Pressure On Bladder Pregnancy Symptom

How To Prevent Painful Urination During Pregnancy

There are so many aches and pains during pregnancy, and were guessing youre not up for adding yet another one. So how can you prevent painful urination during pregnancy? Adequate hydration is the best thing you can do to help prevent UTIs during pregnancy, says Fishman. This has the beneficial effect of increasing urinary production and flow and flushing the kidneys. Strive to meet or even exceed the recommended eight cups of water daily. Other ways to prevent UTIs include:

• Dont hold in your urine
• Empty your bladder before and after sex
• Wear breathable cotton underwear

In order to prevent STIs during pregnancy, simply follow the same rules you normally would: Use condoms during sex and strive to have only one partner.

About the experts:

Sarah Prager, MD, MAS, is a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington and director of the family planning division. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2000 and completed an internship and residency at the University of Vermont.

Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT, is an ob-gyn and NASM-certified personal trainer who runs PostpartumTrainer.com, a pregnancy and postpartum health and fitness site.

Plus, more from The Bump:

What Are Treatments For A Prolapsed Bladder

Nonsurgical Treatment

Nonsurgical treatment consists of conservative management and the use of mechanical devices.

Behavioral therapy and pelvic floor muscle exercise are conservative therapies for management of bladder prolapse. The goal of conservative treatment is the reduction of symptoms, prevention of worsening pelvic organ prolapse, increased support of the pelvic floor musculature, and avoiding or delaying surgery. Behavioral therapy includes reducing risk factors such as treating constipation, weight loss if obese, and discontinuing smoking if COPD/cough, etc. PFME are muscle exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. The contractions should be held for two to 10 seconds and should be performed regularly several times per day. A set of 10 sustained contractions for a duration of about 20 minutes should be performed two to three times per day. This form of therapy is suitable for mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse.

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What Is The Latest Research On Bladder Pain Syndrome Treatment

Researchers continue to search for new ways to treat bladder pain. Some current studies focus on:

• New medicines to treat bladder pain
• Meditation as a way to control bladder pain
• The role of genetics in bladder pain
• Acupuncture treatment

To learn more about current bladder pain treatment studies, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

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What Is The Best Treatment For A Prolapsed Bladder

If you do have symptoms of anterior prolapse, first line treatment options include:

• Pelvic floor muscle exercises. These exercises often called Kegel exercises or Kegels help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, so they can better support your bladder and other pelvic organs. â¦
• A supportive device .

Risk Factors For Bladder Prolapse

Risk factors for bladder prolapse include anything that puts pressure on the pelvic floor and affects its function, such as:

• pregnancy and childbirth
• regularly straining on the toilet to pass bowel motions or empty the bladder
• being overweight
• chronic cough secondary to smokers cough or chronic lung diseases
• repetitive lifting of children or heavy weights at work or in the gym, or any exercises where there is excessive downward pressure on the pelvic floor
• pelvic or gynaecological surgery
• strong family history
• connective tissue disease, in which the tissues in the body are not able to hold the weight of the organs

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Should I Limit The Amount Of Fluids I Drink

No. Many people with bladder pain syndrome think they should drink less to relieve pain and reduce the number of times they go to the bathroom. But you need fluids, especially water, for good health. Getting enough fluids helps keep your kidneys and bladder healthy, prevent urinary tract infections, and prevent constipation, which may make your symptoms worse.9

How Is Bladder Pain Syndrome Diagnosed

There is no one test to tell whether you have bladder pain syndrome. Your doctor or nurse will do a physical exam to look at your lower abdomen and lower back and ask you questions about your symptoms. Your doctor may give you tests to rule out other health problems, such as urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections , bladder cancer, or kidney stones.

Some tests your doctor may do include:

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How Does Your Lower Stomach Feel In Early Pregnancy

Lower abdominal pain is normal during pregnancy and is most common between 18 and 24 weeks. Your growing uterus is pulling and straining the muscles that support it. You may feel sharp pains or just a mild pulling sensation. It often occurs when you cough, sneeze, stand up, sit down, roll over, or during sex.

Can Having A Uti While Pregnant Hurt The Baby

Possibly. A UTI itself doesnt hurt the baby directly, says Bartos. Its the failure to treat a UTI that can cause things like preterm birth or, rarely, infection of the amniotic sac. For example, research published in American Family Physician shows that treating pregnant women who have asymptomatic UTIs decreases the incidence of preterm birth and low-birth-weight infants. Thats why screening and prompt treatment are important.

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Does Getting A Uti During Pregnancy Mean I Have Urinary Stasis

No, not necessarily. Unless youre also having difficulty urinating or fully emptying your bladder, you probably dont have urinary stasis. UTIs are extremely common during pregnancy because of hormonal and anatomical changes, so most people with UTIs during pregnancy are not also experiencing urinary stasis.

Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Different For Men And Women

There are different pelvic conditions that are unique to men and women.

Pelvic floor dysfunction in men:

Every year, millions of men around the world experience pelvic floor dysfunction. Because the pelvic floor muscles work as part of the waste and reproductive systems during urination and sex, pelvic floor dysfunction can co-exist with many other conditions affecting men, including:

• Male urinary dysfunction: This condition can involve leaking urine after peeing, running to the bathroom and other bladder and bowel issues.
• Erectile Dysfunction: ED is when men cant get or maintain an erection during sex. Sometimes pelvic muscle tension or pain is the cause, but ED is a complex condition so this may not be the case.
• Prostatitis: Pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms closely resemble prostatitis, which is an infection or inflammation of the prostate . Prostatitis can have many causes including bacteria, sexually transmitted infections or trauma to the nervous system.

Pelvic floor dysfunction in women:

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Frequent Urination And Urinary Tract Infections

Although the never-ending urge to pee is annoying, you should never ignore it. Holding your urine can lead to a urinary tract infection . Pools of urine in the bladder are breeding grounds for bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines, such as E. coli. Less commonly, a UTI may be caused by a bacterium called Group B strep , which is a more serious condition that can make your baby very sick. It requires oral antibiotics during pregnancy and intravenous antibiotics during labor and delivery to keep your baby safe.

Typical symptoms of a UTI include:

• Frequent urination
• Burning and pain during urination
• A tender lower abdomen

Contact your healthcare provider if you develop any of these symptoms. Additionally, your healthcare provider will probably recommend a urine culture early in pregnancy, and again during the third trimester. That’s because about 5 to 10 percent of pregnant women have symptomless UTIs. Without treatment, these can result in health problems for you and your baby, such as a kidney infection, low birth weight, or a premature baby. Your doctor may also check your urine for bacteria at each prenatal visit using a dipstick, which works the same way as a home pregnancy test.

UTIs will be treated with a pregnancy-safe antibiotic. Because these infections sometimes recur, your provider may also do a monthly urine culture. If the infection returns, you may need to take antibiotics for the rest of your pregnancy.

How To Treat Painful Urination During Pregnancy

See your doctor at the first sign of painful urination, Prager says. Your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics, especially if it turns out you have a UTI. The reason? UTIs can become kidney infections or worse, so were relatively aggressive about treating them during pregnancy, Prager says.

Thats likely the same course of action your doctor will take if it turns out you have an STI: antibiotics can clear up many infections pretty quickly, so dont be embarrassed about speaking up.

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How Can I Reduce Frequent Urination During My Pregnancy

While you cannot do much to lessen your need to urinate frequently, you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening these muscles can help you hold in your urine until you are able to get to the toilet. The best way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles is through exercise. Exercising the muscles will also provide a sturdy support system for your bowel, uterus and bladder.

Ideally, women should do pelvic floor exercises before becoming pregnant, but it’s never too late. Remember to keep up your pelvic floor exercises after your baby is born too.

The Continence Foundation of Australia have produced this video on how to do pelvic floor exercises:

When To See A Doctor

Women should see their doctors or midwives routinely during pregnancy. It is vital to use these visits to discuss all symptoms, even if they seem minor.

Early in pregnancy, women may only see a doctor every few weeks. If they are experiencing intense pressure or pain or have other symptoms, such as fever, painful urination, bleeding, or a change in the babys movements, it is important that they seek medical care immediately.

If it is after hours, they should go to the emergency room. Prompt treatment of pregnancy conditions can save both the woman and the baby.

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Increased Production Of Urine

Increased urine production is the most obvious reason why you feel pressure on the bladder. However, for some women, this causes pain. During pregnancy, the body will begin to increase hormone production. These hormones are responsible for increasing the speed and volume of blood streaming through the body.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy, the body would circulate up to 50% more blood than before. This causes frequent urination because your bladder would fill up more quickly as the extra fluids from the blood flow are processed by the kidneys. During the last few weeks, this will become a problem because the growing uterus would be putting more pressure on the bladder.

Warning Signs Of Ovarian Cysts You Should Not Ignore

Ovarian cysts are solid or fluid-filled sacs that form within your ovaries. Many women develop ovarian cysts at some point in their lives. These cysts typically form during ovulation, which is the time during your monthly cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg.

Ovarian cysts sometimes cause pain and other symptoms, but sometimes they dont cause any symptoms at all. Often cysts form and then go away on their own in a few weeks or in one to three months.

Although most ovarian cysts are benign meaning they are not cancerous in rare cases cysts are a sign of ovarian cancer. For this reason, its always wise to tell your doctor about any symptoms that might suggest the presence of ovarian cysts.

Dr. Susan Crockett and her team of health care providers at Virtuosa GYN recommend calling our office for a checkup if you experience any of the following 10 warning signs of ovarian cysts.

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Feeling Faint In Pregnancy

You may feel faint while pregnant. This is due to hormonal changes. Fainting happens if your brain is not getting enough blood and, therefore, not enough oxygen.

You are most likely to feel faint if you stand up too quickly from a chair or out of a bath, but it can also happen when you are lying on your back.

Here are some tips to help avoid feeling faint:

• try to get up slowly after sitting or lying down
• if you feel faint when standing still, find a seat quickly and the faintness should pass if it doesn’t, lie down on your side
• if you feel faint while lying on your back, turn onto your side

It’s better not to lie flat on your back in later pregnancy or during labour. You should avoid going to sleep on your back after 28 weeks as it has been linked to a higher risk of stillbirth.

Common Uti Symptoms In Pregnant Women

While mildly painful urination during pregnancy can often mean a yeast infection, not a UTI, its always best to see your healthcare provider if you experience any symptoms, says Heather Bartos, MD, an ob-gyn in Cross Roads, Texas. After all, research suggests that about 18 percent of UTIs that occur during pregnancy are symptomatic UTIs, meaning the telltale UTI signs and symptoms are present:

• Strong and frequent urge to use the bathroom
• Burning while urinating
• Foul-smelling urine
• Pelvic pain, usually in the center of the pelvis

In pregnancy, women are also more susceptible to asymptomatic UTIs, meaning you have significant bacteria in your urine but your urinary tract is free of signs and symptoms. Experiencing no symptoms, however, does not mean that asymptomatic UTIs are benign. An asymptomatic UTI can lead to a symptomatic UTI or even a kidney infection, says Dr. Bartos. In fact, research shows that if asymptomatic UTIs are left untreated, 30 percent of pregnant women will go on to develop a symptomatic UTI, and half of those women will eventually be diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis . Up to 23 percent will have a kidney infection recurrence during the same pregnancy. Its important to note that classic UTI signs, like frequent and painful urination, may or may not occur with a kidney infection. Here, some signs to look out for:

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How Are Bladder Control Problems During Or After Pregnancy Diagnosed

Although most problems with bladder control during or after a pregnancy disappear over time, you should talk to your healthcare provider if the problem continues for six weeks or more after birth. Its a good idea to keep a diary that records your trips to the bathroom. In this diary, youll want to make sure to keep track of how often your have urine leakage and when it occurs.

During an appointment, your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination to rule out various medical conditions and see how well your bladder is functioning. Your provider may also order various tests, including:

• Urinalysis: During this test, you will be asked to provide a urine sample. This sample will be analyzed for possible infections that could cause incontinence.
• Ultrasound: Images produced by ultrasound waves can make sure that your bladder is emptying completely.
• Bladder stress test: During this test, your provider will check for signs of urine leakage when you cough forcefully or bear down.
• Cystoscopy: This test involves a thin tube with a miniature camera at one end being inserted into your urethra. Your provider will be able to look inside your bladder and urethra during this test.
• Urodynamics: A thin tube is inserted into your bladder during this test. Water flows through this tube to fill the bladder, so that the pressure inside the bladder can be measured.

Can Early Pregnancy Feel Like A Uti

Can a UTI be mistaken for a pregnancy? Early in your pregnancy especially in the first trimester you may notice some signs that could point to a UTI. These include fatigue, frequent urination, back pain, and nausea. Bad cramps during early pregnancy can also feel similar to the cramps youd have with an infection.

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How To Manage Frequent Urination

If frequent urination at night disturbs your sleep too much, try cutting back on fluids after 4 p.m. . Also avoid coffee, tea, cola, and any other caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can increase urination.

Keep a soft night light in the bathroom so you don’t have to blind yourself in the middle of the night with bright overheadsand for safety’s sake, light your path from bed to toilet with nightlights as well.

An Idea Of Franoise Mzires

The muscle chains were described by Françoise Mézières, a French physiotherapist. She has developed a care concept based on stretching. According to her, muscular retractions can provoke pain or further complications elsewhere in the muscle chains.

Consequently, for example, too much or insufficient flexibility can severely affect the pelvic floor and vice versa.

This list of links between the pelvic floor and the lower back pain is a non-complete list, but it helps to understand that the body is more than just a complex of independent organs. Each organ is influenced by others and the body must be seen as a whole.

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What Causes Bladder Leakage

While bladder leakage is not a disease, it could be a symptom of a more serious underlying medical condition. It can be a temporary issue brought about by a vaginal or urinary tract infection . It can also be due to the intake of certain medications, constipation, or just a chronic condition.

Some of the most common causes of bladder leakage include weakened pelvic floor muscles, overactive bladder muscles, damaged bladder-control nerves, side effects from prior surgery, or limitations that hinder going to the toilet quickly.

There are two main types of bladder leakage: