he thought they had appendicitis and he responded, “No particular reason  I’d just like to operate this afternoon”   We all want to have confidence in the thinking that goes on behind the scenes in medical decision making particularly when it comes to ME  All healing disciplines should give us that confidence

And when the healing discipline we are using isn’t fixing our painful flare we would like to know why(I would hope but then again people do surprise us)  I contend we have the wrong model for healing certain chronic dis-eases, in this case IC

The reason that this energy versus molecular medical healing model issue is so important is that it’s the difference between having painful flares and living a life that is free of them   This may seem like an outlandish statement but it is true  You just have to trust  the process  Fortunately as you do this energy science work it brings faith and with that more trust

 Three Important Steps

If you’re interested in gradually eliminating flares in your life the first thing to do is:  Take responsibility for your healing  This means that when you are looking at a food choice that is in the NO column that you consciously make the choice to avoid the food  And remember, this is about baby steps  If you haven’t signed up to be part of our growing IC community looking at healing IC not just treating it and getting the free report that will get you started

Visit the energy science nutritional website that can get you started with appropriate nutritional information  More about that in upcoming blogs but for now do the test and then follow the appropriate nutritional format in the left hand column of the page

If you happen to be on an island and hear the ocean you want to go see it  Now if you’re a real pioneer and trailblazer you cut through the jungle and finally the ocean and its surf come into view  But most of us would prefer a well trodden path that can reliably take us to that ocean and the white sandy beach  There’s security in that path, not having to make your own way because you know others have come before you and are now helping you find the way  So it is with a healing journey  There is often a lot of anxiety about healing because the outcome is not known  You’re not in control  And that’s uncomfortable for all of us  But with a knowledgeable guide who has taken people on the healing path before you can reach your destination  sign up for a free one hour consultation by clicking on this link with me to explore what your visions and goals are for health

                                                                                                                                             To Health as a Skill   Love DrBill