Some Common Facts Regarding Frequent Urination
- Urinary frequency is quite a common issue; however, it is not an unavoidable part of getting old.
- Along with proper medications, behavior modification is also essential for dealing with overactive bladder or frequent urination.
- It is a myth that frequent urination effects to people with older age. The fact is that frequency can affect anyone, anytime.
- Frequent urination is found affecting around 200 million people globally. This means 1 out of 5 people is suffering from frequency.
- It is widely believed that only women suffer from frequent urination. But the fact is that men are also found suffering from it, especially the men who have gone through prostate cancer.
- It is not necessary that the women who haven’t given birth to any child wouldn’t have the problem of frequent urination. It may affect any women due to factors like aging, genetics, lifestyle, etc.
- Urine frequency can generally be termed as a miscommunication between the spinal cord and the brain.
- There are other reasons apart from the stress that might lead to frequency.
- People suffering from frequent urination should drink a small portion of water throughout the day which would help in having required quantity of water as well as improve the bladder conditions, stop the leakage and reduce the odor too.
Does laughing out loud, coughing, jumping, etc. make you leak down there? Don’t feel abashed! You are not the only one facing this leakage problem. This condition is known as frequent urination, which is quite commonly observed in 1 out of 5 people globally. There are many people suffering from this condition, and call it frequency. Again, if one is found urinating excess than 3 liters, it is termed as polyuria.
Some people also think the term urinary incontinence and frequency are the same, however, both come with a slight difference.
So, what is frequent urination? How serious is this medical condition? Lets today learn about all the answers related to frequent urination for a clear understanding of the issue.
What is Frequent Urination?
The need for urinating quite often than normal is known as frequent urination. Medically known as frequency, it can be divided into two parts, that is, polyuria and urinary frequency. In polyuria, the individual urinates with increased volume while in urinary frequency, the individual passes normal urine amount, but visits the washroom more often.
Urinating frequently is basically termed as a sensation where the individual faces urgency in urinating which is caused due to involuntary contractions in the muscles of the bladder. There are some people who face this sensation overnight, termed as nocturia. In simple terms, if an individual need to visit the washroom more than 7 times in a day by drinking around 2 liters of water or fluid, it is frequent urination for which he needs to visit the doctor soon. However, it depends on the individual and the hesitation and discomfort he/she feels for visiting the doctor.
What are the Possible Symptoms of Frequent Urination?
The symptoms of frequent urination are quite easy to detect. If an individual urinates for more than 8 times after having around 2 liters of water, he can be suffering from the health issue. The problem can affect anyone with age no difference, however, it is likely to prevalent among people who are older adults, middle-age, and pregnant women.
Some other symptoms in the list include:
- Discomfort or pain at the time of urinating
- Cloudy or bloody urine, or urine with unusual color
- Difficulty in urinating even if having an urge to urinate
- Loss of control over the bladder
- Urinary incontinence
- Discharge from penis or vagina
- Increase in thirst or appetite
- Chills or fever
- Vomiting or Nausea
- Pain in lower back or side
Frequent urination is a condition which also indicates an infection in the kidney. Again, the bacteria due to which the infection occurs if enters the bloodstream can affect other body areas which can be life-threatening. So, better look at the doctor as soon as possible.
What are the Causes of Frequent Urination?
Talking about the causes, frequent urination is a symptom for various health issues ranging from minor to serious ones. Again, the condition may also invite other health problems like urgency for urinating, fever, discomfort or pain in the abdomen, etc.
Some of the possible causes of frequent urination include:
Diabetes
One of the primary causes of frequency is type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In this situation, In diabetes, the body eliminates the unwanted amount of glucose through urine, and hence, an abnormally large amount is released which is an early sign of frequency.
Bladder conditions
Bladder conditions is yet another reason for having this issue. Some bladder conditions like injury of the bladder, infection, changes in the tissue, nerve, or muscle, etc. come with an adverse impact on the bladder function which may result into frequency during conditions like bladder stones, interstitial cystitis, and overactive bladder.
Pregnancy
From the initial phase of pregnancy, the growth of the uterus pressurizes the bladder. As pressure is applied to the bladder, the pregnant women would need the urgency to urinate frequently during pregnancy.
Prostate conditions
The prostate is an organ that is situated in the reproductive system of the male below the bladder. When one observes frequent urination, it can be a serious sign that there is an issue with the health of the prostate like prostatitis or an enlarged prostate. In both the conditions, along with urgency in urinating, other symptoms observed include nausea, fever, pain while urinating, vomiting, etc.
Interstitial Cystitis
This is a condition when the patient faces pain in the pelvic region and the bladder at the time of urinating. The symptoms include urgency for urinating frequently. The situation is also known as painful bladder syndrome.
Neurological Diseases
The neurological diseases or even stroke are capable of damaging the nerves which are reliable for supplying the bladder. Hence, due to some neurological issues, the patient might face frequency.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
The sexually transmitted diseases are also listed among the prime reasons leading to frequency as most of them come with an impact on the urinary system. Some of the sexual transmitted diseases that can be counted include gonorrhea and chlamydia that can be observed through symptoms like pain during urinating, swelling of the urethra opening, discharge, etc.
Urinary Tract Infections
When the bacteria enter the urinary tract and multiply by sticking to the walls, urinary tract infections occur which is also one of the reasons for frequent urinating. During UTI, people might also observe painful urination or sensation of burning in the bladder as well as the urine might also be cloudy along with a strong smell.
Apart from all these, some other causes in the list include:
- Anxiety
- Drinks and food that are diuretic
- Mass or tumor in the pelvic area
- Inflammation of the wall of the bladder
- Overactive bladder syndrome
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder stones
- Urethral stricture
- Urinary incontinence
- Colon diverticulitis
- Radiation of pelvis at the time of treating cancer
Again, consuming an excess amount of fluids like coffee, alcohol, tea, water, or any other beverages containing carbonate, can lead to nocturia which is also a type of frequent urination that occurs overnight.
How to Prevent Frequent Urination?
As there are various causes that lead to frequency, there is no single way of preventing it. For the prevention of frequent urination, it is essential for the individual to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Yet, there are some precautionary steps that can help in preventing frequency.
- Add a healthy diet to your schedule for moderating the urine output
- Limit the intake of caffeine, alcohol, or any other fluids as that can lead to irritation in the bladder
- Try and avoid diuretic ingredients like artificial sweeteners, spicy foods, chocolates, etc.
- Look for ingredients that are rich in fiber as this would help in avoiding constipation as it may increase pressure on the bladder and the urethra increasing the number of urinations
- Practice pelvic-floor muscles exercises as this help in toning the muscles and protect you from frequency while you age
Hence, it is widely recommended to see a doctor when the symptoms appear interrupting your day to day life before the condition worsens.
Home Remedies to Treat Frequent Urination
No doubt, there are various medications to treat the health issue, there are still some natural remedies that can help you out in treating frequency in a natural way.
Few home remedies to treat frequent urination include:
Yogurt
Yogurt is quite popular for the good bacteria it contains. The good bacteria is much helpful in keeping the bladder healthy. The yogurt is quite effective in helping the bladder and the kidney for proper functioning. Daily consumption would keep the kidney and the bladder healthy for boosted performance from both. However, make sure you avoid flavored yogurts that contain artificial sweeteners.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains antifungal and antibacterial properties which makes it quite healthy for various purposes. Again, the natural minerals it provides you with help in maintaining the pH balance in the body. Having 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar along with honey with some water twice a day would help in reducing the chances of suffering from frequency.
Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Indian Gooseberry, locally known as amla, is much helpful in fighting against various infections in the bladder. Amla is rich in Vitamin C, which kills the bladder infections and prevents from it too. So, have some amla juice and add honey to it. Drink this daily two times along with one banana and your frequency issues would be solved along with other infections.
Warm compress
For the people suffering from nerve issues, or having frequency due to muscles and nerves, a warm compress is much helpful in getting relief completely. Warm compress is much helpful in reducing the pain felt in the muscles and nerves and also helps in solving the issue of frequency.
Sufficient water
Many people limit the intake of water when facing frequent urination. But the fact is that having a sufficient amount of water along with other fluids is also helpful in preventing one from frequency. All you need to do is have water in small quantity throughout the day. Again, avoid having water while going to bed.
Kohki tea
Kohki tea is a popular drink in China and Japan, which is considered to be rich in antioxidants. No doubt, this tea is quite sweet, it is still effective in reducing the painful effects on the kidney and the bladder. It is much helpful in regulating the bladder functions smoothly. Having kohki tea once a day is enough to protect your bladder from frequency along with other infections.
Kegel Exercises
Surprisingly, Kegel exercises or some of the pelvic floor exercises are also helpful in preventing from frequency. The exercises provide the muscles with required strength that reduces the instinctive contractions and also improve the posture. It is considered to be a safe behavioral therapy without facing any complications or side effects.
Along with all these, some other ways of reducing the risk of urinating frequently include fiber-rich foods, whole-wheat bread, beans, soy milk, cranberry juice, barley water, diluted squash, pumpkin seeds, etc. Losing weight is also effective to a great extent.
But what if all these remedies don’t work? If this happens, make sure you book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. So, are you ready to fight those frequent visits?
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Best of luck!
i am very normal in urination but in winter it is very speedy and out of contorl