Weight Loss & Health Improvements To Reduce Your Symptoms
Studies suggest that losing excess weight can reduce the symptoms of stress incontinence and an overactive bladder.
What does this mean exactly? If you can lose about 8 percent of your body weight thats typically around 15 to 20 pounds you will likely see remarkable results. In fact, even just a few pounds of weight loss can reduce incontinence episodes by over 25%.
Aside from all the other health benefits, by losing weight the abdomen will alleviate pressure on all the organs in the area, including the bladder.
As well as weight loss, getting regular exercise can reduce overactive bowel symptoms. Exercise can help to reduce the strain on your bladder which ultimately means less urine leaks.
Stopping smoking can also help with OAB problems since the smoke from cigarettes can irritate your bladder. Smoking can also lead to hacking cough a loud, dry cough which can cause further leaks.
Increase Your Magnesium Intake
Magnesium is a mineral that helps your body keep its muscles in good condition.
Even though its used in hundreds of functions in your body, sometimes you dont get enough. This causes some problems and inflammatory reactions.
Because of this, those who suffer from bladder spasms need to increase their magnesium intake. This helps to relieve the contractions.
You can find this mineral in foods like:
- Wheat and oat bran
Experts Answers For Readers Questions
What is the best medicine for overactive bladder?
Medications often prescribed for overactive bladder include tolterodine and oxybutynin .
When to see a doctor for overactive bladder?
See a doctor immediately if: It affects your sleep quality. You pee more than 8 times daily. You rarely make it to the washroom due to the sudden urge to pee.
Can fluid pills harm an overactive bladder?
Using fluid pills or diuretics can worsen the symptoms of an overactive bladder. Hence, it is better to avoid them.
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Buchu And Your Bladder
A flowering plant native to the mountainous areas of South Africa, buchu has a long history of traditional use. Legend has it that buchu helps heal everything from fevers to coughs to urinary tract infections.
Buchu tea has no caffeine, so swapping your morning coffee or black tea for buchu will cut your caffeine consumption. That may be helpful in easing OAB symptoms, but dont expect a cure-all. No studies measure buchus effect on OAB.
Medical Treatments For Nocturia
Your doctor may prescribe medications when preventive measures and lifestyle changes fail to reduce the frequency of your nighttime urination. Doctors prescribe a class of drugs called anticholinergics to treat symptoms of OAB, if thats the cause of your nocturia. They reduce bladder spasms that create the urge to go.
Your doctor may suggest you take a diuretic for regular urine production. A diuretic can itself cause nocturia. But if you take it early enough in the day, it may help you get rid of excess fluid while youre awake. This should decrease your urine production at night.
Other drugs that may help are:
- desmopression in cases of diabetes insipidus to cause the kidneys to produce less urine
- tamsulosin , finasteride , or dutasteride to treat prostate enlargement
- antibiotics if you have a urinary tract infection
Your doctor may also adjust your diabetic medications to lower your blood sugar if theyre causing nocturia.
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What Foods And Drinks To Avoid For An Overactive Bladder
If you are dealing with an overactive bladder, avoid these foods :
- Carbonated beverages
You may not have to eliminate all the above foods from your diet. Find out which of the above can be tolerated in small amounts by your body and make changes to your diet accordingly.
Listed below are some helpful tips to manage an overactive bladder and prevent recurrence of symptoms.
Anticholinergic Drugs For Overactive Bowel
This particular class of medication is used to control the muscle spasms that lead to overactive bladder. Anticholinergic drugs focus on blocking the nerve signals that typically trigger inopportune bladder contractions, reduce the frequency, and the severity of your urge to urinate.
There are several anticholinergic drugs to choose from and they all require a doctors prescription. Most people have very favourable reactions to anticholinergics, though there are a few possible side effects which may include dry mouth, constipation, increased heartbeat and/or drowsiness.
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Can Overactive Bladder Be Controlled
Overactive bladder therapy can be challenging to manage. However, many people are very satisfied with the treatment they receive and they often see a dramatic improvement in their quality of life. Your doctor will guide you to the best steps to begin with and give you options for any additional treatments you may need over time.
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Kegel Exercises And Muscle Training
You can also do special pelvic floor exercises, or Kegel exercises, in addition to regular exercise. Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles to minimize involuntary contractions and improve posture. Its also one of the safest behavioral therapies without side effects and complications.
To do Kegel exercises:
You can also talk to a physical therapist to see if youre squeezing the right muscles.
Yes, Kegel exercises works for men, too »
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Natural Ways To Help Reduce Incontinence And Overactive Bladder
Unsure if you have overactive bladder? WebMD created this questionnaire.]
Theres nothing to worry about, a simple change in diet and lifestyle can help you control the bladder.
In this article, well take you through some effective strategies, that can help you overcome the OAB. Lets dive in, shall we?
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Whats A Normal Number Of Bathroom Visits
There is no normal number of bathroom visits per day, which makes it difficult to know how many trips to the bathroom might indicate OAB. A very general guideline is that making fewer than 10 visits to the bathroom per day suggests normal bladder function. Its important to acknowledge if youre urinating more often than usual or if you feel an uncontrollable need to urinate.
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Herbs That Relax Bladder Muscles
Your bladder muscle, also known as the detrusor muscle, relaxes when the bladder is storing urine, and contracts when it is expelling urine. If your bladder muscle cannot relax, you may have an overactive bladder and bladder control problems, like incontinence, which can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Symptoms include frequent urination, incontinence and nocturia. Herbs may help relax your bladder muscles naturally. Consult your health care provider before starting herbal therapy.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
When To See A Doctor
Those who experience changes in their urine or urination habits should consult a doctor. Urinary urgency and frequency are associated with other medical conditions, including urinary tract infections. As a result, a proper diagnosis is important to inform treatment plans.
It is also recommended that people speak with a doctor before trying alternative remedies for overactive bladder.
If first-line treatments do not help symptoms to improve, doctors may then suggest second-line treatments. These can include medication.
If this is unsuccessful, third-line treatment in the form of neuromodulation, a method of altering nerve activity, or surgery may be considered.
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Precautions And Proper Diagnosis
The main symptoms of OAB can also occur in other health conditions like bladder cancer, urinary tract infection and enlarged prostate. Seeing blood in your urine is not a symptom of OAB.
A sudden and frequent need to urinate is common in both OAB and a UTI. How can you tell the difference between these two urinary health issues? Unlike OAB, a UTI also comes with other symptoms such as discomfort while urinating. In addition, OAB symptoms are continuous while UTI symptoms are sudden and may also include a fever.
Overflow incontinence is characterized by the involuntary release of urine from an overfull urinary bladder, often in the absence of any urge to urinate. This condition is not associated with OAB. It typically occurs in people who have a blockage of the bladder outlet, which can occur with benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer or a narrowing of the urethra. Overflow incontinence can also occur when the muscle responsible for removing urine from the bladder is too weak to empty the bladder in a normal way.
It is very important to see a doctor to ensure a proper diagnosis if you experience any changes in your urine and/or urination habits.
What To Expect From Your Doctor
In terms of an assessment, your nurse or doctor will ask you about your general health and in particular, about your OAB problem. You may be examined orally and internally, and you might be asked to give a urine sample to see if you have any obvious problems.
As part of your treatment programme, you may be asked to keep a bladder diary for roughly 3 days, which typically involves making a record of the time of each time you pass urine and how much urine was passed.
You may also be asked to take a flow test, and in some cases a post-flow ultrasound test. This involves using a special machine which checks whether you completely empty your bladder and also measures how strong your flow is.
Here is a short list of possible questions your doctor may ask and the tests they may ask you to complete:
- An overview of your medical history.
- A physical examination, which could include a rectal exam and a pelvic exam in women.
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Natural Supplements You Can Take At Home
While there have been very few scientific studies on herbal remedies as an option for overactive bladder treatment, some remedies have shown promising results for some people.
Studies from Japan have shown improvements in urgency, leakage and a reduction in night-time urination using a herbal remedy known as Gosha-jinki-gan. Also, the buchu plant from South Africa is thought to nourish the bladder tissue and fights inflammation which can lead to infections and incontinence.
There are also plenty of common herbs that may help with symptoms, including:
- Ganoderma lucidum
Remember to consult your doctor first before adding any of these herbal remedies into your overactive bladder management plan.
Top 20 Natural Home Remedies For Overactive Bladder
1. Pumpkin Seeds
This is the first home remedy for overactive bladder for you to do at home. Pumpkin seeds contain tryptophan, insoluble fatty acids, and high levels of antioxidants, which provide many benefits to the body. Thanks to the high levels of carotenoids and liposolunols, pumpkin seed oil is considered as an ingredient to help prevent diseases, especially prostatic disease.
In addition, scientists have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating diabetes, anxiety and overactive bladder. A study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that pumpkin seed helped improve urinary symptoms in study participants after 12 weeks of supplementation. Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of fatty acids and phytoesterol which are essential for the bladder, especially for women after menopause.
Method 1: Only Pumpkin Seed
To implement this method, please follow these steps below:
- Prepare 10 grams pumpkin seeds.
- Rinse the pumpkin seeds, then roast for 3 minutes so that the pumpkin seeds ripen.
- Peel pumpkin seeds and eat during the day when you feel hungry.
Method 2: Pumpkin Seed And Water
To implement this method, please follow these steps below:
- Prepare 20 grams pumpkin seeds, 500 ml boiling water.
- Rinse pumpkin seeds, then use the pumpkin seeds to soak in boiling water and leave for 30 minutes.
- Filter for the juice and drink it.
You can implement this method 4-5 times a week for best results.
Method 3: Pumpkin Seed, Sugar And Honey
2. Kegel Exercises
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What Causes An Overactive Bladder
This entire process of urination is controlled by nerve signals. When your bladder is filled, your brain receives signals to trigger the urge to urinate. As you urinate, your brain again receives signals to relax the muscles of your pelvic floor as well as the urethra to help pass the urine. Simultaneously, your bladder tightens to push the urine out.
In the case of an overactive bladder, the contraction of the bladder occurs involuntarily, even when the volume of urine inside is relatively low. This action causes a sudden urge to pee.
While the exact cause of this occurrence is yet to be found, the following are some factors that could be contributing to the symptoms of an overactive bladder:
- Neurological disorders
- Bladder abnormalities like tumors and/or bladder stones
- Medical conditions that may affect or obstruct bladder flow like enlarged prostate or constipation
- A history of surgery to treat incontinence
- Consuming caffeine or alcohol in excess
- A decline in cognitive function, mostly due to aging
- Incomplete emptying of the bladder
An overactive bladder can take a toll on the affected individuals life in more ways than you can imagine. Here are some wonderful home remedies that can help in managing the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
9 Natural Remedies For Overactive Bladder + Causes, Symptoms, And Diet Tips:
Home Remedies For Bladder Infection
Here are some effective and natural remedies for bladder infection that are inexpensive, harmless and easy to use at home.
1. Drink Plenty of Water : This is the best treatment for bladder infection. Water is a great cleansing agent and helps in flushing out the harmful bacteria in the form of diluted urine. So, drink lots of water for a quick relief from bladder infection.
2. Baking Soda : Baking soda is one of the best home remedies for bladder infection pain. You just need to mix a spoonful of baking soda in a glass of water, and drink it. Repeat this remedy daily till the symptoms subside completely.
3. Cranberry Juice : Cranberry juice is an effective home remedy to stop a bladder infection in pregnant women. Cranberry contains enzymes, which are really beneficial in treating a bladder infection. Therefore, drinking cranberry juice will let you to get rid of a bladder infection quickly.
Note- Avoid intake of cranberry juice if you or any family member of yours has a history of kidney stones, or if you are taking medicines for thinning the blood.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar : Soak in water, containing apple cider vinegar. It will greatly reduce the burning sensation that is caused while urinating due to a bladder infection.
5. Yoghurt : Eating yoghurt is also beneficial as it contains acidophilus, which helps in curing the bladder infection.
6. Heating Pad : In order to ease out the pain, caused due to a bladder infection, use a heating pad over the abdominal area.
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What Are Symptoms Of An Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder refers to a group of urinary symptoms that include:
- Urinary urgency with or without urinary incontinence: Strong and sudden need to urinate that may cause bladder discomfort. Urinary incontinence refers to a lack of control over urination. Not all people with urinary urgency have incontinence. Those who have incontinence complain of uncontrolled leakage of urine.
- Urinary frequency: Urinating more often than usual.
- Nocturia: Increased need to urinate at night.
OAB is fairly common, affecting about 40% of women and 30% of men in the United States. Symptoms can be managed with medical treatment, although sometimes surgery may be necessary.
Natural Remedies For An Overactive Bladder
1. Kegel Exercises
If a weak pelvic floor is at the root of your OAB then kegel exercises can help a lot. These pelvic floor exercises can be done anywhere at anytime and they benefit both men and women. When done regularly, they can really help an overactive bladder.
Melody Denson, MD, a board-certified urologist with the Urology Team in Austin, TX, recommends these exercises for OAB. She says, They will trigger a reflex mechanism to relax the bladder. If you feel a tremendous urge to urinate, doing a kegel before you run to the bathroom will help settle down the bladder spasm and help you hold it until you get there.
2. Avoid Dietary Triggers
Significantly reduce the following foods and drinks that are known to contribute to overactive bladder:
- Soda and other carbonated beverages
- Artificial sweeteners
- Milk and milk products
- Sugar and high sugar foods
Caffeine, alcohol and certain medications like diuretics are known to be major causes of acute incontinence, especially in the elderly population. Cranberry juice is surprisingly another thing to avoid if you have OAB. Although cranberry juice is often recommend for bladder health, it actually acts as an irritant if you have OAB.
3. Watch Fluid Intake
4. Double-Void
5. Schedule bathroom trips
6. Delay Urination
7. Try Acupuncture
8. Stop Smoking
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Causes And Risk Factors
Aging
OAB occurs in both men and women. Its possible to have overactive bladder at any point in your life. But, its especially common in older adults. The prevalence of OAB in people younger than 50 years of age is less than 10 percent. After the age of 60, the prevalence increases to 20 to 30 percent.
The following are some of the other most common underlying causes and risk factors associated with OAB symptoms:
Nerve Damage
A healthy, normal functioning bladder holds urine until it gets full and is prompted to empty by nerve signals. However, when nerve damage occurs in the body, the muscles surrounding the urethra can be too loose. This undesirable looseness can cause someone to become incontinent. What can cause nerve damage that can then lead to bladder leakage? Some possibilities include:
- Back or pelvis surgery
Weak pelvic muscles
When a man or womans pelvic floor muscles are weak, bladder control issues can happen. The pelvic floor muscles are like a sling that holds up the uterus and bladder. For women, a pregnancy and childbirth can often lead to a stretching and weakening of the vital pelvic floor muscles. When pelvic floor muscles are compromised for this reason or another, the bladder can then sag out of place. The opening of the urethra also stretches and urine easily leaks out.
Menopause
Extra weight or obesity
Diuretic medications