Do you feel like peeing all the time? The condition is known as frequent urination or overactive bladder. In normal cases, most people can store urine in their bladder until they feel it is convenient to go to the toilet. So, you feel like going to the toilet at least four to eight times a day. But, people who feel like peeing more than eight times a day or wake up at night to visit the bathroom experience the condition. Overactive bladder can occur due to simple reasons like drinking more or some serious health problem.

About Frequent Urination

Your body needs to flush out the toxins to keep you healthy. Urination is the way the body gets rid of the waste. Your kidneys play an important role in filtering these waste in the form of urine. Urine consists of uric acid, urea, water, and waste filtered from the body. Urine is collected in the urinary bladder to the point it becomes full. Once it is full, you feel the urge to urinate. So, you pee to expel the urine from your body. Frequent urination refers to the constant urge to pass urine. It is more often than in normal cases. When the continuous urge to urinate interrupts your normal routine, interrupts the sleep cycle, and causes you distress, then it indicates the presence of the underlying medical condition.

Urinary frequency and urinary incontinence are not the same. While the former refers to the need to pee more often, the latter suggests having little or no control over the urinary bladder. While the need to pee is more often occurs with urinary incontinence, overactive bladder is different. Read ahead to know more about the condition.

Symptoms Associated With Frequent Urination

The main symptom of the condition is the urge to urinate frequently. But, some people observe other symptoms along with it. The presence of other symptoms indicates a more serious condition. So, you need to get medical help when you see the following symptoms:

Nocturia (It is the need to urinate frequently at night, during your normal sleep cycle. It is the symptoms of underlying medical conditions like diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus)

Cloudy urine
Blood in the urine (or urine has unusual color)
Urinary incontinence (gradual loss of bladder control)
Trouble urinating despite the urgent urge
Increase in appetite
Feeling thirsty
Fever or chills
Nausea/vomiting
Lower back or side pain

If you see the presence of other symptoms, or if your urge to urinate affects the quality of life, then see a doctor check the presence of any underlying condition. In some cases, the high urination frequency indicates kidney infection. Without proper treatment, this condition can damage your kidneys permanently. Apart from that, the bacteria triggering the infection can enter the bloodstream. So, the chances of suffering from an infection in other areas of the body increases. Without proper medical attention, the condition becomes life-threatening.

Causes Of Frequent Urination

Frequent urination can occur due to simple reasons like drinking too much fluid or early pregnancy signs to something serious like kidney disease. You need to check for other signs associated with an overactive bladder. Here are some of the common reasons causing an urge to urinate more:

Urinary Tract Infection

When you develop an infection in any part of your urinary system, it is known as urinary tract infection. The infection can affect your kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra. But, most people suffer from infection in the lower urinary tract (like the urethra and the bladder). Due to the condition, you suffer from other symptoms apart from the urge urinate more like:

Fever
Discomfort or pain in the abdomen

Diabetes

Another cause of urinating more is diabetes. High sugar levels in the blood due to type1 and type 2 diabetes can result in more bathroom trips. It is because your body is trying to get rid of the unused glucose from the body through the urine.

Pregnancy

When a woman becomes pregnant, the urge to pee increases. It is the early sign of pregnancy due to the pressure put on the urinary bladder by the growing fetus.

Prostate Problems

An enlarged prostate can press against your urethra. The urethra is the tube carrying the urine out of the body. Due to the large size of the prostate, it presses against the urethra and blocks the urine flow. So, it causes the bladder wall to become irritable. It results in bladder contraction even with small amounts of urine. So, you feel the urge to pee more.

Interstitial Cystitis

What causes interstitial cystitis remains unclear. But, the condition is characterized by pain in the bladder as well as the pelvic region. The main symptom associated with the condition is the need to urinate urgently or frequently.

Use Of Diuretic

People using the diuretic medication can suffer from an overactive bladder. These medications are commonly prescribed for people suffering from high blood pressure or experience fluid build up in their kidneys. These pills, flush out the excess fluid from the body. So, if you are taking these pills, then you will make frequent trips to the bathroom.

Neurological Diseases

A person suffering from neurological diseases like a stroke can suffer from frequent urination. It is because the damage to the nerves, specifically the ones supplying the bladder can result in the urge to urinate more. The issues with the bladder function can lead to sudden and frequent urges to pee.

Overactive Bladder Syndrome

When peeing more frequently becomes the problem and not the symptom, then it indicates yours suffer from an overactive bladder syndrome. The condition causes involuntary bladder contractions, which makes you feel like visiting the bathroom more often even when the bladder is not full. So, you have to wake up more than once at night time to use the bathroom.

Less Common Causes Of Frequent Urination

While the above-mentioned causes are common for the urge to urinate more, there are some less common reasons. They include:

- Bladder dysfunction
- Bladder cancer

- Radiation therapy

Complications Associated With Frequent Urination

Complications of frequent urination depend on the underlying cause of the condition. If it occurs due to poor management of diseases like kidney problems or diabetes, then without medical intervention, you can suffer from serious complications. It can become a life-threatening condition. Apart from that, it can also affect your sleep quality. Due to making frequent trips to the bathroom at night, you can feel tired and exhausted. It also increases the risk of falls in older people as they rush to get to the bathroom can increase the chances of tripping.

It is possible to minimize the risk of complications by seeking medical attention. You need to follow the treatment plan designed by the doctor. It will help you avoid the underlying health condition from escalating and other issues associated with increased frequency of urination.

Diagnosing the Cause of Frequent Urination

With an overactive bladder, you can face difficulties in daily life. When it accompanies other symptoms like side/back pain, fever, chills, fatigue, and others, you need to see a doctor as early as possible. The symptoms indicate the presence of a much serious condition needing medical attention. Make an appointment with the doctor for a detailed checkup. During the consultation, the doctor suggests the following methods to detect the problem:

Physical Assessment

To diagnose the exact cause of the problem, the doctor performs a physical exam. During the assessment, your doctor asks several questions like:

If you are taking any medication for underlying health problems
You are experiencing other symptoms along with the increased urge to urinate
The time you suffer from the problem the most (if it is only during the day time or you also experience it at night)
Your total fluid intake (especially in the evenings)

Depending on the findings of the medical history as well as the physical exam, the doctor will order other tests.

Urinalysis

It is the test used to detect a wide range of disorders. During the tests, the lab technician tests the sample of urine under the microscope. It also involves several tests to detect as well as to measure various compounds passing through the urine. So, the tests check the appearance, content, and the concentration of the urine. The test will detect problems like diabetes, kidney disease, and urinary tract infection.

Cystometry

It is the test suggested by the doctor to measure the pressure inside the urinary bladder. So, the test will reveal how well the bladder is working. Cystometry can find the underlying issue like the nerve or muscle problem with how well the urinary bladder releases or hold urine.

Â Cystoscopy

This test allows the doctor to look inside your bladder as well as urethra. The diagnostic test uses a thin, lighted instrument known as a cystoscope. Your doctor can also suggest urodynamics, which includes several tests like cystometry, urethral pressure, uroflowmetry, and others.

Neurological Tests

If the doctor suspects nerve disorder as the underlying reason for the condition, then diagnostic tests and procedures are conducted to confirm or rule out such problems.

Â Ultrasonography

The diagnostic test can detect structural problems of the urinary system that causes the overactive problem. It uses sound waves to form images. So, using the test, doctors can visualize the internal body structure and find any issues.

Treatment For Frequent Urination

The treatment of the condition focuses on addressing the exact underlying cause of frequent urination. So, if any disease triggers the condition, then the doctor prescribes medication as well as other care instructions to keep the disease under control. With proper management, you can avoid the complications associated with urinating frequency. Here are the treatment options to control the frequent urge to urinate:

Manage Underlying Disease

As mentioned earlier, if some health condition triggers the problem, then managing it is the first course of action. So, the doctor suggests the following:

Control diabetes by managing high blood sugar with medication or insulin.
Manage kidney disease.
Treat urinary tract infection.

Bladder Retraining

It is one of the behavioral therapies suggested to control the urge to urinate more. Bladder retraining involves increasing the intervals of your bathroom use. So, over twelve weeks, you will learn to hold urine for longer. With the retraining, you tend to urinate less frequently.

Diet Modification To Manage Frequent Urination

Making modifications in your diet can control the recurrent urge to urinate. You need to avoid any food items irritating the bladder. Some food items act as a diuretic. So, you need to avoid such food or fluids. Certain food items can trigger constipation. It worsens the urge to urinate as constipation puts pressure on the urinary bladder. Therefore, eat a diet rich in fiber to avoid constipation.

Monitor Fluid Intake

While you need to drink enough fluids to prevent constipation as well as over-concentration of urine, monitor it. Talk to your doctor regarding the right amount of fluid you can take every day. Also, avoid drinking anything just before bedtime as it can result in nighttime peeing.

Double Voiding

You may have heard about double voiding techniques to prevent bedwetting in children. It is also effective for adults who experience sleep interruption due to frequent trips to the bathroom at night. This technique is effective in bladder emptying. So, no urine is left in the bladder. With the technique, you need to pass urine more than one time. It can ensure your bladder is empty completely.

Kegel Exercises

The pelvic floor exercises help strengthen the muscles surrounding the bladder as well as urethra. It helps improve bladder control. So, you will have better control over urinary frequency and urgency. You can try these exercises for five minutes every day. Exercising the pelvic muscles three times a day will make a difference in bladder control.

Biofeedback

It is the technique that will help you learn how the pelvic muscles work. By learning it, you learn better control of them.

Medications For Frequent Urination

When other methods do not offer relief from the problem, then your doctor prescribes medication. Taking medication can help people with bladder problems with an intense and sudden urge to pass urine. The common medications suggested for the condition are:

Anticholinergics
Mirabegron
Imipramine
Duloxetine

Inject Botox

When people fail to respond to conservative treatment and lifestyle changes, the doctor suggests injecting Botox. It is injected into the bladder muscles. So, it helps the bladder muscle to relax and increase the storage capacity. This helps episodes of frequent bathroom trips.

Surgery

If no other methods control your frequent urge to urinate, then your doctor suggests invasive procedure as an option. Several types of surgeries are available to overcome the problem. The least invasive procedure involves implanting small nerve stimulators beneath your skin. The devices can manipulate the nerves stimulating the control of the pelvic floor. Due to the control of contraction in the organs as well as muscles within the pelvic floor, you manage the urge to urinate.

Home Remedies To Control Frequent Urination

Along with the medical treatments, you can also try some tips at home to manage the frequency of bathroom trips. Before trying any of the tips, you need to talk to your doctor.

Sesame Seeds

Do you know sesame seeds are rich in minerals as well as many active ingredients? It helps the regulation of bladder functions. You take sesame seeds orally by mixing it with jaggery. Eat this mixture twice or thrice a day to manage the condition.

Gooseberry (Amla)

Gooseberry is rich in vitamin C. It is also effective in clearing the bladder as well as tone the bladder muscles. So, it improves control over frequent urination. You need to consume gooseberry juice with ripe banana. Try this at least twice or thrice a day to see effective results.

Holy Basil (Tulsi)

If urinary tract infection is the cause of recurrent urination, then you can take holy basil to clear it. The medicinal properties of tulsi are effective in curbing bladder infections as well as aids in regulating urinary functions. Crush two to three fresh holy basil leaves with a spoon of honey early in the morning.

Cumin To Manage Frequent Urination

Cumin is effective in regularizing the function of the urinary bladder. It is also effective in preventing urinary tract infection. You take cumin as a tea. To make the tea, you need to boil one teaspoon of cumin in two cups of clean water. Boil it until the water reduces to half. After cooling, mash the seeds with a spoon and strain the mixture. Drink this mixture with a little honey twice a day. You can switch to tea with this cumin tea.

Diet Tips To Manage Frequent Urination

If you have an overactive bladder, then your diet can further irritate the urinary tract or bladder. So, you need to include foods and drinks that do not escalate the problems. Do you know that certain foods and drinks can uptick the following symptoms?

Have frequent urge to pee
Go to the toilet to urinate frequently
Experience bladder spasms
Suffer from urinary incontinence

Since each person is different, the food that harms one person may not have the same effect on the other. So, you need to experiment with different foods and beverages. It helps you pinpoint the dietary triggers affecting your body. You can make a list of it to detect the triggers and avoid them. Apart from that, you have to make a note of the following:

Food Diary

It is the first option to identify the triggers contributing to the condition. With a food diary, you can uncover the foods in the diet contributing to your symptoms. You need to jot down every meal you eat and the symptoms you experience after the meal. In some cases, the symptoms may appear long after you eat the meal. So, you need to note down the activities you were involved in when the symptoms began. It helps you identify that your signs are more related to certain activities (for example exercising).

Water Intake

While you need to drink water to void dehydration and maintain the balance in the body. It is important for your overall health. But, if drinking water causes an overactive bladder, then your fluid intake can cause more trips to the bathroom. Here are some of the steps you need to take to ensure your water intake may not result in overhydration.

Talk to your doctor regarding your normal fluid intake. This discussion can help you determine the amount of fluid intake daily and the time you drink it.
Drinking fizzy or carbonated fluids can aggravate your symptoms even more. Drinks like sparkling water, seltzer water, club soda, and other fizzy drink can irritate the sensitive bladder.
While you need to check your fluid intake, drinking too little water can cause dehydration. It can result in your urine becoming concentrated. You can also suffer from heightened bowel irritation along with acidic urine.

Check Gluten Sensitivity

People who suffer from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity can suffer from overactive bladder. Scientists believe several factors leading to the condition. One is that the autoimmune disease can result in interstitial cystitis. It is the painful bladder condition affecting the bladder lining. Due to the condition, the nerves in the brain indicating your need to urine gets confused. So, it leads to an overactive bladder. Celiac disease can also lead to autonomic neuropathy or neurogenic bladder, resulting in overactive bladder.

In such cases, eating foods containing gluten can result in bladder irritation. So, people who are diagnosed with gluten sensitivity need to avoid products containing gluten. You can find gluten in products like barley, wheat, and rye. So, try to avoid the following foods:

Alcohol
Breaded foods
Noodles
Cereals
Soups
Oats

Foods To Avoid For Managing Frequent Urination

Some foods can irritate your bladder and cause overactive bladder. So, you need to avoid irritant amplifying the overactive bladder symptoms. Here are some of the food items triggering the symptoms:

Carbonated beverages (for example, sparkling water, fizzy drinks, etc.)
Chocolate
Caffeinated beverages (like tea or coffee0
Alcoholic drinks
Citrus fruit
Sports drinks (for example Gatorade)
Tomatoes as well as tomato-based products (like tomato sauce, ketchup, or chili)
Foods containing preservatives and artificial flavorings
Spicy foods
Honey
Food items containing sugar or sugar substitutes
Raw onion

Eliminating irritating food does not mean you have to refrain from eating them (all-or-nothing approach). You can experiment with foods and see if you can tolerate certain food in small quantities or eat them on occasions. When you do decide to avoid a specific food from your diet, then you can try to introduce it at a later time.

Foods You Can Include To Prevent Frequent Urination

As discussed earlier, you need to avoid eating foods that can irritate your bladder. Instead, you need to opt for foods rich in vitamins. So, choose to include non-acidic foods as well as vegetables.

Fruits To Avoid Frequent Urination

You can add the following fruits for your bladder health:

Apples
Bananas
Grapes
Watermelon
Coconut
Blackberries
Strawberries

Vegetable For Better Bladder Health

Your diet must include vegetable that does not irritate the bladder and promotes better health. So, you need to include the following:

Broccoli
Peppers
Asparagus
Kale
Carrots
Cucumbers
Celery
Lettuce

Fiber-Rich Foods

Including fiber in your diet is important for your health. It is because these foods help prevent constipation. Constipation is one of the factors putting additional pressure on your bladder and result in frequent urination. So, add the following fiber-rich foods in your diet:

Beans
Lentils
Artichoke
Raspberries
Barley
Oats
Bran
Almonds

Protein

You need to include enough protein in your diet for overall health. Here are some of the food items rich in protein:

Chicken
Fish
Tofu
Eggs

You can feel free to experiment with different seasonings to make your dish delicious or have a twist. This will make the staple food items interesting. So, you will like to eat foods that avoid potential irritants.

Conclusion

There is no permanent cure for frequent urination. With a better lifestyle, medication, and diet, you can reduce or alleviate the symptoms. The important method to deal with the condition is by identifying your food triggers. It helps you reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life. So, you need to keep a food diary that includes all details of your food and fluid intake. With better care and caution, you can identify the irritants responsible for overactive bladder. See a doctor for necessary advice and avoid the condition from affecting your life.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/frequent-urination/basics/causes/sym-20050712

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70782

https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/frequent-urination-causes-and-treatments