4 Ways to Deal With the “Horrible Flare”

I have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe    This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature   That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her   We are Her in a real sense

To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers

As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain flare   And while that’s over the top for anyone who has experienced one nonetheless let’s lighten up and realize that no one has ever died from one   Here are 4 ways to deal with the tormenting flare

Short Course of Steroids

The inflammatory response that occurs with a flare from an energy science view is the Pitta energy pattern which carries the hot and spreading qualities   These qualities are enhanced by the mobile and light qualities of Vata   These two energy patterns tied together can make the flare unbearable

The energy patterns are most concentrated in the bladder wall muscle and a quick way to manage the muscular spasm caused by Pitta is by the potent steroids available by prescription   You can ask your urologist or family physician about the use of a short 7 day tapering pack of Medrol which has the dosings all laid out in the packaging   This is highly effective in the management of uncontrollable muscle spasm

By removing Pitta from the tissue using the cold quality of the steroid there will be an unblocking of Vata from the tissues which releases the light and mobile qualities from the bladder muscle

Cool Off

A flare is hardly the time to use hot spices like garlic, heavy fatty or oily foods(fatty acids =hot quality), or sit under the sun  since all these situations carry the hot quality   Better to start looking for a cool area of the house that’s dimly lit(intense light aggravates the hot quality) and take in nourishing cool sounds that are not jarring   Using cooling aromas such as rose, khus, mint, or jasmine are excellent particularly with your castor oil pack

This is a good time to go by the rule, “Feed a fever, starve a cold”   A flare is a fever whether the body’s temperature is elevated or not   So nutritionally(and it’s very natural) it’s best to do simple foods like juice  fasting based on your energy makeup(predominant Vata should leave this suggestion alone)  But the nutrition during a flare should be very simple   Maybe just dal(split mungl)rice, and veggies

 Castor Oil Pack

I’ve talked about the cooling external effects of castor and applying it over  the bladder acupuncture site(aka marma point) is an ideal way to relax the area involved    In addition the use of the above aromas with heat can be highly therapeutic   The use of heat with the pack can be helpful to reduce abdominal wall muscle spasm

So treating the horrible flare with acceptance and cooling off are energy science ways of thinking through the flare scientifically not hit and miss  And yes there are many other things you can do energetically that make sense eg chamomile or CCF tea    And the value of the flare is that it can bring on renewed commitment to stay on the energy science approach

Lay Low and Nourish Yourself 

This one may be surprising but it goes without saying that this is a time to nourish the body and not be disappointed in what’s happening   Who would say to a frightened child,  “Buck up kid!  You’re overreacting   How you’re acting is complete nonsense” ?

So too with the body, be compassionate, don’t force it to do what it doesn’t want to do   Allow it to be the way it wants to be   Be gentle, be kind   For people with IC the imbalance is the hot and mobile qualities and the pain makes you irritable, upset, not in control, and impatient(“Is it over yet?  Why isn’t it over?”)

The hot quality brings a strong sense of need for control of situations, circumstances, and things   There is also intensity, focus, competitiveness with this quality but impatience, and yes, anger, sometimes rage at not being well   A sense of disgust becomes overwhelming that the body is not cooperating

At that point say, “I know you’re not feeling well, dear body   But don’t worry   I’ll take care of you and we’ll get through this together   And I promise that when we’re through this that I’ll make better choices for you because I know I’m hurting you but I don’t know how or why”

Total acceptance of the difficult situation of flare can in itself reduce the pain and begin the restoration of balance   Fighting(hot quality) with it, wishing it was different, hoping that the body is going to “get over it”,is completely counterproductive to healing this acute situation

And if this post pissed you off you know you still have the hot quality lingering in excess

Until next time                    To Health as a Skill  Love DB