Please help! Do Tea tree oil, Marshmallow root, & Aloe really help?

[ThisIsMe]

Hi all! :)
I was wondering if you guys could help me please?

1- Does tea tree oil really help an inflamed urethra?
I have heard from a couple of people that it has helped them but I'll be honest and say I'm really scared to try it.
My urethra is constantly inflamed and the thoughts of putting tea tree oil on it sounds anything but soothing! lol!
How do you use it? Do you water it down first? If so, how much do you dilute it?

2- Does taking Marshmallow root actually work? Do you have to drink the tea or liquid or can you take capsules instead?

3. Does taking Aloe Vera actually help? Also, can you take it in capsule form or does it have to be some form of liquid?

Thank you all so very much!!! :)

[KarenAnne]

I can not answer Q's 1 or 2, but my friend's daughter has been taking Desert Harvest Aloe (capsules)for several years & it has helped her tremendously. You can look up their website. She had severe IC w/ Hunner's ulcers. I have not personally tried it because I have had success with amitriptyline (generic for elavil).

[Dakota]

In regards to the tea tree oil, I have been using it as just a cleanser to the vaginal area. I just add a few drops in warm water. I am weird, but for some reason I like the smell of it, and I'm one who does not like any fragranced products so go figure. I find it very soothing and refreshing. I also have taken Aloe in the capsule form. At first it seemed to help, but then it just stopped working for me.

[mrsaridings]

I dunno about tea tree oil or aloe vera, only because I'm nursing and read they are unsafe for that but I know for a fact marshmallow root helps. I heard the tea is quicker and more effective when your in a flare, but I disagree, I take the capsules only bcuz that was all the store had the time and they are great for me! Since I am nursing I am leary of pain meds and when I take one or two marshmallow root pills depending on how bad the flare may be, they always work within 15 minutes or less. It is also easier for me since I don't have much time to boil water, steep the tea and etc... I would probably forget about it by the time it was ready. I love them, they are very effective and I like that it increases my milk supply too, bcuz I notice sometimes the stress and pain from IC will cause my milk supply to reduce and it is hard to nurse when I hurt so bad so I can pump and my hubby can feed her. Plus you cant overdose on them so you can take as many as you need to when the flare is a serious one. Good Luck

[Goodnightmoon]

I have tried the tea and it seemed to help a little but I must say that it tasted aweful and it looked even worse....

I did not even know that there are capsules! This is great news!!

[Landish]

Hi all! :)
3. Does taking Aloe Vera actually help? Also, can you take it in capsule form or does it have to be some form of liquid?:)

"Patients with interstitial cystitis should be cautious about using liquid aloe vera since it must be preserved with high concentrations of citric acid, which is irritating to the bladder."

[Landish]

I but my friend's daughter has been taking Desert Harvest Aloe (capsules)for several years & it has helped her tremendously. You can look up their website. She had severe IC w/ Hunner's ulcers..

Definitely every body is different with this disease. I really don’t understand how come that a person that has Hunner's ulcers can take Aloe Vera. I feel burn when I take it but I still trying because I know this plant is miraculous even thou it is not for me.

[Dakota]

Goodnightmoon
If you're talking about the tea tree oil, it comes in a little bottle. I mix a few drops of it in a basin of water to use as a cleanser. I find it very soothing for vaginal irratation. I don't know if you mean the aloe or the oil.

[purpleviolet]

Got the idea from this forum - a drop or 2 in a quart of warm water I pour over me and it is refreshing.

[ICNDonna]

I can't take marshmallow root because it is a diuretic and I'm already on another diuretic for blood pressure control.

Donna

[ThisIsMe]

I want to thank you all so much for your helpful posts! :)
Because of you guys I went ahead and ordered some Marshmallow Root capsules last night, some natural tea tree oil, and some Aloe Vera gels.
Btw, thanks a lot for the warnings about the liquid aloe! I ended up ordering innergel softgels that aren't supposed to have citric acid in them. I wanted to try the Desert Harvest but they were just too expensive for me. :(
I ordered one bottle of each to try them: NOW Foods Aloe Vera 5000 Mg Gels - 100 Softgels and Good 'N Natural Aloe Vera Gel - 100 Softgels
I really hope and pray that all of the items I ordered do help me! :)

Oh one more thing, do the marshmallow root and aloe vera also help urethra irritation or just the bladder pain, spasms, and urgency?

[starflight]

I don't know if Tea Tree Oil would actually soothe anything haha I mean my god I'd stay the hell away from that stuff for urethra pain, etc. But I'm a guy and suffer with a mild case of IC for now, the real pain comes during urination which is basically scolding. I'm going to get to a doctor as soon as I can because the pain is just to unbearable. What's even more sickening is that it seems to be the jist of my situation, only urinary pain, but it's like hell.

I just got some Aloe Vera Caps, hoping that helps, I do have 1 thing that definitely helps, infact effects are almost immediate. Try VaselineTotal Moisture --- using this I am able to basically stop the burning after it's occured, although I am always conflicted because I just don't get why it works so well. Other creams don't do anything, this one does. It sometimes works to prevent the pain, but not always which is depressing.

I'm starting to think my IC was caused by the only 1st UTI I had 8 years ago, which seemed to be cured but then symptoms returned only to show on lab results no bacteria of a bad nature. I'm abit ****** at these lazy urologists right now because the one I saw told me there was blood in my urine but he suggested I just avoid acidic foods, which actually worked for near 8 years until recently. Alot of help he was :P But I guess since these urologists have no freakin clue what causes IC other than their stupid methods for treating it (bladder instillations?! That's ridiculious nonsense for the dark ages use real medicine) anyways yea I really, really think it's some bacteria or something, I mean haven't they analzyed a damn IC bladder for stuff like bacteria of unknown origins yet? Come on! Such a waste, there will never be a cure because they're so stupid they make treatments that are basically useless. Alright, enough I'm just mad right now sorry.

As for the Aloe, they are right the juice causes me to go into a flare like you cannot believe, but the caps seem ok although they sure didn't stop my pain today did they :\ I'm also trying MSM since it's chemically similar to DMSO and well let's see.

I did find an unusual thing of probiotics I might try, although even when I was on them I felt no real changes so eh :|

[jenc98]

A few drops of tea tree oil and some baking soda in a warm bath always helps me.

[bruegelfan]

I've been using George's liquid aloe. It's distilled and is pure aloe with all the caustic/acidic components removed and has no preservatives. Tastes like water and seems to help :)

[ICPrincess]

Wow all I know of Tea Tree Oil is that it burns like crazy and is excellent for killing acne. Most people use a tiny drop of it on a blemish and it's gone the next day however it does burn my skin. I stopped using it because of that now and just use my Tanda unit for acne now. Tea Tree Oil is very powerful. I honestly can't imagine it being OK for our sensitive torn up bladders, but then again I have never tried it heavily diluted in water either (I would imagine it would make an excellent antiseptic and is used for this in some ways). The scent is very intense.

[an0bgobeloba]

i certainly have gotten some relief from the aloe caplets. i would be scared to try tea tree, but i hope that you have great luck with it. aloe helped with urethra burning, but my biggest help has been msm gel.

[Lindsay K.]

I take lots of baths when my bladder is mad. I put tea tree oil in my bath but only a few drops because it is strong. It has a wonderful warm spicy smell and is relaxing and apparently antimicrobial too. I also drink the marshmallow root tea and find it soothing to my bladder. I am on my first day of cystoprotek but have not tried the aloe.