Over 20 per cent of individuals within the UK live with some type of bladder criticism. Listed below are 3 common bladder problems and what you’ll be able to do to treat them
Bladder weakness, cystitis and urinary tract infection are common bladder problems that could make you too embarrassed to hunt help.
Around 14 million people within the UK live with some type of bladder criticism (NHS England, 2023).
That’s over 20 per cent of the population, with twice as many ladies affected as men.
14 million people within the UK live with some type of bladder criticism
‘Should you’ve got a bladder problem, you might feel embarrassed, isolate yourself, or limit your work and social life,’ says Sharon Hamilton, Registered Nurse and Incontinence Advisor for Molicare.
‘It’s possible you’ll also avoid physical and leisure activities. But, don’t let embarrassment stop you from getting the fitting help. Regardless of what your issue, there’s at all times help available.’
#1 Cystitis and UTI’s
One in three women will experience a urinary tract infection by age 24, and almost half of girls may have one of their lifetime (Translational Andrology and Urology Journal, July 2017).
‘Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are most frequently attributable to bacteria and affect the urinary tract, including the bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection),’ says Gynaecologist Tania Adib, London.
‘Typical symptoms may include pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria), needing to pee more urgently and steadily than usual and urine that appears cloudy, dark or has a powerful smell.
‘It’s possible you’ll also feel pain in your tummy or lower back, feel feverish and shivery and there may even be blood in your pee.’
One in three women will experience a urinary tract infection by age 24
‘Cystitis is a UTI that affects the bladder. It affects more women than men and is one of the crucial common complaints seen by GPs,’ says Tania.
‘Typical symptoms are urgency, pain, discomfort and a burning sensation if you pass urine. It’s normally attributable to a bacterial infection that enters the bladder via the urethra.
‘Women have a shorter urethra than men which makes it easier for bacteria to cause an infection.
‘For instance, should you’re sexually lively, use tampons, or by the hormonal changes that occur on account of menopause (when the liner of the urethra becomes more sensitive).’
Find out how to treat cystitis…
Check with your your GP who will arrange a urine test. It’s possible you’ll be given a prescription for antibiotics. But, in lots of cases symptoms often resolve with self help tactics.
‘Should you’ve haven’t got enough healthy bacteria in your gut, this lowers immunity and might make you more vulnerable to urinary tract infections comparable to cystitis,’ says Tania.
Research shows that specific probiotic comparable to lactobacillus rhamnosis and lactobacillus reuteri bacteria can inhibit the expansion of bad bacteria commonly resulting in UTIs.
Try: Viridian Synerbio Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG, ethical and pure supplements with no fillers or preservatives in, £22.60.
What’s more, research shows that D-mannose and cranberry can inhibit bacteria that causes UTIs.
Try: Cytoplan D-Mannose vegan powder, £32.60 for 50g – accommodates D-mannose, a natural (non-glycaemic ) plant sugar.
Listed below are another things you’ll be able to do:
- Drink loads of water to flush out your system.
- Drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water, twice a day to alkalise your system.
- All the time go to the bathroom immediately after sex.
- Take an OTC preparation to alleviate symptoms.
- Take a every day probiotic.
Try: CanesOasis Cystitis Relief – a cranberry flavoured treatment that accommodates sodium citrate, to cut back acidity.
#2 Bladder Weakness & Incontinence
Do you dread coughing, laughing or sneezing, because you may wet yourself?
‘Bladder weakness and urinary incontinence affects one in 4 women within the UK,’ says Sharon Hamilton, Registered Nurse and Incontinence Advisor for Molicare.
‘There are two primary varieties of bladder weakness. The primary is stress incontinence, which happens when physical movement or activity, comparable to coughing, laughing, sneezing, running or heavy lifting, puts pressure (stress) in your bladder, causing you to leak urine.
‘Stress incontinence is attributable to weak pelvic muscles and will occur if muscles are weakened (or damaged) after giving birth, while pregnant, or should you are chubby, and getting older.
Bladder weakness and urinary incontinence affects one in 4 women within the UK
‘If you could have stress incontinence, you might feel embarrassed, isolate yourself, or limit your work and social life. It’s possible you’ll also avoid physical and leisure activities.
‘With treatment, you’ll likely have the option to administer stress incontinence and improve your overall well-being.’
‘Then there’s Urge (urgency) incontinence is the unintentional lack of urine,’ Sharon adds.
‘If you could have urge incontinence your bladder muscle contracts, causing a sudden urge to urinate before you’ll be able to get to the lavatory.’
Common causes may include: drinking an excessive amount of alcohol or caffeine, not drinking enough fluids, so urine to develop into too concentrated and irritates the bladder, constipation, certain medicines, neurological conditions, UTIs or tumours within the bladder.
Find out how to treat incontinence and bladder weakness…
Should you are experiencing bladder weakness or incontinence, at all times confer with your GP who will assess your condition.
Keep a bladder diary for just a few days before your appointment – eg: how often you experience leaks etc. It will help to offer as much information as possible.
It’s possible you’ll even have tests to rule out any underlying causes. Your GP also can refer you to a nurse or pelvic physiotherapist who deals with bladder problems.
Pelvic floor muscle training
‘Physiotherapists, doctors and nurses know that exercising the pelvic floor muscles can assist to enhance your bladder control,’ says Sharon.
‘When done accurately, pelvic floor muscle training exercises can construct up and strengthen these muscles and so aid you to manage your bladder.’
Here’s an easy exercise to try:
- Slowly tighten bladder muscles as hard as you’ll be able to.
- Hold for five seconds.
- Repeat 5 times.
- Practice 6 to 10 times a day.
For more exercises – https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/kegel-trainer-pfm-exercises/id578148339
Lifestyle Changes
Keep a bladder eating regimen diary. It will aid you to see what any correlation between certain foods and symptoms.
In line with advice from Bladder Health UK (bladderhealthuk.org) certain foods can irritate the bladder, making symptoms worse.
Foods to avoid include:
- Tomato based and spicy foods,
- fruit and fruit juices,
- fizzy drinks,
- caffeine,
- alcohol,
- tea and occasional,
- artificial sweeteners,
- soy products,
- yeast,
- highly preserved meats,
- fish and fast food might be irritants.
Try: Healthspan’s Latest Bladder Support With Go-Less, £19.95 for 60 capsules.
This recent complement is a mix of plant extracts created from soy germ and pumpkin seeds, and a particular process called EFLA® HyperPure Production is used to extract the pumpkin seed to retain its efficacy and purity. pumpkin seed, vitamins B6, D3 and zinc to assist support normal urinary flow.
Go-Less® is clinically researched with 4 published human clinical trials that reveal that Go-Less® is protected and has positive effects on urinary bladder function for each men and girls.
Watch your weight
‘Being chubby can weaken your pelvic floor muscles and cause incontinence due to pressure of fatty tissue in your bladder,’ says Sharon.
‘Symptoms may improve, and will go away completely, should you lose extra weight.’
In a single study (Latest England Journal of Medicine, 2009) chubby women who lost on average 17lbs of body weight had a 47 per cent reduction in weekly incontinence issues.
Keep stress under control
‘Some women who struggle with anxiety and depression also struggle with incontinence,’ says Sharon.
‘It will possibly go each ways – mental stress could cause incontinence, and incontinence also can cause mental stress. Mental health conditions, comparable to anxiety and depression, are common amongst individuals with incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB), but pelvic floor exercises, yoga, and treatment may help manage it.’
mental stress could cause incontinence, and incontinence also can cause mental stress
You may also profit from counselling or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) alongside treatment
Select the fitting products to maintain you dry
Using incontinence products (eg: absorbent pants or pads comparable to, Molicare Premium Lady Pad, £1.99 for 14 pads) can be helpful whilst you’re waiting to be assessed or receive treatment and struggle there are products to aid you available on the market at this difficult time.
Surgical Treatments
There are a variety of treatments for incontinence, where lifestyle and other interventions should not enough.
These include surgical interventions comparable to sling surgery (where a tissue sling is placed across the neck of the bladder to support it), vaginal mesh (where an artificial mesh is inserted behind the urethra to support it) and colposuspension (surgical bladder lift). Your GP will advise you in your best options.
#3 Over lively bladder syndrome (OAB)
‘That is where you are feeling an urgent must go to the bathroom greater than eight times a day,’ says Pelvic Physiotherapist, Elaine Miller (gussetgrippers.co.uk).
‘Often it’s to do with feeling anxious about having an accident, so you begin to go to the bathroom more often. But, after some time your bladder capability starts to cut back.
with OAB, the bladder muscle becomes overactive and contracts if you don’t want it to
‘Normally, we get the urge to go when the bladder is half full. But, with OAB, the bladder muscle becomes overactive and contracts if you don’t want it to.’
Find out how to treat OAB…
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
- Ask your GP to refer you to a pelvic physiotherapist for bladder training.
- Practice pelvic floor exercises.
- Reduce stress as this will make OAB worse.