How Does Water Help My Bladder?
All the beverages that we consume go through our bladder. All beverages, outside of water, contain products that may irritate our bladder. This “irritation” can become so strong that we may take it as a sign that we need to use to urinate, even if our bladder isn’t full. This occurring once in a while is not a problem, however if this keeps occurring frequently you can soon start to create a problematic cycle.
There are two signals that we receive from our bladder.
- When your bladder is about half full and it is being stretched with fluid.
- When your bladder is full. At this point it would be appropriate for us to use the bathroom.
The Bladder and Bladder Irritants
When the bladder becomes irritated it sends signals to the brain to urinate. It can be difficult to determine if the bladder is full or irritated. The end result is the same. However, if we start using the bathroom more frequently than normal, the bladder becomes conditioned and will become accustomed to emptying more often. Therefore, every time you start to have a sensation, your body assumes you will be going to the bathroom, and you may start to lose the ability to hold your urine!
Common Bladder Irritants
So what are some of the most common bladder irritants:
- caffeinated beverages
- even decaffeinated tea and coffee still have caffeine in them
- alcohol
- carbonated drinks
- citrus
- orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime
- spicy foods
- tomato based products
How Does Drinking Water help?
The water can help dilute whatever is in your bladder and decrease the chance of irritation and false signaling. By water, we mean plain water. Even though all beverages have some form of water in them, the additives are what you should avoid.
Questions/Concerns?
Have any other questions on this topic? Constant urge to use the toilet? Come give us a visit. Body Harmony Physical Therapy offers one on one physical therapy, both for pelvic floor and orthopedic concerns. Our treatments are for up to one hour in a private treatment room. We offer a quick call back option for potential patients who have questions or concerns related to physical therapy.
