Honeymoon cystitis refers to bladder inflammation in women caused by unclean sexual intercourse or friction and injury to the external genitalia during sexual intercourse during the honeymoon period. Since this condition occurs during the honeymoon, it is also known as “honeymoon wellness.”
I. Causes of honeymoon cystitis
1.Bacterial infection
Both male and female genitals and their surrounding areas may harbor a small number of bacteria. Additionally, the female urethra is relatively short and straight, with a wide lumen, and is close to the anus and vagina, so acute cystitis can easily occur due to infection after marriage.
This is because during the first sexual intercourse after marriage, when the male and female external genitalia come into contact, the protective barrier of the female external genitalia is disrupted. This not only makes it easier for bacteria accumulated in the male’s smegma to be carried to the female’s urethral orifice during sexual activity but also facilitates the spread of secretions from the female’s own anus and vagina to the urethral orifice. When bacteria ascend and infect along the urethral orifice, bladder inflammation occurs.
2. Friction irritation
After marriage, due to frequent sexual intercourse or rough and rapid actions by the male partner, the female urethral orifice is subjected to intense friction and contact, leading to urethral congestion, irritating the bladder, and causing signs of imbalance such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination.
3. Chemical irritation
Due to women’s lack of understanding about the use of substances for cleaning the external genitalia, they may excessively use strongly alkaline soaps to scrub the genital area before or after marriage; or, in order to please their spouses, they may apply chemical powders or spray talcum powder externally to the genital area on their wedding night, which may also irritate the urethra and lead to cystitis.
4. TCM Understanding of Honeymoon Cystitis
In traditional Chinese medicine, this wellness falls into the categories of “dribbling and retention of urine (Longbi)” and “stranguria (Lin syndrome)”. It is believed to be mostly caused by unclean external genitalia, with filthy pathogens invading the bladder, generating damp-heat, or stagnation transforming into fire, thus affecting the qi transformation function of the bladder.
II. Syndrome Differentiation and Dietary Therapy
1.Damp-heat accumulating and transforming into toxin
Turbid pathogenic factors invade the bladder, leading to abnormal vaporization and transformation function of the bladder and obstruction of the water passages. As a result, there are manifestations such as frequent urination, burning and pricking pain during urination, yellowish-red urine, urgent and distending pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes with chills and fever, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting, or abdominal pain that worsens on pressure, or constipation, yellow and greasy tongue coating, and soft and rapid pulse. The supports principle is to clear heat, eliminate dampness, detoxify, and dredge the urinary passages. Talcum porridge can be taken.
Formula and Composition: Talcum 30 g, Dianthi Herba 10 g, Coiced Rice 50 g. First, wrap the talcum in cloth, then put it into a casserole together with Dianthi Herba, add 600 ml of water, decoct until 450 ml remains, strain out the dregs and retain the liquid, add coiced rice to cook into porridge and consume it.
In the formula, talc is cold and smooth in nature. Coldness can clear heat, and smoothness can facilitate the orifices. It clears and resolves heat accumulation in the bladder and is specifically indicated for scanty and painful urination. Dianthi Herba is bitter and cold, clearing and draining damp-heat from the bladder to assist the action of talc. Coicis Semen protects the stomach qi to helps maintain damage to the healthy qi by the bitter-cold herbs. Therefore, this porridge can supports acute cystitis. If Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae or Chrysanthemi Indici Flos (10 grams each) is added to clear heat and detoxify, the effect will be even better.
One can also take Bianxu Lingpu Decoction. Formula and preparation method: 30 – 50 grams of Polygonum aviculare, 30 grams of Smilax glabra, and 30 grams of Taraxacum mongolicum. Add 1000 milliliters of water, decoct for 15 minutes, filter and take it warm in two divided doses.
In the formula, Bianxu (Polygonum aviculare) is bitter and cold in nature and flavor, and is specifically used to clear heat, dry dampness, and promote urination. Tufuling (Smilax glabra) and Pugongying (Taraxacum mongolicum) can clear heat, remove dampness, and detoxify. Therefore, this formula is suitable for those with damp-heat accumulation and toxicity accompanied by marked urinary pain and urgency.
Other food therapy recipes for clearing heat and promoting dampness excretion can also be selected for consumption.
2. Heat Flourishing and Injuring the Collaterals
Prolonged downward flow of damp-heat transforms into fire due to stagnation, or putrid turbidity and excessive toxins transform into fire and injure the collaterals, resulting in hot, astringent, and pricking pain during urination, dark red urine, or the presence of blood clots, with intensified pain and fullness and urgency, or restlessness, a yellow tongue coating, and a slippery and rapid pulse. The supports should focus on clearing heat and promoting diuresis, cooling blood and stopping bleeding. One can take Putao Jian (Vitis Vinifera Decoction) with Cirsium japonicum (Japanese thistle) and Cirsium setosum (field thistle).
Formula and Preparation Method: Extract 100 milliliters of juice each from fresh grapes and fresh lotus root by crushing and squeezing. Extract 50 milliliters of juice from fresh rehmannia root by squeezing (or use 30 grams of dried rehmannia root and extract the juice by boiling it in a concentrated manner). Extract 15 milliliters of juice each from Cirsium japonicum (big thistle) and Cirsium setosum (small thistle) by squeezing. Combine all the above juices in a pot, bring to a boil, add an appropriate amount of honey, and take it as a decoction to be washed down.
In the formula, the combination of lotus root and grape has the effects of clearing heat, cooling blood, promoting diuresis, and relieving stranguria; Cirsium japonicum (Japanese thistle) and Cirsium setosum (field thistle) can cool blood to stop bleeding, detoxify, and resolve carbuncles. Therefore, this formula is suitable for those with hematuria caused by heat scorching the blood vessels.
In addition, there is also a folk supports using Lumbricus (earthworm) to supports this wellness. The method is as follows: Take 40 live Lumbricus, 150 grams of fresh Cirsium japonicum (Japanese thistle), and 15 grams of Lophatherum gracile (common lophatherum). Wash the Lumbricus and place them in clean water with 3 to 5 drops of cooking oil added, allowing the earthworms to expel the soil from their bellies. Repeat this process twice until the black lines in their bellies disappear and they become transparent. Then place the earthworms in a clean bowl and sprinkle 150 grams of white sugar over them. Soon, the earthworms will dissolve into a sugary liquid. Separately, boil the Cirsium japonicum and Lophatherum gracile in water to obtain a decoction. While the decoction is still boiling hot, pour it into the sugary liquid derived from the live earthworms. Consume this mixture on an empty stomach while it is still hot, and it is said to have miraculous effects.
Interesting read! I never knew honeymoon cystitis had such a specific name. The TCM and dietary tips sound really practical—wish I had known about them earlier. Thanks for sharing this!
Interesting take on honeymoon cystitis! I never thought about the connection with TCM and dietary therapy. Would love to hear more about which foods help prevent it.
Intéressant ! On n’entend pas souvent parler de cette « cystite de lune de miel ». Merci pour les infos sur la médecine chinoise et la diététique. J’aurais bien aimé connaître ces astuces avant ma lune de miel, ça m’aurait évité quelques désagréments !
Interesting read! I never realized how common this is during honeymoons. The TCM approach sounds gentler than antibiotics—definitely worth trying some dietary therapy first. Thanks for sharing!