Do you feel the urge to go to the washroom more often than others do? If you do, then you may suffer from a common problem known as frequent urination or urinary incontinence. Under normal circumstances, your bladder should be able to store urine till you visit the toilet to intentionally evacuate the bladder. It is absolutely normal for you to urinate anywhere between 4 and 8 times a day. However, if you experience the urge to urinate more than 8 times a day or if you need to get up a couple of times in the middle of the night just to go to the washroom, it could mean that you are either consuming too much water in the day, or that you suffer from an underlying health problem that has affected the strength and functioning of your bladder.
Frequent urination could affect you throughout the day, even at night. There are many people who suffer from nocturia, which is characterized by the urge to urinate mainly during the night. Although frequent urination can affect just about anyone, it is observed that women are more likely to suffer from it. As you age, many of your organs weaken, which affects their functioning. For this reason frequent urination is a common problem for those who are elderly. There are several factors that could lead to frequent urination and based on the causes, you may also notice other urinary problems, which include:
Many people mistake frequent urination for urinary incontinence, as the symptoms for these conditions are quite similar. However both the conditions are different. Urinary continence mainly refers to the loss of bladder control, where you could leak urine even when you cough or sneeze. This problem could also lead to sudden and strong urges to urinate. Therefore, urinary continence is like a part of frequent urination.
Most of us do not give the problem of frequent urination too much thought. We simply deal with it by consuming a smaller amount of water. Apart from being a source of embarrassment, this problem could interfere with your work, sleep, travel plans and general well being. While frequent urination on its own is not a major problem, it could be an indication of an underlying medical condition. Therefore, it is important to check with a doctor and determine what the possible causes of frequent urination could be. As soon as you notice this problem, it is advisable for you to check with your health care provider.
Frequent urination is not exactly a condition; rather, it can be referred to as a symptom of either consuming excessive water, or another underlying health condition. However, some of other symptoms that accompany frequent urination can be a bit alarming and may indicate that there is a serious problem in the urinary tract. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for you to consult a doctor if any of the serious signs become evident. Given below are some of the symptoms of frequent urination, which should be checked and investigated by a health care provider, at the earliest:
You also need to take frequent urination seriously in case it happens to interfere with your day to day activities or disrupts your sleep. There are many men and women who refuse to plan long road trips, if they know that they will not have access to a bathroom as frequent intervals. If you are one of those who need to plan your activities based on the availability of washrooms, you know you have a problem, which needs to be dealt with and addressed immediately.
There are several different factors that could lead to the urge to urinate more often than is normal. While some of these causes are fairly simple and can be rectified easily, others may be a bit more serious. In case the only symptom you experience is the urge to pass urine very often, without any pain or burning, then it may be best for you to first take a look at your diet, which includes your water consumption, as well as the medication you are on. Apart from water and certain medicine, you could also face the problem of urinating too often if you drink an excess amount of coffee, tea and aerated drinks during the day. These beverages contain caffeine, which flushes the water from your system, by making you urinate very often. Drinking alcohol can also have the exact same effect on the body. Therefore, before you decide to undergo any tests, it is best for you to analyze your dietary and lifestyle habits, so that you can bring about the necessary changes, without any delay.
In case you do experience other adverse symptoms too, like pain, burning sensation, fever and general discomfort, it is possible that you are suffering from a urinary tract infection. Fortunately, there are several treatment options through which this condition can be easily cured. Some of the other common causes for frequent urination include:
At times, you could also notice frequent urination as a reaction to an injury. However, in such cases, the problem usually lasts for a short period of time.
In case the problem is caused by a medical health condition, you need to go through the right treatment. However, after going through the required tests, if you have confirmed that the frequent urination is not a result of an underlying medical problem, you could try a few self-help steps and home, to deal with the inconvenience you are going through. Given below are a few simple remedies for frequent urination:
Making modifications to your diet is one of the first steps in dealing with the problem of frequent urination. Fortunately, there are many dietary adjustments that you can make, in order to alleviate the problem of going to the washroom every now and then.
One of the most important nutrients you should add to your diet, while treating frequent urination, is fiber. This prevents problems like constipation and consequently urinary incontinence as well as frequent urination. Apart from fiber, you should also add more foods that are high in antioxidants. Foods that help block or treat urinary tract infections are also usually very helpful. Given below are some of the foods that can help prevent frequent urination.
There are many different food items that aggravate the bladder and may accentuate urinary problems, which include excess urination. Given below are some of the foods that should be avoided in case you are trying to treat frequent urination:
In addition to dietary alterations you may also be asked to take supplements to support you bladder.
Most people deal with frequent urination by reducing their consumption of water. However, this is not the right approach to treating the problem. It is important to consume at least 6 to 8 glassed of water each day.
In case you are on any medication, especially for the treatment of cancer, check with your doctor, for alternative treatments if they are responsible for the problem.