Bladder & Bowel Archive

Internal cleansing may empty your wallet, but is it good for your health?

Spring usually makes us think of cleaning — putting our records in order for the tax season, emptying our closets of winter coats, and readying our gardens. As if those chores aren't enough, we're now hearing that our bodies need a thorough internal cleansing as well. A growing number of infomercials, Web sites, and print articles are urging us to eliminate the systemic buildup of toxins that supposedly results from imprudent habits or exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. Such toxins, we're told, will sap our vitality and threaten our health unless we take measures to "detox" ourselves.

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic inflammation of the bladder that causes people to urinate -- sometimes painfully -- as often as 40, 50, or 60 times a day. Their quality of life, research suggests, resembles that of a person on kidney dialysis or suffering from chronic cancer pain. Not surprisingly, the condition is officially recognized as a disability.

There's no cure for interstitial cystitis, but many treatments offer some relief, either on their own or in combination.

Departures from the familiar yellow color of urine are often harmless but should be discussed with a doctor.

Most of the time, urine is a pale-yellow color because it contains urochrome, one of the substances produced when hemoglobin gets broken down. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that sticks to oxygen so it can be ferried around the body.

Occasionally, though, urine turns a very different color. Men may notice the change as their urine enters the toilet bowl or urinal. Women may be more likely to observe it after wiping. Seeing red or orange instead of the usual yellow can be alarming, especially if there are also symptoms like a burning sensation or pain with urination. The alarm may be justified: an abnormal urine color can be an early sign of a serious medical condition. To be on the safe side, it should be discussed with a doctor or another clinician.