Hyperactive Bladder: Things To Avoid

If you have a hyperactive bladder, you should not only control your fluid consumption, there are also various foods that can play a role in this condition and should therefore be avoided.

An overactive bladder, often referred to as a irritable bladder, means that sometimes you cannot control your urge to urinate. This problem is very uncomfortable, but if treated in a timely manner it can be resolved.

In today’s post, we’re going to tell you about a variety of foods that an overactive bladder  doesn’t respond well to.

Interesting facts about the hyperactive bladder

It may be an overactive bladder if you have at least two of the following symptoms:

• Urinate more than 8 times a day and 2 times a night (without consuming excessive fluids).

• Sudden and strong need to urinate.
• Loss of urine after urinating.

There are several causes that can lead to an irritable bladder. The most common of these are:

• nervousness
• stress
• excessive coffee consumption
• excessive water consumption

In 20% of the cases it is a neurological problem, for example Parkinson’s, brain or spinal tumor or myelomeningocele.

Affected people  often feel incapable of performing certain activities and are ashamed of their problem.

The strong urge to urinate and the loss of urine “on the way” often lead to social isolation and problems at work, because those who suffer from it can hardly concentrate on other things.

What foods should you avoid if you have an overactive bladder?

Treatments for irritable bladder are different.

• Some doctors prescribe medication (such as a botulinum toxin injection).
• Other treatments are based on healthy lifestyle habits, exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, taking certain drinks, etc.

If you have an overactive bladder, we recommend that you avoid the following foods:

Spicy foods

Indian, Mexican or Asian dishes are often spicy, even if you like them, you’d better avoid them.

Hot spices not only burn in the mouth, they can also irritate the lining of the bladder.

Spicy foods can therefore worsen the symptoms of an irritable bladder. Avoid that as much as possible.

Sugared foods

Sweet and other sugary foods are dangerous to health. The same applies to desserts with artificial sweeteners.

This increases the urge to urinate and irritates the bladder. In addition, unnecessary calories are supplied to the body.

Avoid candies, cookies, and pies, and other sugary foods. Instead, you can eat fruits and dried fruits that are healthy and nutritious.

coffee

Caffeine has several negative effects on the body that are worth highlighting. This substance leads, for example, to hyperactive brain and heart activity and also to a hyperactive bladder. 

So if you drink too much coffee, the bladder becomes irritated and symptoms worsen.

But not only coffee can worsen the clinical picture, soft drinks (such as cola), various teas and cocoa can also irritate the bladder.

Blueberry and citrus juices

While blueberries are highly recommended for heart and blood health (for example, for high blood pressure or diabetes), and they are also excellent for treating urinary tract infections, they can lead to an overactive bladder.

The acids contained in this small berry promote the urge to urinate. 

It is not recommended to drink acidic juices (e.g. orange or grapefruit juice), even if they strengthen the immune system through the vitamin C it contains.

If there is urinary incontinence,  these can irritate the bladder further. 

alcohol

The side effects of alcohol are very numerous (especially if you drink too much of it). Among other things, alcohol has a strong diuretic effect and can therefore irritate the bladder.

For example, when you have a beer, the kidneys work harder and the bladder is forced to empty more quickly.

However, people with irritable bladder do not have to go without a glass of wine every now and then,  because it does not have a diuretic effect like beer and has various advantages for heart health.

However, these can also be found in grape juice, which does not contain alcohol and is therefore much healthier!

tomatoes

Tomatoes are acidic, so they can affect bladder health. They also contain a lot of water and therefore have a strong diuretic effect.

With cooked tomatoes, the effect is worsened, even if they are sauces, because sugar is usually used to balance the acidity.

We have already pointed out that sugar should be avoided in an irritable bladder.

To make the sauce taste tasty anyway, you can use grated carrots to balance the acidity. A little cream, milk or baking soda can also refine the sauce, as they balance out the acidity.

Cover picture kindly provided by © wikiHow.com