screening for it. If you are a person living with diabetes, in addition to staying on top of your treatment plan, your family doctor may suggest a series of lifestyle changes, bladder training, or exercise.
3. Medications, alcohol, caffeine:
These products can dull the nerves, affecting the signal to the brain, resulting in bladder overflow, according to Cleveland Clinic. On the other hand, diuretics and caffeine can spike bladder filling, resulting in leakage.
What you can do – While it may be difficult at-first, experts suggest limiting intake. For coffee drinkers, 4 cups of coffee (400 mg of caffeine), are safe for most healthy adults. If you believe that your medication is causing urine frequency or incontinence, talk to your doctor about making an adjustment or trying a new treatment altogether.
2. Infection:
Infections, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), can irritate bladder nerves, causing the burning, pain, fever, nocturia, and straining while urinating. Nearly half of women will get a UTI at some point in their lives.
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What you can do: Consult your physician. He/she can place you on a regimen of antibiotics and painkillers to kill the infection in its tracts (no pun intended). Regular physical activity may also decrease risk of the bacterial infection.
1. Enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia:
An enlarged prostate, characterized by a weak, slow urine stream, urgency, frequency, and at-times, traces of blood in the pee, may also result in an overactive bladder. It’s important to note, however, that symptoms are similar for prostate cancer, so stay on top of your concerns.
What you can do: Cut caffeine and alcohol intake – especially before bedtime. Exercise regularly to reduce stress and to strengthen and improve bladder capacity. Muscle relaxants and hormone blockers may also prove beneficial for sufferers, according to Harvard Medical School.
