Hormonal Therapy For Recurrent UTI: Dr. Ashley Girard, N.D. (Part 5)

In this video series, Dr. Ashley Girard, a naturopathic doctor based in Ontario, Canada, shares how naturopathy can help people facing chronic UTIs and bladder conditions.

Dr. Girard stresses how having healthy hormones will support the rest of the body. Considering this, she looks at which of her patients’ symptoms may indicate hormone imbalance and then typically compliments that with testing. From there, she decides whether the patient needs to take estrogen, progesterone, or both.

When estrogen levels in the vaginal area are healthy, this can reduce the frequency of recurrent UTIs. An issue with blood flow or a lack of estrogen receptors in this area could mean low estrogen levels here, which will likely impact the bladder as well as the vagina itself.

It is important for hormonal therapy to be individualized, and to consider whether a patient is pre- or post-menopause. While most of the current research in this area focuses on post-menopausal patients, estrogen levels can start to decline in women as young as 38. In this case, hormonal therapy is a viable option to support recurrent UTI prevention.

Dr. Girard explains that there is not sufficient research to say for certain, but overall it seems that bioidentical hormones are safer than non-bioidentical ones. There is an increased risk of stroke associated with conventional hormones, but Dr. Girard stresses that this is very slight. If a patient is finding conventional hormonal therapy to be successful and they are being monitored by their healthcare practitioner, then this slight risk may be justified. However, generally, she supports the use of bioidentical hormones since they may be the next best thing to the hormones naturally present in our bodies.

It is important to address vaginal dryness and irritation or pain during sex, because this can predispose patients to developing a chronic UTI. For reducing vaginal dryness, Dr. Girard recommends using an aloe-based lubricant. She also recommends ensuring you are taking in enough fatty acids, for example through a high quality omega-3 supplement.

It is worth considering how pain during sex could also be related to other existing problems. For example, it could be worth consulting a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

During the menstrual cycle, hormone levels fluctuate. There is the potential for estrogen and progesterone levels to become too high or too low, and it is important to have the right balance. Dr. Girard often sees patients who get worse right before their period starts, which may be related to their estrogen falling too quickly. As estrogen levels become lower, we start to get more micro-fissures in the tissue, which then can set up more inflammation and irritation. If estrogen levels are too high, the immune system may be less able to respond to infection in its normal way. Both of these scenarios can lead to increased urinary symptoms or an infection.

There can be lots of different factors involved when it comes to hormonal therapy. In addition to the estrogen and progesterone balance, you also need to consider other hormone systems (e.g. thyroid) and factors like blood sugar. Because of this complexity, it is always important to work with someone experienced in hormonal therapy who will build an individualized treatment plan.

Dr. Ashley Girard is a Naturopathic Doctor based in Ontario, Canada. You can learn more about Dr. Girard and her work at https://bladdercare.ca

A Naturopathic Approach to UTI: A Naturopathic Approach To UTI: Dr. A...
Is it Safe to Treat a UTI Without Antibiotics?: Is It Safe To Treat A UTI Without Ant...
Herbal Treatment for Recurrent UTI: Herbal Treatment For Recurrent UTI: D...

Find out more about estrogen: https://liveutifree.com/uti-and-menop...
Read about the most searched UTI home and natural remedies: https://liveutifree.com/uti-home-reme...
Also learn about Antimicrobials and D-Mannose: https://liveutifree.com/over-the-coun...
Read Lea's story as she searched for a holistic approach to her recurrent UTIs: https://liveutifree.com/holistic-trea...
Possible treatment for recurrent UTI: https://liveutifree.com/uti-treatment/

If you are a clinician, you can learn about joining our clinician referral network here: https://liveutifree.com/clinicians/

About Live UTI Free
Live UTI Free is a patient advocacy and research organization. We do not endorse specific treatment approaches, clinicians or diagnostics methods. The content of this video does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. The medical and/or nutritional information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. https://liveutifree.com/

Post-production: Melissa Wairimu https://melissawairimu1.wixsite.com/l...