November is Bladder Health Month, and while many of us are not always thinking about our bladder health, this month serves as a reminder to get the facts about common bladder health problems and to take an active role in taking care of our health.
Each day, millions of Americans struggle with the impacts of bladder conditions and diseases such as urinary incontinence, interstitial cystitis, urinary tract infections, nocturia, bladder cancer, urotrauma, and neurogenic bladder. These can impact an individual’s health, quality of life, and result in significant health costs.
The first thing to realize when it comes to bladder conditions is that they’re extremely common. There is no need to feel embarrassed, especially when seeking proper treatment makes it easy to manage them without impacting your quality of life.
The two most common health problems affecting the bladder are urinary incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB).
According to the Urology Care Foundation, urinary incontinence touches more than 25 million people in the U.S. The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having that strong "gotta go" urge or feeling. For most, simple lifestyle changes or healthcare treatments can ease your symptoms or stop urinary incontinence.
Our bladder serves two roles – store urine and empty urine. With OAB, these functions are not as effective and can cause strong, sudden urges to go to the bathroom and, for some patients, result in urinary incontinence or leakage. OAB isn't a disease - it's the name given to a group of troubling urinary symptoms. With more than 33 million adults in the U.S. with OAB symptoms, it's very common.
While bladder health is not often top of mind, there are ways you can keep your bladder healthier year-round. Below are a number of tips to help keep your bladder in tip-top shape.
It's true! Drinking enough water keeps your body hydrated and helps flush out toxins from the body. It's also essential for keeping your digestive system functioning properly and regulating blood pressure, so it only makes sense that staying hydrated would be good for your bladder as well.
Strive to drink 6 to 8 cups of water daily, and cut down on the amount of caffeine and alcohol you drink as these may upset your bladder. Limit your intake of coffee, tea, and soda as these can heighten bladder activity and lead to leakage.
While this may seem obvious, exercise is not only good for your heart health but also for your muscles and joints – and therefore, for your bladder. The more active you are overall, the better chance there is that any issues with incontinence will be kept at bay longer than they otherwise might have been if all you did was sit around all day.
Take your time when on the toilet so that your bladder can empty. If you rush, and do not empty your bladder fully, you could get a bladder infection, It is normal to go to the bathroom 4 to 8 times a day and no more than twice a night.
It is of great value to stop smoking for your bladder health - using tobacco is a major cause of bladder cancer. Cigarette smokers are two to three times more likely to be told they have bladder cancer than nonsmokers. If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine. The bladder is repeatedly exposed to these harmful chemicals, as it acts as a store for urine. This can cause changes to the cells of the bladder lining, which may lead to bladder cancer.
With the observance of Bladder Health Month, we are reminded to take care of one of the most important parts of our body. When more people take care of their bladders, there will be fewer visits to the hospital, helping build our economy as resources are not all used up.
Sources:
https://www.bouldermedicalcenter.com/november-is-bladder-health-awareness-month/
https://www.urologyhealth.org/media-center/bladder-health-month