Living with bladder pain and the constant urge ‘to go’ can be rather frustrating. Yet, you are certainly not alone. Interstitial cystitis, a chronic bladder syndrome affects millions of people, mostly women, every day.
The good news is that you don’t have to struggle any longer. You can reduce your symptoms and recover from interstitial cystitis naturally following some simple steps.
In this article, you will learn what interstitial cystitis is and learn about its symptoms. I will explain what histamine intolerance is and why it may be the root cause of your bladder problem. I will share my natural interstitial cystitis recovery protocol, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan along with proper supplementation.
What Is Interstitial Cystitis
You might have heard of interstitial cystitis being referred to as chronic pelvic pain (CPP), painful bladder syndrome (PBS), or bladder pain syndrome (BPS). It is a chronic bladder condition that affects between 4 to 12 million people in the United States. While it mostly affects women, it may occur in anyone regardless of gender, age, race, or ethnicity.
Interstitial cystitis causes bladder pain or pressure, pelvic pain, increased frequency in urination, or an urgency to urinate. Its severity may range from mild to severe. Needless to say, interstitial cystitis can be a rather uncomfortable condition that may have a very serious impact on the quality of your life (1, 2, 3).
Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis
The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. You may even experience symptom-free periods.
Symptoms of interstitial cystitis may include:
- Pain in the pelvis
- Pain in the vulva or vagina
- Pain between the vagina and anus in women and between the scrotum and anus in men
- Pain in the lower abdomen or lower back
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Pain similar to a urinary tract infection but without an infection
- Frequent urination, up to 60 times a day, usually only in small amounts
- Persistent, urgent need to urinate
- Pain when the bladder is full and relief after emptying the bladder
- Painful sexual intercourse
Histamine Intolerance and Interstitial Cystitis
You may be surprised to hear that the root cause of your interstitial cystitis has nothing to do with your bladder and much more to do with histamine. Let’s learn more about histamine intolerance and how it’s connected to interstitial cystitis.
What Is Histamine?
Histamine is a chemical in your body that is responsible for a variety of functions. Its main role is to help your body get rid of allergens as part of your immune response. This is why people commonly take antihistamines for allergy-symptom relief. Histamine also communicates with your brain and triggers stomach acid release to aid digestion affecting your entire body.
What Is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine becomes a problem when it builds up in your body. Histamine intolerance is basically an indication that your body has too much histamine. As a natural part of your immune response, your body sends enzymes to break down histamine in order to prevent too much build-up. However, when there is too much histamine, it becomes difficult to break it down and to metabolize it.
Too much histamine can affect all parts of your body, including your gut, brain, lungs and cardiovascular system. It may lead to a list of unwanted symptoms, including skin problems, red eyes, low blood pressure, fast heart rate, anxiety, hormonal issues, headaches, seasonal allergies, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, bladder problems, and more. You can learn more about histamine intolerance, its symptoms, causes, and treatment options, in this article (4).
Histamine Intolerance and Interstitial Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis is one of the many health conditions linked to histamine intolerance. Research has found that people with interstitial cystitis have elevated mast-cell derived histamine levels and mast cell counts. One study of 33 women with interstitial cystitis has shown elevated histamine levels and the presence of a histamine producing bacteria in its participants. Another study found antihistamine therapy potentially beneficial for interstitial cystitis symptoms, suggesting that histamine intolerance is the root cause of the problem (5, 6, 7).
Natural Solutions for Interstitial Cystitis and Histamine Intolerance
Traditional treatment of interstitial cystitis may involve wearing loose clothing, bladder training, physical therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, pentosan polysulfate sodium medication, nerve stimulation, prescription medication dimethyl sulfoxide instilled into the bladder, and surgery.
Common alternative therapies include acupuncture and guided imagery. However, none of these options alone address the root cause of interstitial cystitis, instead, some (like the meds) mask your symptoms & others (like physical therapy & acupuncture) can be a great complement to the plan below to get you to full recovery.
Since histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind interstitial cystitis and bladder pain, you may need to address histamine intolerance to improve your symptoms. I recommend the following natural strategies for interstitial cystitis and histamine intolerance:
Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet
Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your bladder health. Reducing inflammation through an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce bladder symptoms. Following a low-histamine diet can help you reduce histamine intolerance and lower the risk of histamine-related bladder problems.
Remove inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oils, canned and processed meat, artificial ingredients, junk food, and highly processed foods. Avoid high-histamine foods, such as fermented food (e.g., sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented vegetables, kombucha, etc.), aged food (e.g., aged cheese, processed meat, canned fish, etc.), over-ripe fruits and vegetables, leftovers, and foods that are naturally high in histamine (e.g., avocadoes, eggplant, spinach, dried fruits, etc.). Avoid foods that may trigger histamine releases, such as tomatoes, most citrus, bananas, most nuts, and dairy. Avoid foods that may block the DAO enzyme, including black tea, green tea, alcohol, and energy drinks.
Eat a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, and low-histamine diet rich in greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, healthy fats, and organic meat. Low-histamine foods include most fresh leafy greens and vegetables, non-citrus fruits, such as apples, pear, papaya, and grapes, fresh grass-fed meat, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and wild-caught fish, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, coconut oil, leafy herbs, and herbal tea. My book, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan includes an extensive list of foods that you can eat and should avoid on a low-histamine diet.
If you are new to a low-histamine diet, remember to have fun experimenting with new foods and recipes. I promise low-histamine meals can be delicious. I recommend all the low-histamine recipes in The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan and my new recipe book, Fifty One Low Histamine Air Fryer Recipes. They are all simple, easy to make, low-histamine, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and super healthy. Not to mention how delicious they are — your family will love them too.
Reduce Your Histamine Bucket
If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance, reducing high-histamine foods is not enough. High stress, poor sleep, not moving your body, and high toxin exposure may add to your histamine load. Improving these areas of your lifestyle may help to reduce your histamine bucket and lower the risk of histamine-related issues.
Reduce Your Stress Levels
Chronic stress can increase mast cell activation and histamine intolerance. To decrease your stress levels, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.
Get Enough Sleep Sleep
Inadequate and poor sleep is another major underlying issue behind histamine intolerance. Improving your sleep is absolutely essential for your health. Your goal should be to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. Lower your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. Sleep on a supportive mattress with comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.
Move Your Body
A lack of movement may also increase the risk of histamine intolerance and chronic health issues. Moving your body is a great way to reduce stress, improve detoxification, and improve your overall health. Move your body throughout the day. Stretch regularly. Take a stroll in the nearby park. Find creative ways to incorporate movement, such as an impromptu dance session, learning a new TikTok dance, playing with your kids or pets, taking the stairs, trying a treadmill desk, or practicing chair yoga. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.
Remove Toxins
Toxin overload can lead to mast cell activation, histamine intolerance, chronic inflammation, and related chronic symptoms. It’s critical that you lower your daily exposure to environmental toxins. Choose purified water over tap water. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Choose natural, organic, and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene, and beauty products instead of conventional brands loaded with chemicals. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid BPA plastic completely. Choose organic food whenever possible and avoid overly processed packaged foods. If you must buy non-organic produce, follow the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, and always wash and peel non-organic vegetables and fruits.
Support Your Gut
Your gut health affects your entire body. Gut flora imbalance can trigger both histamine intolerance and intersitital cystitis. Supporting your gut health is critical for your recovery. Along with a gut-friendly, low-histamine, anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement, to support your gut microbiome balance.
Try Some Supplements
I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This blend features Tinofend®, a patented and clinically researched extract derived from the plant Tinospora cordifolia, which has a powerful ability to support immune regulation and immune response. As a result, it boosts your body’s ability to fight interstitial cystitis symptoms. It includes quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salt to help inhibit histamine release, support normal histamine metabolism, and improve immune health.
Final Thoughts
Histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind interstitial cystitis. Addressing histamine intolerance and reducing your histamine load is critical for improving your symptoms. I recommend that you follow the strategies outlined in this article to improve your health.
If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance and interstitial cystitis, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.
Sources:
1. Conquering IC. Interstitial Cystitis Association. Link Here
2. Interstitial Cystitis. Mayo Clinic. Link Here
3. What Is Interstitial Cystitis (IC)? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here
4. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here
5. Heßdörfer E. Painful bladder syndrome/Interstitial cystitis and histamine intolerance – is there a link? Bladder Centre Westend, Berlin, Germany. Link Here
6. Shan H, Zhang EW, Zhang P, Zhang XD, Zhang N, Du P, Yang Y. Differential expression of histamine receptors in the bladder wall tissues of patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis – significance in the responsiveness to antihistamine treatment and disease symptoms. BMC Urol. 2019 Nov 12;19(1):115. doi: 10.1186/s12894-019-0548-3. PMID: 31718622
7. Rudick CN, Bryce PJ, Guichelaar LA, Berry RE, Klumpp DJ. Mast cell-derived histamine mediates cystitis pain. PLoS One. 2008 May 7;3(5):e2096. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002096. PMID: 18461160
8. How does the liver work? Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Link Here
9. Balaban YH, Aka C, Koca-Caliska U. World J Hepatol. 2017 Jun 18; 9(17): 757–770. PMID: 28660010
10. Whitmore KE. Complementary and alternative therapies as treatment approaches for interstitial cystitis. Rev Urol. 2002;4 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S28-35. PMID: 16986031
11. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here
12. Supplements. Interstitial Cystitis Association. Link Here
