URETHRAL SYNDROME (non-specific urethritis)
Helpful Information for Pain Relief
My test data
1. I used the following pain scale: 0=no pain, 1=no pain but tingling, 2=mild pain, 3=moderate pain, 4=severe pain. Symptoms can occur at any time (not just during urination), so some symptom levels are not tied to a urinary test measurement. In other words, these symptoms ocurred when I was not peeing so there is no pH level given (until later).

2. I measured my urinary pH with test paper that says on it 'Hydrion 4.5 - 7.5'. I quickly passed a two-inch strip through my urine as I peed, waited about 5 seconds, then compared the color of the test paper to the chart supplied with the test paper. I recorded my results immediately in a notebook kept in the bathroom.

3. Note that time is also a factor. It is possible for the urine pH to briefly dip down (to an acid level) without triggering symptoms, but if it stays acid for any length of time, the pain will start. Also, if the urine has been acid and painful, then bringing the urine quickly back up to alkaline may not immediately eliminate the symptoms. But it does not take very long - the symptoms will usually resolve within an hour.

4. We tested my theory (that acid urine causes pain) by deliberately crashing my husband's urine pH through diet (he lived on lasagna, pizza, meat and cheese, all his favorites : ). After several days of acid urine he did experience burning urethral pain, even though he does not have urethral syndrome, per se. His actual test data during this experiment is given below -
CLICK HERE. I will forever be grateful to him for doing this : )

5. In the chart below 'cal-mag' refers to one pill of a calcium-magnesium supplement containing 333 mg of calcium carbonate/citrate/fumarate/malate/succinate/glutamate, plus 167 mg of magnesium oxide/citrate/fumarate/malate/succinate/glutamate. The reference to 'low cal-mag' is one pill of a lower dose calcium citrate plus magnesium citrate. The ice cream is ALWAYS chocolate, and in case it seems like I eat a lot of ice cream cones, I make them very, very tiny.

  
Actual data comparing urinary pH to urethral pain levels.
0=no pain, 1=no pain but tingling, 2=mild pain, 3=moderate pain, 4=severe pain
DATE TIME PAIN LEVEL URINARY pH FOOD CONSUMED
 Nov 23, 2007  8 am  1  7.2  grapefruit, bread, almond butter, tea
   11:30 am  1  6.8  
   12:30 pm      cottage cheese, bread, almond butter, ice cream, banana
   3:30 pm  0  5.5  clementine, grapes
   7:00 pm      vegetable korma, ice cream, applesauce
   8:30 pm  0  5.8  clementine
   11:00 pm  0  6.6  applesauce
 Nov 24, 2007  9:00 am  0  7.4  grapefruit, bread, honey, almond butter
   12:00 pm  0  7.2  lentil soup, bread, mango, banana
   6:00 pm      carrot soup, bread, apple cake w caramel sauce
   8:00 pm  0  5.8  
   10:30  0  5.5  
 Nov 25, 2007  8:00 am  1  6.2  grapefruit, bread, almond butter, honey
   10:30 am  0  7.2  
   2:00 pm  0  6.8  tofu, tahini, tamari, bread, applesauce, clementine
   6:30 pm  0  5.8  rice, lentils, vegetables, mango, banana
   8:30 pm  0  6.2  
   10:30 pm  0  6.0  
 Nov 26, 2007  1 am  1  5.5  
   6 am  0  6.8  
   8:00 am  0  7.2  bread, almond butter, honey, grapefruit, cal-mag supplem
   12:00 pm  0  6.8  rice, vegies, cal-mag supp
   5:00 pm  0  6.4  
   6:30 pm      salmon, coconut rice, broccoli, cal-mag
   10:50  0  7.2  clementine, applesauce, cinnamon bun
 Nov 27, 2007  1 am  1  7.0  
   7:00 am  0  7.6  
   9:00 am      bread, almond butter, honey, grapefruit, cal-mag supplem
   11:00 am  0  7.4  
   1:00 pm  0  7.2  vegie soup, bread, strawberries, yogurt, cal-mag
   3:00 pm  0  5.5  
   4:00 pm  0  6.4  
   8:30 pm      chicken, potato, carrots, pear and yogurt
   11:30 pm  0  6.4  
 Nov 28, 2007  1 am  0  7.2  
   7:00 am  0  7.2  
   9:00 am      raisin toast, almond butter, honey
   10:30 am  0  6.4  
   12:00 pm      beans, bread, milk, clementine
   2:30 pm  0  7.0  clementine, almond butter
   4:30 pm  0  7.2  
   6:30 pm  0  6.0  chicken fettucini alfredo, broccoli, tomato, pear, yogurt, cal-mag
   11:00 pm  0  6.0  
 Nov 29, 2007  1 am  0  6.6  
   7:00 am  0  7.4  
   9:00 am      bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
   10:00 am 0 7.2  
   1:30 pm  0  7.0  chicken fettucini alfredo, pear, yogurt, cal-mag
   8:00 pm      vegie curry, clementine, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.2 banana
 Nov 30, 2007 7:00 am 1 7.2  
  9:30 am 0 7.6 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee
  1:00 pm 0 7.2 cottage cheese, potato korma, strawberries, banana, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.0  
  5:00 pm 0 7.0 chai tea
  7:00 pm     vegie korma, pear, banana, cal-mag
  12:00 am 0 7.0 clementine

Actual data comparing urinary pH to urethral pain levels.
0=no pain, 1=no pain but tingling, 2=mild pain, 3=moderate pain, 4=severe pain
DATE TIME PAIN LEVEL URINARY pH FOOD CONSUMED
Dec 1, 2007 6:00 am 1 6.2  
  9:30 am 0 7.6 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:00 pm 0 7.0 squash soup, pear, banana, cal-mag
  7:00 pm 0 7.2 battered fish, french fries, ketchup, banana, ice cream, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.2 clementine
Dec 2, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.2  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     spinach chicken pizza, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.0  
  6:30 pm     scallops, potato, corn, mango, cal-mag
  9:30 pm 0 7.2 bread, honey, almond butter, clementine
Dec 3, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.4  
  9:30 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:00 pm     squash soup, bread, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 7.0 cookies, cantaloupe
  7:00 pm 0 7.0 turkey, vegies, cookie, cal-mag
Dec 4, 2007 8:00 am     rye bread, almond butter, honey, cal-mag
  9:30 am 0 7.2  
  11:30 am 0 7.2 Italian wedding soup, naan, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.2  
  6:30 pm 0 6.8 lasagna, cookies
  9:30 pm     crackers, cheese, cucumber, apple cider
  11:00 pm 0 5.8  
Dec 5, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, banana, coffee, cal-mag
  10:00 am 0 7.4  
  1:30 pm     hot dog, ice cream cone, cookies, cal-mag
  6:00 pm 0 7.2 vegies, rice, strawberries, banana, cookies, cal-mag
Dec 6, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  11:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:30 pm     French toast, maple syrup, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.2 cookies, chai
  4:30 pm 0 7.2  
  7:00 pm 0 6.4 spaghetti w tomato sauce, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 7, 2007 8:00 am 0 6.4  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     squash soup, bread, strawberries, chai, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.2 rice crackers, grapes
  7:00 pm     salmon, potato, cauliflower, ice cream cone, chai, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 6.4  
Dec 8, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.6  
  9:00 am     raisin toast, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 7.0 curry naan pizza, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  6:00 pm     chicken, carrots, latkes, spinach, cookies
  8:00 pm     chai, cal-mag supplement
  11:00 pm 0 7.0  
Dec 9, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.4  
  10:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 7.6 lentil soup, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  7:00 pm     battered fish, french fries, salad, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  8:00 pm 0 6.4  
Dec 10, 2007 8:00 am 0 8.0  
  9:00 am     raisin toast, peanut butter, marmalade, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 7.4 salmon sandwich, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  7:30 pm     potato korma, pear, chai, cal-mag
  8:30 pm 0 6.8  
  11:00 pm 0 6.6  
Dec 11, 2007 7:00 am 1 7.6  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  10:30 am 0 7.4  
  12:00 pm     baked beans, cal-mag
  6:30 pm 0 7.2 salmon, salad, asparagus, ice cream cone, chai, cal-mag
  11:30 pm 0 7.0  
Dec 12, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.2  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  10:00 am 0 7.4  
  1:00 pm 0 7.2 Italian wedding soup,blueberry scone, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.2 pear, rice crackers
  7:00 pm     fish chowder, strawberries, banana, cal-mag
  10:30 pm 0 7.2  
Dec 13, 2007 9:00 am 0 7.6 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:30 pm 0 7.4 pizza, ice cream cone
  6:30 pm 0 7.4  
  7:30 pm     fish chowder, salad, strawberries, chai, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.2  
Dec 14, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.6  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:00 pm     2 eggs, toast, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.0 banana
  6:30 pm     spaghetti w tomato sauce, banana & milk, chai, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 15, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.5  
*START ACID DIET 9:30 am     bread, peanut butter, honey, coffee, no supplements
  1:00 pm 0 6.7 vegie rice soup, blueberry scone, ice cream cone, chai
  3:00 pm     havarti cheese, chai, clementine
  6:00 pm 0 6.0  
  7:00 pm     chicken korma, rice, brussel sprouts, ice cream, clementine
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 16, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.0  
ACID DIET 9:30 am     bread, peanut butter, honey, coffee, no supplements
  1:30 pm 0 6.5 pizza, ice cream cone, chai
  6:30 pm     chicken mushroom penne, banana & milk, Smarties
  9:30 pm 1 5.5 Smarties
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 17, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.5 bread, peanut butter, honey, coffee, no supplements
ACID DIET 2:00 pm 0 5.0 pizza, ice cream cone, chai
  6:30 pm     brown rice, tahini, tamari, choc ice cream, chai
  8:30 pm 2 5.0  
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 18, 2007 8:00 am 0 6.0 bread, peanut butter, coffee, no supplements
ACID DIET 1:00 pm 0 5.5 cheese spinach omelette, toast, ice cream cone
  3:30 pm 2    
  4:00 pm 1 5.0  
  7:00 pm     roast chicken, salad, peanut butter, cookie, chai
  12:00 am 1 6.0 cherries
Dec 19, 2007 7:00 am 1 6.5  
ACID DIET 9:00 am     bread, peanut butter, honey, coffee, no supplements
  12:00 pm 1 5.2 2 eggs, toast, ice cream cone, peanut butter
  2:00 pm 1 5.0  
  3:30 pm     havarti cheese, peanut butter
  4:30 pm 2 5.5  
  7:00 pm 2   chicken, salad, banana bread, pear
  11:00 pm 3 5.0  
  12:00 am     after symptoms all day I couldn't stand it, took a cal-mag supp
Dec 20, 2007 7:00 am 2 6.0  
*STOP ACID DIET 9:00 am 1 7.0  
  10:00 am 1   bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:30 pm     squash soup, bread, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 1 6.5  
  4:00 pm 2    
  7:00 pm 2   vegie korma, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 1 6.5  
Dec 21, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:00 pm 0 7.5  
  1:00 pm     baaked beans, milk, pear, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  6:30 pm     vegie chicken korma, coffee crisp bar, square, cal-mag
  7:00 pm 1 5.5  
  10:00 pm 0 7.0 peanut butter
Dec 22, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:30 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:30 pm     hot dog, banana, ice cream, cal-mag
  3:30 pm 0 6.0 apple
  7:00 pm     chicken, potato latkes, salad, bread, tzimmes, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 5.5 pretzels, cheerios
Dec 23, 2007 1:00 am 0 5.0  
  8:00 am 0 6.5  
  10:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     spinach pizza, ice cream, banana, chai, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 7.0  
  6:00 pm     chicken, tzimmes, salad, cookie, apple rhubarb pie, ca-mag
  8:00 pm 0 6.5  
Dec 24, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  10:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 6.7 baked beans, banana, cookie, cal-mag
Dec 25, 2007 7:00 pm 0 6.2  
  8:00 pm     potatoes, gravy, low cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 5.5  
Dec 26, 2007 6:30 am 0 6.5  
  8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     turkey, toast, low cal-mag
  7:00 pm 0 6.0 vegie korma, nuts, rice, bread, low cal-mag
  10:00 pm     apple
Dec 27, 2007 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 6.0 turkey, toast, gravy, cranberries, low cal-mag
  7:30 pm     vegie korma, rice, blueberries & milk, low cal-mag
Dec 28, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.0  
  8:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  10:30 am 0 7.5  
  1:30 pm     battered fish, french fries, pickles, banana bread, low cal-mag
  6:00 pm 0 5.5 vegies, chick peas, nuts, ice cream, chai, cal-mag
Dec 29, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.5  
  8:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 6.0 vegies, chick peas, nuts, ice cream, chai, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.0  
Dec 30, 2007 7:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am 0 7.5  
  10:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     pizza, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.0  
  7:00 pm     vegie stirfry, rice, spring roll, cookie, chai, low cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.0 low cal-mag
Dec 31, 2007 6:30 am 0 7.0  
  7:30 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:30 pm     pizza, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.5 clementine
  12:00 am 0 7.0 low cal-mag

Actual data comparing urinary pH to urethral pain levels.
0=no pain, 1=no pain but tingling, 2=mild pain, 3=moderate pain, 4=severe pain
DATE TIME PAIN LEVEL URINARY pH FOOD CONSUMED
Jan 1, 2008 7:30 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 7.0 squash soup, cookies, licorice, chai, low cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 6.5  
  6:00 pm 0 5.5 vegie chicken stirfry, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 6.0  
Jan 2, 2008 7:00 am 0 7.5  
  8:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:00 pm     fettucini alfredo, peanut butter, ice cream cone, pear, low cal-mag
  2:45 pm 0 7.5  
  4:00 pm 0 5.5  
  5:00 pm 0 6.5 clementine
Jan 3, 2008 7:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  2:00 pm     turkey sandswich, fruit salad, coffee/hot chocolate, cal-mag
  7:00 pm     carrot soup, salad, cookie, peanut butter
  4:00 pm 0 5.5  
  5:00 pm 0 6.5 clementine
Jan 4, 2008 7:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  2:00 pm     2 eggs, toast, cal-mag
  7:00 pm     turkey sandwich
  8:00 pm 1 6.5 2 clementines, low cal-mag, feeling very thirsty
  8:30 pm 3    
  9:30 pm 3 5.5  
  10:00 pm 2    
  11:20 pm 0 6.5  
Jan 5, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:30 am     bread, almond butter, jam, coffee, cal-mag
  11:30 am 0 6.5  
  1:00 pm     squash soup, strawberries, ice cream cone
  5:00 pm 0 6.0 clementine
  9:00 pm     lobster, fries, potato salad, crackers, grapes, wine
Jan 6, 2008 1:00 am     cal-mag
  8:00 am 0 7.5  
  10:00 am     bread, almond butter, marmalade, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 7.5 salad, bread, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  3:00 pm 0 7.0  
  7:00 pm     vegie korma, pecan pie, chai, low cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.0  
Jan 7, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  10:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:30 pm     squash soup, bread, pecan pie, banana, low cal-mag
  3:00 pm     clementine, peanut butter
  4:00 pm 0 7.0  
  7:00 pm     almond chicken guy ding, fortune cookie, tea
  8:00 pm     cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 7.0  
Jan 8, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 7.5 2 eggs, spinach, cheese, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  6:00 pm     spaghetti, apple, cheese, low cal-mag
Jan 9, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:30 pm 0 7.0 mango curry chicken, rice, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  6:30 pm     banana clementine
  9:00 pm     salad, peanut butter, ice cream cone, tea
  12:00 am 0 6.5  
Jan 10, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  11:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  5:00 pm 0 6.5 pear, ice cream
  7:30 pm     mango curry chicken, peanut butter, ice cream cone, cal-mag
Jan 11, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:30 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 7.0 naan pizza, ice cream cone, clementine, cal-mag
Jan 12, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  1:00 pm     naan pizza, ice cream cone, tea, cal-mag
  4:00 pm 0 7.0  
  8:00 pm     vegie korma, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  12:00 pm 0 6.5  
Jan 13, 2008 9:00 am 0 7.0  
  10:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  2:00 pm 0 7.0 squash soup, bread, ice cream cone, cal-mag
  7:00 pm     vegetable lasagna, banana bread, tea, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 5.5  
Jan 14, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:00 pm 0 7.0  
  1:30 pm     baked beans, ice cream cone, clementine, low cal-mag
  7:00 pm     vegie korma, salad, banana bread, cal-mag
  11:00 pm 0 6.5  
Jan 15, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  7:00 pm     shepherd's pie
Jan 16, 2008 7:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, cal-mag
  12:30 pm     carrot soup, tea biscuit, banana, ice cream, low cal-mag
  6:00 pm 0 7.0 scallops, broccoli, carrots, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  9:00 pm     clementine, cracker
  11:00 pm 0 6.5  
Jan 17, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.0  
  9:00 am 0 7.5 bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:00 pm     donair, ice cream cone, chai, low cal-mag
  4:00 pm 2 5.5 scallops, broccoli, carrots, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  6:00 pm 0 6.0  
  7:00 pm     steak, potato, ice cream cone, chai, cal-mag
Jan 18, 2008 8:00 am 0 7.5  
  9:30 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:00 pm 0 6.5 shepherd's pie, tomato, cucumber, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
  7:30 pm     spaghetti w tomato sauce, cheese, ice cream cone, low cal-mag
Jan 19, 2008 8:30 am     bread, almond butter, honey, coffee, low cal-mag
  1:00 pm     mango curry chicken, ice cream cone, chai, low cal-mag
  7:00 pm 0