An overactive bladder can cause you to feel embarrassed multiple times in life. It makes you feel the urge to urinate due to the contraction of bladder muscles. There are many symptoms of an overactive bladder that you may experience. It leads to contracting your bladder muscles suddenly and you have this condition without even any warning. This condition is affecting many people in the world. A urologist in Faisalabad shares that older adults are more prone to overactive bladder. But anyone can experience this condition at any time of age.
You can practice some simple yet effective tips that can help deal with the symptoms of an overactive bladder.
How to Deal with an Overactive Bladder?
A healthy diet is a must when you have an overactive bladder. Yes, you can deal with OAB with some simple practices as well. But the combination of treatments can be a lot for dealing with an overactive bladder. You can follow these practices:
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises are also known as Kegels which improve the control of urination. It trains you to urinate how and when you want to start.
Bladder Training
Set the time of going to the bathroom. It will help in adjusting the holding of your urine. You can manage your urinating habits this way.
OTC Medicines
Over-the-counter medicines can also help in dealing with relaxing the muscles in your bladder. It helps you control how much you should go for urination.
These practices can help but still, you need to follow a healthy diet plan which can contribute to managing the symptoms of an overactive bladder. Sometimes, eating specific foods can cause stress to your bladder. Here, you need to understand what fluids and foods you should consume which can contribute to the management of symptoms.
How Food is Associated with Overactive Bladder?
An overactive bladder can bring on many symptoms, such as irritation and stress. You may find the following symptoms that appear at first:
- Urinary incontinence
- Bladder spasms
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Frequent urination
Some foods may affect one person negatively but it does not happen with all people. You should also find out for yourself what intake of foods affects you negatively. Experimenting can help you and always note down the foods which irritate you. But make sure that you stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can help in preventing dehydration and trigger the symptoms.
But you should talk to your doctor about this as how much water you should drink depends on several factors. You should keep the other factors on the list while drinking water, such as weather, physical activity, etc.
Before bed, you should avoid drinking too much water. Drink the amount of water before which will prevent dehydration. Some people with a specific underlying condition may also experience overactive bladder. For example, a person with gluten sensitivity should avoid the foods which contain it, such as soups, cereals, breaded foods, oats, noodles, etc.
What Foods Can Trigger Overactive Bladder Symptoms?
Some foods cause irritation which may trigger the symptoms of an overactive bladder. These foods include spicy foods, citrus fruit, honey, raw onion, other drinks, sports drinks, caffeinated beverages, foods containing artificial flavors, sugary foods, etc.
Irritating foods can cause more severe symptoms. The best way is to eliminate such foods from the regular diet plan. But you can have them occasionally. Having it in small quantities cannot impact your overactive bladder.
What is the Treatment for an Overactive Bladder?
Your bladder can be controlled with some of the treatments, including medication, etc. But intake of medicine may cause some other adverse effects on your health, such as constipation, dry mouth, etc. If you have constipation, try nuts. They are effective as they are high in fiber content.
What are the Best Foods for an Overactive Bladder?
You need foods that are high in essential nutrients which can promote your overall health. Add non-acidic fruits and veggies into your diet plan which can reduce the symptoms of overactive bladder.
Some bladder-friendly veggies and fruits include grapes, coconuts, blackberries, apples, watermelon, strawberries, bananas, celery, kale, lettuce, peppers, asparagus, cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, etc.
You should also get the proper amount of protein through different sources, such as eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, etc.
Fiber-containing foods are also good for bladder health, including bran, almonds, beans, lentils, artichokes, barley, oats, raspberries, etc.
The Bottom Line!
If you notice the symptoms which get worse over time, get medical help. Foods impact your bladder health but you should list the foods which trigger the symptoms. Identifying the foods can help you learn what foods you should eat and what you should avoid. Changing lifestyle choices can help a lot. Make sure that you follow other practices too along with having a healthy diet plan. You should avoid weight lifting and other exercises which can worsen the symptoms.
