How to Use St. John's Wort to Treat Bladder Problems

Bladder problems can be embarrassing and inconvenient, especially if the problems are related to incontinence. While there are over-the-counter remedies available, not everyone likes to risk the side effects, and some people prefer to treat the problem in a more natural way. One alternative way of treating bladder problems is to use St. John's Wort.

Things You'll Need

• Tincture of St. John's Wort

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Instructions

Avoid Embarrassing Incontinence With St. John's Wort

• 1

  Visit your doctor to make sure there isn't some underlying medical issue causing your bladder problems. Serous medical conditions, such as diabetes or infections, can cause bladder issues. Such conditions will not be relieved by the use of St. John's Wort.

• 2

  Talk to your physician about your choice to use St. John's Wort and a review a list of your current medications with him. St. John's Wort can affect the efficacy of many drugs used to treat heart disease, depression, seizures and certain cancers.

• 3

  Purchase or prepare a tincture of St. John's Wort, the recommended preparation for bladder problems. The tincture should contain 3 percent of the active ingredient, hypericin, per dose.

• 4

  Look for standardized preparations, which have been processed to ensure that every dose contains the minimum level of hypericin. The recommended dosages of different brands vary widely, and non-standardized herbs do not have a guaranteed potency.

• 5

  Take at least 5 to 10 drops of St. John's Wort tincture daily to treat incontinence and bladder problems. Use the tincture at specific times if you notice a pattern in the timing of your bladder problems. The recommended daily dose for an adult is 300 mg. 3 times a day if you are using a solution containing 3-percent hypericin.

Make a St. John's Wort Tincture

• 6

  Steep the herb in alcohol to extract the maximum medicinal essence. Creating a tincture can be done using anything in the range of 40- to 200-proof alcohol. Many people prefer to steep herbs in vodka when making tinctures.

• 7

  Place 2 oz. of dried St John's Wort in a pint of alcohol.

• 8

  Leave the mixture to stand for 5 to 7 days. During that time, occasionally shake the bottle to disperse the herb evenly.

• 9

  Strain the mixture at the end of the week, discarding the St. John's Wort and placing the liquid in small bottles with dropper lids.