6 Signs You Should Consult a Doctor for a Bladder Issue
August 22, 2024
By Emma Finley
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it is estimated that around 423 million people across the globe experience some degree of urinary incontinence. But even for those who experience bladder loss every day, incontinence can still be a mystery.
This article will delve into some common symptoms of urinary incontinence and why they may raise concern for one’s bladder health. The presence of any of these symptoms should warrant a discussion about bladder health with your primary care provider or the most appropriate health care provider for the situation.
The six warning signs that should tell you to see a doctor for bladder problems include:
- Bedwetting in adults (nocturia)
- High urinary frequency
- Difficulty urinating (retention)
- Pain or burning during urination
- Blood in urine
- Urgent need to urinate (urgency)
Understanding Your Bladder Health
Making small lifestyle changes can be beneficial to your overall bladder health. Diet and exercise play an important role in maintaining a healthy bladder. Foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients are effective in reducing inflammation in the pelvic region. The Urology Care Foundation recommends adding foods such as pears, bananas, potatoes, squash, eggs, whole grains and nuts into a balanced diet for those actively managing or improving their bladder health. Acidic and spicy foods that can cause digestive or urinary stress should be avoided.
Additionally, simple tools like Kegel exercises, which are used to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, can make a big difference for those working at building or maintaining their pelvic floor strength. Read this article for more information regarding pelvic floor exercises and muscle loss solutions.
If you have any concerns about your bladder health, it may be beneficial to keep a bladder diary to get a feel for your regular urinary patterns.
Don’t Ignore These Six Warning Signs
In this article we will discuss six urinary warning signs that an individual’s bladder health may be at risk. These symptoms can indicate various ailments from a minor bladder infection to the severity of bladder cancer or the presence of a form of urinary incontinence. The warning signs and symptoms this article will focus on include high urination frequency, urinary retention, painful urination, bloody urine, urgency to urinate and nocturia.
1. Frequent Urination
Frequent urination involves making more trips to the bathroom than usual without any apparent cause. If there is a key change in an individual’s normal urinary patterns or they feel as though they may be losing bladder control, it may be a symptom of various afflictions. Urinary frequency should be monitored particularly closely if abnormally high frequency is occurring in tandem to other symptoms on this list.
2. Difficulty Urinating (Retention)
Difficulty urinating, or urinary retention, occurs when an individual is unable to pass urine or experiences trouble urinating, can only urinate in tiny amounts or experiences frequent urinary urges. Although urinary retention can occur from a plethora of root causes, the most typical causes include obstructions, infections, disease, injuries and neurological disorders. An obstruction is broadly defined as anything that is blocking the urinary tract and preventing urine from flowing freely. Common obstructions include kidney stones, urinary tract stones, enlarged prostate or tissue growths.
The following medical events can cause non-obstructive types of urinary retention: stoke, childbirth, pelvic trauma or impaired muscle or nerve function as caused by certain medications, anesthesia, neurological injuries including spinal cord trauma or diseases like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or long-term diabetes.
When experiencing urinary retention, common symptoms include hesitancy or difficulty starting the flow of urine, frequent voids of small capacity, a slow or weak urine stream, bloating, discomfort or pelvic pain in the lower abdomen region immediately after a void, small urine leakage throughout the day, inability to detect when the bladder is full and nocturia. Nocturia occurs when an individual is consistently awoken from their sleep two or more times during the night due to urinary urgency.
Acute urinary retention is present when retention occurs suddenly and for a brief time, likely in response to a medical emergency. Chronic urinary retention occurs for a much more extended period of time. Although chronic urinary retention can cause extreme discomfort, it is a treatable condition.
3. Pain or Burning During Urination
Although painful urination can be caused by a urinary tract infection, commonly referred to as a UTI. Pain when urinating could also potentially be a sign of a separate medical issue. If an individual is experiencing pelvic pain, discomfort or a notable burning sensation in the urinary tract during urination, it is important to seek medical advice from a professional right away.
4. Blood in the Urine
Technically referred to as hematuria, blood in urine is a warning sign of the presence of a larger condition and should not be ignored. Hematuria can indicate many different bladder issues. It should raise a concern, as in addition to the extremity of bladder cancer, blood in urine can also indicate kidney stones, a kidney infection or a urinary tract infection.
Bloody urine can appear any shade of color from pink to red, and sometimes brown. Even if an individual only experiences blood in their urine once, it should be addressed with a healthcare professional in a timely fashion.
5. Urgent Need to Urinate
Urgency, or an immediate need to urinate even when the bladder isn’t full, can be indicative that a larger underlying condition may be present. This symptom indicates the presence of bladder control problems. If an individual is needing to rush to the bathroom to relieve a sudden, strong urge repeatedly in a short period of time, they should discuss their symptoms with a trusted medical expert.
6. Bedwetting (Nocturia) in Adults
Nocturia is a surprisingly common condition in adults, which requires a person to empty their bladder two or more times per night. One-third of all adults over the age of 30 experience nocturia to some degree.
Nocturia has two common anatomical causes: nocturnal polyuria and global polyuria. Nocturnal polyuria refers to an overproduction of urine in the bladder at night. Global polyuria refers to overproduction of urine both during the daytime and overnight.
The following are additional everyday activities and behavioral patterns that have the potential to affect urination or cause nocturia, and should be monitored: daily hydration routines, significant lifestyle changes, diuretic medications, caffeine consumption, alcoholic drinking habits, overactive bladder treatments, drinking excessive fluid before bedtime, diminished bladder capacity overnight and fluid redistribution.
Less severe nocturia can be managed with any combination of tactics and lifestyle changes. These management strategies include, but are not limited to, using mattress covers, wearing absorbent briefs and underwear, using skincare products, restricting fluid intake, taking afternoon naps, elevating legs or wearing compression stockings. In terms of absorbent briefs, Tranquility® ATN™ (All-Through-the-Night) Briefs are recommended for high-quality, overnight protection. See the testimonial below from a verified Tranquility customer who found peace of mind and a better night’s sleep with Tranquility.
“Tranquility ATN Briefs work great. Now I can sleep through the night knowing that urine leaks are a thing of the past.”
– Verified Tranquility Customer
What steps should I take next?
If experiencing one or more of these warning signs, the best next step is to set up an appointment with a health care provider to discuss what medical action or actions to take. Although it may seem counterintuitive as a way of addressing frequent urination issues, a simple and healthy habit is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. This behavior can help to flush out the urinary tract and help regulate the urinary system, even in conjunction with urinary incontinence or other health problems regarding the urinary tract.
If you’re interested in learning more about bladder health care, urinary incontinence or incontinence management, check out the resources listed below.
Tranquility blogs about ADULT incontinence
NAFC Bladder Health Blogs
Tranquility Product Page – All Incontinence Products
Disclaimer: This blog provides general information about incontinence, health and related subjects. The content provided in this blog and any linked resources are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you or the person in your care has a medical concern, please consult a licensed physician.
Emma Finley
Emma is a Marketing Content Writer for Principle Business Enterprises, parent company of Tranquility Incontinence Products. She brings a fresh prospective to creating online educational content in the healthcare industry, specializing in medical supplies.
For more information or questions about this article, please call 1-419-352-1551 or email CustomerService@pbenet.com.
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