Try Drinking Some Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
While the research is a bit unclear, cranberries have been used as a prevention of UTI for generations. Studies have shown that cranberries actually make it harder for the bacteria that cause UTIs to stick to the urinary tract walls. So, while not really a remedy, if you frequently get UTIs, it might be worth drinking a couple of glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice, or snacking on the actual fruit .
Can You Stop Bladder Spasms Naturally
There are certain steps you can take to relieve the discomfort of bladder spams, and prevent leaks.
While it may seem counter-intuitive to drink extra water if youre experiencing leaks, this can actually help you in the long run, since concentrated urine can be irritating to your bladder. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure that bladder irritation is kept at bay.
A change in diet may also help relieve bladder spasms if your spasms are being caused by certain foods that you are eating. Keeping a bladder diary for a few days can help identify food or drink triggers.
If youre experiencing discomfort, try using a heating pad to relieve some of the pain from bladder spasms.
If you are experiencing leaks due to bladder spasms, you can also try incorporating pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine. These exercise, known as kegels, can help improve the muscle strength of the pelvic floor, making it easier for you to hold urine until you get to a bathroom when the urge strikes.
Meditation & Stress Management
Learning to relax and manage stress is a vital self-care strategy because stress is a well known IC trigger. The majority of patients report that their symptoms worsen during periods of high stress. Thus, taking a step back and looking at your overall stress levels as well as taking proactive steps to reduce stress is vital. Meditation is an excellent tool to use!
Read Also: What Is T1 High Grade Bladder Cancer
Altering The Bladder With Bladder Augmentation Surgery
When all other approaches to strengthen and retrain the bladder have failed, you may need to alter the bladder itself. This surgery is typically used as a last resort and in only the most severe cases of an overactive bladder.
Bladder augmentation involves enlarging the bladder with a section of your large intestine, so theres more physical space to store urine in and less pressure to urinate frequently. The surgery is the most invasive and complicated procedure for solving overactive bladder problems, and includes a long recovery time and possible lasting consequences. Once you have bladder augmentation surgery, you will cease to be able to urinate naturally you will have to use a catheter or stoma.
The good news is that many, if not most cases of an overactive bladder can be very well controlled with healthy lifestyle changes, and natural and traditional medical treatments. Its important to remember that not all of the listed treatment options may work for everyone.
Remember to discuss the above overactive bladder treatment options with your doctor before beginning them.
What Causes Bladder Spasms
There are a number of different causes of bladder spasms. The cramping pain could be due to something as simple as your diet or a medication that you are taking, or it could be associated with changes in blood supply and function of the nerves controlling the bladder.
However, bladder spasms may be the result of an infection or a recent surgery, or they may occur if you have nerve or muscle damage. So it’s important to see a doctor to determine the cause.
In some cases, your doctor may not be able to identify the cause. When this happens, the condition is called idiopathic bladder spasms.
Some common causes of bladder spasms are:
- Urinary tract infection : Bladder pain and burning are a common symptom of a UTI.
- Interstitial cystitis , also called painful bladder syndrome: This condition refers to bladder and urinary pain that is not due to other causes, such as a urinary tract infection. Pain is recurring and often severe.
- Catheter use: A catheter is a thin tube used to drain urine from the body, often after surgery. It is placed into the urethra and up into your bladder. Bladder spasms are a common and sometimes distressing complication of catheter usage.
Don’t Miss: Will Cranberry Juice Help A Bladder Infection
Pelvic Floor Muscle Training
Your pelvic floor muscles surround the bladder and urethra and control the flow of urine as you pee.
Weak or damaged pelvic floor muscles can cause urinary incontinence, so exercising these muscles is often recommended.
A GP may refer you to a specialist to start a programme of pelvic floor muscle training.
The specialist will assess whether you’re able to squeeze your pelvic floor muscles and by how much.
If you can contract your pelvic floor muscles, you’ll be given an exercise programme based on your assessment.
Your programme should include a minimum of 8 muscle contractions at least 3 times a day and last for at least 3 months. If the exercises are helping after this time, you can keep on doing them.
Research has shown that pelvic floor muscle training can benefit everyone with urinary incontinence.
Find out more about pelvic floor exercises.
Essential Oils For Bladder Spasms Or Interstitial Cystitis
Essential oils are quite effective in dealing with several conditions, and bladder spasm is one of them. Also known as overactive bladder, this condition refers to a sudden squeeze in bladder muscle that prompts you to urinate.
The medical term for the disorder is interstitial cystitis.
The condition may even cause leakage. Because the spasm pushes urine from the bladder.
The condition often leads people to embarrassing wetting accidents.
If you suffer from bladder spasms, you may sometimes experience cramping pain and a burning sensation.
Many women equate bladder spasms with menstrual cramps and labor pain.
Essential oils may work as supplementary treatment options to reduce the conditions symptoms.
In this article, you will get to learn about some potential essential oils for bladder spasms, their causes, and risk factors.
Don’t Miss: Can Bladder Cancer Cause Bowel Problems
Other Natural Remedies For Bladder Spasms
- Drink plenty of water to help flush out any bacteria that may be contributing to bladder spasms
- Add baking soda to your water to further help eliminate bacteria
- Drink cranberry juice
- Always urinate and clean yourself after sexual intercourse
- Chew on garlic or add more garlic to your meals
- Avoid sugary foods and beverages
- Avoid holding in your urine this weakens the bladder muscles over timeAvoid acidic foods, and foods that contain artificial sweeteners these can trigger bladder spasms
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.
Read Also: How To Treat An Irritated Bladder
Use The Practice Of Timed Urination
Timed urination is a technique that lets you strengthen your bladder. It also reduces the number of times that it tells you to go to the bathroom.
- It consists of making scheduled trips to the bathroom. In general, this should happen every two hours. Little by little, you regain your control over the feeling of having to urinate.
- At the beginning, its difficult to put in practice. This is because you might suffer from involuntary urine leakage. However, starting gradually, every 40 minutes, for instance, its possible to prolong the time between your urges to use the restroom.
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.
You May Like: Can A Bladder Infection Cause Dizziness
Are Herbs And Supplements Safe
This is the classic yes and no answer.
Most herbs and supplements are natural. However, they can be just as potent as prescription medication. As such, they can be fraught with side effects and can interact with other medications, such as prescription medications that are prescribed for OAB.
Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesnt approve herbs as effective treatment methods. As such, they do not regulate them.
Recommended Reading: Bcg Instillation For Bladder Cancer
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.
Read Also: Bladder Cancer New Treatment Options
Bladder Spasms: Signs Causes Treatments & Prevention
Bladder spasms are when the muscles of your bladder contract or tighten. These spasms often trigger an urge to urinate and a burning sensation when you release urine.
Bladder spasms are often used synonymously with overactive bladder . While these are two different conditions, they often happen to be related.
Spasms in your bladder may be a warning sign of urinary tract infection, interstitial cystitis, neurological disease, or simply drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.
Talking with your doctor about bladder spasms may be embarrassing, but it doesnt have to be. I encourage you to speak frankly with your doctor about your situation, and I bet they will treat you with respect. The doctors here at PrimeHealth treat our patients with the utmost respect.
Keep reading to learn all about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for bladder spasms.
First Otc Drug Approved For Overactive Bladder
HealthDay News The FDA has approved oxybutynin as the first over-the-counter treatment for women 18 and older with overactive bladder.
Oxybutynin belongs to a class of drugs called anticholinergics that are designed to relax the bladder muscle. No agent in this class has been available over-the-counter before, the FDA said in a press release.
Oxybutnin will be sold as a patch to be applied to the skin every four days. Overactive bladder is characterized by symptoms including leakage, frequent urination, and feeling the sudden and urgent need to urinate. The condition affects some 33 million Americans, mostly older women.
Approval of the OTC formulation was based on results from nine studies involving more than 5,000 patients. Overall, results from these studies showed that consumers can understand the information on the label, properly select whether the product is right for them, and use the drug appropriately, the FDA said.
Side effects reported during clinical testing included skin irritation at the patch site, dry mouth and constipation.
The drug will remain available for adult men by prescription only, due to concerns that incorrect self-diagnosis could delay treatment for prostate cancer. Study findings showed men were relatively poor at correctly determining whether oxybutynin was the appropriate treatment for their urination problems.
Recommended Reading: Urinary Incontinence And Overactive Bladder
You May Like: Does Zantac Cause Bladder Cancer
How Doctors Diagnose Whats Causing The Spasm
Before running any tests, your doctor will assess your medical history and notes on any medications youre taking. Theyll also perform a physical exam.
Afterward, your doctor may examine a sample of your urine to check for bacteria, blood, or other signs of infection. If infection is ruled out, there are several tests that can help diagnose bladder issues.
Some tests measure how much urine is left in your bladder after voiding. Others measure the speed of your urination. Some tests can even determine your bladder pressure.
If these tests arent pointing to a specific cause, your doctor may want to perform a neurological exam. This will allow them to check for different sensory issues and certain reflexes.
Exercise and changes in your lifestyle may help ease your bladder spasms. Medications are another treatment option.
Bri Nutrition 3x Strength Crangel Power Plus
Coming in at third on the list of the most popular UTI remedies is BRI Nutrition Cranberry Concentrate Extra Strength. The main difference between this product and others on the list is that it includes lingonberry into its formula, which is an all-natural ingredient that helps fight off UTI.
While its not the cheapest option on the list, it has proven to be quite effective on some people. That said however, its worth saying that BRI Nutrition Cranberry Concentrate Extra Strength has been said to be ineffective on others.
Based on consumer reviews, some people failed to experience any sort of benefit from the product, which makes it a questionable choice for some buyers. Nonetheless, it has been said to work wonders for others, so you should keep in mind that the results always depend on how the system takes to the product.
Also Check: Causes Of Frequent Bladder Infections
Who Can And Cannot Take Mirabegron
Mirabegron can be taken by adults .
It is not suitable for everyone. To make sure itâs safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting mirabegron if you:
- have had an allergic reaction to mirabegron or any other medicines in the past
- have liver or kidney problems
- have high blood pressure
Read Also: Foods To Strengthen Bladder Muscles
What Are The Treatment Modalities For Bladder Spasms
The options for treatment include medical, surgical treatment and lifestyle changes for coping with the condition.
1. Medical treatment includes drugs that help in reducing the symptoms of bladder spasms and reduce urinary incontinence. These drugs come under the class of antispasmodics.
Examples are tolterodine, oxybutynin chloride, and trospium chloride.
Drugs indicated for depression also help in bladder relaxation and reduce spasm. Examples are amitriptyline and nortriptyline.
Onabotulinumtoxin A injections for the bladder help in reducing the urinary incontinence by paralysis of the muscle in the bladder. This is given in small doses and has temporary results.
2. Surgical treatment is employed in patients who are suffering from severe symptoms when all other treatment modalities have failed. It aims at increasing the capacity of the bladder or bringing down the pressure of the bladder.
Surgical modalities include:
- Urinary diversion
- Artificial sphincter
3. Lifestyle changes are also required to enable the patient to cope with his/her conditions. These include:
- Control weight to appropriate levels
- Reduce intake of drinks containing alcohol and caffeine
- Reduce fluid intake following consultation of physician
Also Check: What Causes Sudden Loss Of Bladder Control
Natural Remedies To Heal Your Troubled Bladder
The bladder. We may complain about our creaky joints, moan about our aching muscles, and harp on our unending heartburn, but the bladder is one troublesome system most people pay precious little lip service to.
However, bladder problems from incontinence to infection to pain afflict millions of more people than many realize in the United States, more than 13 million Americans regularly experience issues with bladder control, let alone the dozens of other bladder maladies that exist.
Fortunately, though most people are remiss to discuss their urinary troubles, there are a handful of discreet natural treatments that resolve most bladder distress.
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDAs Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
Read Also: What Antibiotic Do You Take For A Bladder Infection
Recommended Reading: Stage 4 Bladder Cancer Survival Rate
What Is An Antispasmodic
Simply put, an antispasmodic is a drug, herb, or other supplement that reduces or eliminates muscle spasms. Antispasmodics can be targeted for different parts of the body and different muscle types , but they are most commonly used to treat spasms of the stomach, intestines, bladder, or the skeletal muscles. Additionally, antispasmodics used to treat uterine cramps or spasms have grown in popularity as well. Over the centuries, many herbs as well as some foods have traditionally been used as antispasmodics, and they are typically administered orally, although there are a few exceptions where the antispasmodic can be used topically.