How To Get A Healthy Bladder

Signs Of Urinary Tract Infection

In some elderly people, mental changes and confusion may be the only signs of a UTI. Older adults with a UTI are more likely to be tired, shaky, and weak and have muscle aches and abdominal pain.

Symptoms of a UTI in the bladder may include:

• Cloudy, bloody, or foul-smelling urine
• Pain or burning during urination
• Strong and frequent need to urinate, even right after emptying the bladder
• A mild fever below 101°F in some people

If a UTI spreads to the kidneys, symptoms may include:

• Chills and shaking
• Feeling tired or generally ill
• Fever above 101°F
• Pain in the side, back, or groin
• Flushed, warm, or reddened skin
• Mental changes or confusion
• Nausea and vomiting
• Very bad abdominal pain in some people

Some people may have bacteria in the bladder or urinary tract, but not feel any symptoms. If a urine test shows that you have bacteria in your urine, but you do not feel any symptoms, you may not need any treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether antibioticsthe medications that treat UTIsare needed.

Bladder Control Exercises & Lifestyle Tips

The material provided below is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. You should always seek medical advice before consuming any new medicines or supplements. AZO products referenced on this website are not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease such as overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, or vaginal infections.

Take a look at the list of healthy bladder lifestyle tips below and see which ones may help you. While theres no ironclad guarantee with any bladder control solution, there are a number of things you can do to increase your chances of maintaining a healthy bladder.

Drink Plenty Of Fluids

This is the second time weve mentioned drinking enough, and its equally valid for maintaining a healthy bladder. Guidelines state that in a 24-hour period, an individual should empty their bladder four to six times a day. Drinking plenty of water or other fluids is vital for maintaining this regularity. Without enough water, you may find that your urine becomes very concentrated and yellow. This can irritate your bladder and potentially cause a urinary tract infection. Depending on your level of activity and how hot it is, you should aim to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water each day.

Recommended Reading: Why Do I Get Bladder Infections So Easily

What You Can Do: Clean Carefully

After you poop, be sure to wipe from front to back so bacteria doesnât get near your genitals. When you wash, be gentle and donât use harsh soaps that can damage the sensitive skin in the area and let bacteria in. And a shower can be better than a bath. Sitting in bathwater can let bacteria and other irritants get inside your urinary tract.

Fruits And Vegetables With A High Water Content

Just like water is great for urinary health, Dr. Kelley says foods with a high water content are too. “Any way people can get extra water in their body is usually helpful,” he says. Fruits and vegetables tend to be the type of foods highest in water. But Dr. Kelley does have one caveat to this rec: “Fruits that are acidic can actually irritate the bladder, so it’s best to choose fruits and vegetables with a high water content that aren’t acidic,” he says. Some examples of this include coconut, watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and collard greens.

Read Also: Does Bactrim Treat Bladder Infection

What You Can Do: Watch Your Weight

Youâre more likely to have problems with your bladder if youâre overweight. Too much body fat can strain your pelvic floor and make you pee when you donât want to. It also can put pressure on the pelvic nerves, which makes you feel like you have to go sooner than you really do. Losing weight can ease the pressure on both.

Tips To Get Your Bladder Under Control

• Treatment plan

Take control of your bladder

Do you find yourself struggling to make it to the bathroom in time? Urinary incontinence is a common condition. Your doctor can help you understand whats causing it and recommend a treatment plan.

Lifestyle changes can also help get your bladder under control. Learn about six steps you can take to reduce your risk of accidents and help you get back to enjoying everyday activities, leak-free.

Don’t Miss: How To Prevent Bladder Infection After Intercourse

Take Charge Of Your Bladder Health With Cxbladder

Talk with your doctor about bladder health and how to keep the urinary system clean. If you’re experiencing any bladder cancer symptoms like blood in your urine, seek medical advice right away. Talk with your doctor about using Cxbladder when you begin discussing the diagnosis and monitoring process. Before flushing, look at the color of your urine as an indicator of concerns, including bladder cancer. If there’s blood in your urine or you “see red,” consult with your doctor. If symptoms persist, insist on further evaluation to determine if there could be bladder cancer present.Learn more about Cxbladder Ask our team a question

Signs Of A Bladder Problem

Everyones bladder behaves a little bit differently. But certain signs may mean a bladder problem. If you have signs of a bladder problem, talk with your healthcare provider.

Signs of a bladder problem can include:

• Inability to hold urine or leaking urine
• Needing to urinate eight or more times in one day
• Waking up many times at night to urinate
• Sudden and urgent need to urinate
• Pain or burning before, during, or after urinating
• Cloudy or bloody urine
• Passing only small amounts of urine after strong urges to urinate
• Trouble starting or having a weak stream while urinating
• Trouble emptying the bladder

Also Check: Best Over The Counter Medication For Bladder Infection

Loss Of Bladder Control

If you cant always control your bladder function, you may have urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is any involuntary loss of urine from your bladder. It ranges from small leaks, to complete loss of control.

If you think you have incontinence, contact your doctor or the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.

Urinate And Clean Yourself Before And After Sex

Bacteria can travel up into the urinary tract during sex, increasing your risk of urinary tract infections.

Urinating shortly after sex and wiping yourself has been shown to reduce the odds you will develop an infection.

Urinary tract infections occur more often in women after sex in women because they have shorter urethras than men. That makes it easy for bacteria to go up into the urinary tract .

Though rare, men can get urinary tract infections too and they can transmit pathogens to women as well. The groin is a major source of bacteria so men should clean their groin area as part of good personal hygiene.

Read Also: What Herbs Are Good For Bladder Control

Why Is The Bladder Important

Your urinary system or bladder is essential because it filters extra fluid and wastes from your bloodstream, removing them from your body. When your kidneys are functioning normally, they:

Your bladder, urethra and ureters move your urine from your kidneys and then store it until it’s time to release it from your body.

What Are The Specific Symptoms Of Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder represents a collection of symptoms that can include:

• Urinary urgency: This is a failure to be able to postpone the need to urinate. When you feel you need to urinate, you have a limited amount of time to get to a bathroom.
• Frequency of urination: People who experience this symptom need to urinate very often. Typically its an increase in the number of times you urinate compared to what you previously experienced.
• Urge incontinence: In this case, there can be a leakage of urine when you get the urge to urinate.
• Nocturia: This symptom is characterized by the need to get up and urinate at least two times each night.

Don’t Miss: What Are The Symptoms Of Advanced Bladder Cancer

Tips For A Healthy Bladder

Good habits can help you avoid bladder control problems.

For a healthy bladder:

• urinate 4 to 8 times a day, but no more than twice each night
• try not to go in case wait until your bladder is full
• when you go, completely empty your bladder
• drink plenty of water 6 to 8 cups a day for most people
• include fibre in your diet so you dont strain when opening your bowels
• dont have too much caffeine, as it can irritate your bladder
• keep your pelvic floor muscles strong

Women should sit on the toilet seat, rather than hover over it.

Get Incontinence Supplies Through Medicaid

From catheters to bladder control supplies to diapers or pull-ups, Aeroflow has got you covered! You may be eligible to receive your incontinence products at no cost through your insurance. Check your eligibility through our quick and easy 2-step form, and one of our Continence Care Specialists will contact you in 1-2 business days with an update on your coverage status.

Recommended Reading: Treatment Of Overactive Bladder In Males

What Foods Are Good For The Urinary System

Along with beverages, it’s also a good idea to know the foods for a healthy bladder and kidneys. If your bladder is sensitive, there are still foods you can enjoy without irritating it. You already know the foods you should avoid. Here are some bladder-cleansing foods you may want to eat.

The Need To Repair And Strengthen The Bladder

Who has never had a urinary tract infection? As we said above, the bladder is a sensitive organ. Consequently, it will react against anything contained in the urine that causes infection or inflammation. And, at the end of the day, it may contain waste and toxic materials that must be eliminated from the body. This is why you need to regularly detox your bladder.

Incontinence or an overactive bladder are problems that can cause small changes in our day-to-day routines. Because of this, we will probably have to make more frequent trips to the bathroom. At first these are annoying, but they may become chronic.

We need to learn how to care for the bladder and know what foods and habits will keep it healthy and functioning correctly. You should never ignore any potential bladder problems.

More and more people are being diagnosed with cancer of the bladder due to tobacco use. Harmful substances in tobacco products infiltrate the walls of the bladder and end up causing the formation of tumors. It is a condition that could end up stopping bladder function entirely. In this case, a patient may have to live the rest of their lives with a bag attached to their abdomen to remove urine.

So, as always, our first piece of advice is this: if youre a smoker, get rid of your cigarettes for the sake of your health!

Also Check: Antibiotics Given For Bladder Infection

Limit Alcohol And Caffeinated Drinks

Alcohol intake can cause an increase in the production of urine, leading to an overactive bladder. This unnatural surge of liquid waste caused by alcohol can irritate the walls of the bladder and lead to cases of urine incontinence. Sweet caffeinated drinks such as soda, coffee, or tea usually contain plenty of sugar, and this can cause or support the growth of bacteria within the bladder. Therefore, It is highly advised to limit or totally stay away from such drinks as a way to keep the bladder healthy.

Bottom Line

Maintaining a healthy bladder is key to experiencing a healthy life, especially as we age. The health of the bladder is directly and indirectly linked to the workings of other vital organs in the body, such as the kidney. Therefore, taking steps to protect the bladder is a task everyone must consciously undertake. Make lifestyle changes and imbibe beneficial practices. Both you and your bladder will be glad you did.

When To See A Health Care Providerand What To Expect

If you have any of the signs of a bladder problem or urinary tract infection, talk to your healthcare provider. Read advice on talking to your doctor about sensitive subjects, like bladder problems.

When you see your healthcare provider, he or she may perform the following tests to try to figure out what might be causing your bladder problem:

• Give you a physical exam to look for any health issues that may cause a bladder problem. For women, the physical exam may include a pelvic exam. For men, the physical exam may include a prostate exam, which is usually done with a rectal exam.
• Take a urine sample to check for a bladder infection.
• Examine the inside of your bladder using a cystoscope, a long, thin tube that slides up into the bladder through the urethra. This is usually done by a urinary specialist.
• Fill the bladder with warm fluid to check how much fluid your bladder can hold before leaking.
• Check a bladder scan using ultrasound to see if you are fully emptying your bladder with each void.

Don’t Miss: Turbt Treatment For Bladder Cancer

Tip #: Water Water Water

Many of us think were getting enough water each day, but the majority of us arent. In women, its especially important to stay hydrated, as drinking more water can help prevent developing urinary tract infections and other irritation with the urethra.

That leaves us with the question, how much should you drink? I recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day. Yes, you heard me right, and no coffee, tea, vodka or Crystal Light does not count. In addition to drinking the correct amount of water, make sure to spread your water intake out throughout the day, and do your best to avoid fluids two hours before bed. This will help prevent sudden urge symptoms and save you from having to get up during the night to urinate.

Water is essential for the kidneys to function. If the kidneys do not function properly, waste products and excess fluid can build up inside the body – making you feel fatigued and lousy. With dehydration, the skin can also become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature aging.

The Top 5 Diet Tips For A Healthy Bladder

Ready to find out how you can make easy lifestyle changes that may help improve your bladders health?

1. Up your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.

First, lets talk about fruits and veggies. Not only are fresh fruits and vegetables great for your body, but they may also have a positive impact on bladder health.

For example, low-acid fruits like apricots, papaya, and watermelon have antioxidants that can help fight off disease or illness. Vegetables can also pack a powerful punch of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for overall health, such as proper organ and hormone function.

Cranberries, cranberry juice, or cranberry supplements can be a great addition to your diet as well, especially if you suffer from frequent UTIs . However, keep in mind that cranberries may not be for everyone. Some people may find it causes bladder irritation.

One easy way to get more fruits in your diet is to mix them with yogurt. Many women may already know that yogurt consumption may fight off yeast infections. However, many people dont realize that eating yogurt can also play a positive role in your bladders health too. Yogurt has active bacteria known as probiotics that your body needs. Studies show that eating yogurt may even reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer by keeping the cells of your bladder healthy.

2. Drink the right amount of water to stay hydrated.

3. Take in the proper amount of fiber daily.

4. Avoid potential bladder irritants in your diet.

Don’t Miss: What Is A Bladder Tank

Avoid / Limit These Foods

Certain beverages and foods can irritate our bladders. Try cutting out potential irritants for a week and then adding one back into your diet every two or so days. Take note of any bladder changes when you reintroduce a food or drink back into your diet.

Beverages to avoid or limit:

• Alcohol

Foods to avoid or limit:

• Citrus fruits
• Spicy foods

Diet Changes Your Bladder Will Love

Whether you are living with incontinence or caring for a child or parent who is, diet is a key factor in promoting a healthy bladder that often goes overlooked. While abs may be made in the kitchen, the same goes for incontinence – what you eat and drink, and what you dont, directly affects your bladder.If you’re wondering how to calm an irritated bladder, you’ve come to the right place. And dont worry, you wont have to give up all of the good stuff – weve included some tasty snack and meal ideas you can easily add into your weekly grocery haul.

Read Also: What Are The Ingredients In Azo Bladder Control