Frequent urination is an inconvenient condition that can affect both men and women. It is sometimes called overactive bladder or urgent urination. If it happens at night, it is called nocturia. Frequent urination is usually treated by addressing the underlying cause.

Frequent urination can be the main problem or the symptom of another problem. It can cause embarrassment and inconvenience during the day, and sleep problems at night. It is usually manageable, often by dealing with the underlying condition.

Urgent Urination Can Affect Anyone.

However, it is most common in men and women in middle-age or older. It is also common in pregnant women. The medical term for frequent urination at night is “nocturia.” The condition is different from enuresis, which is commonly referred to as bed-wetting. The difference is that nocturia involves actually being aroused and making two or more trips to the bathroom each night. It is a very common reason that many people do not get enough sleep at night.

It seems to occur in older people most often. Those without the condition tend to sleep 7 or 8 hours before needing to get up and urinate. Those suffering from severe nocturia may visit the bathroom as many as 6 times during the night.

This,

urge to urinate frequently throughout the night is typically a sign of a medical condition. These may include an infection, a tumor in the bladder or kidneys, or bladder prolapse. Those suffering from liver or heart failure or uncontrolled diabetes may also experience frequent urination at night. Medications designed to treat symptoms of diabetes, pregnancy, and other conditions may also affect the number of nightly trips to the restroom.

Causes Of  Urgent Urination:

There are a number of health conditions that can cause frequent urination in men and women. This is a symptom that can even begin so gradually that it may go unnoticed for weeks or months. It is very important that you know what types of physical problems may be creating this disorder.

Individuals with frequent urination problems find that they have to go to the bathroom much more often than normal. Instead of emptying their bladders completely it may also feel as though there is still urine remaining in the bladder after they have finished using the toilet.

Instead of urinating an average of 6 times a day a person may go 10-12 times, or even more often than this. While normally a person can go to sleep and rest comfortably for 6-8 hours, those with urinary frequency will get up a number of times because they need to relieve the feeling of urgency that is being triggered in their bladders.

Common Causes of These Symptoms Are:

Symptoms Of Urgent Urination:

Fortunately for sufferers of frequent urination, symptoms are easily spotted. If you feel the need to urinate more than 4 to 8 times a day, there is a very likely chance that you have issues with frequent urination. It is important to check with your doctor if you are a normal healthy adult (non-pregnant) and urinate more frequently than 4 to 8 times a day.

There are too many variations of the urinary problem to list all of the symptoms; the following are the main side effects and depending on which type you have these are mixed and matched accordingly.

Change in the urine:

• Color.
• Texture.
• Consistency.

Physical Ailments:

• Pain.
• Irritation.
• Tiredness.
• Abdomen discomfort.
• Thirst.
• Lowered food intake.
• Low sex drive.
• Problems with your sleep pattern.

When to Contact a Medical Professional?

Call your provider right away if:

• You have a fever, back or side pain, vomiting, or shaking chills.
• You have increased thirst or appetite, fatigue, or sudden weight loss.

Also call your provider if:

You have urinary frequency or urgency, but you are not pregnant and you are not drinking large amounts of fluid.

• You have incontinence or you have changed your lifestyle because of your symptoms.
• You have bloody or cloudy urine.
• There is a discharge from the penis or vagina.

How to Treat Urgent Urination “Nocturia”:

Nocturia is characterized by frequent needs to urinate at night, thus interrupting sleep. It is most commonly experienced by people aged 60 and above but is also reported to be present in around 75% of the global population. Nocturia is usually caused by medical conditions such as incontinence, urinary tract infection, diabetes, enlarged prostate, and pregnancy.

Because it disrupts night sleep, nocturia is considered among the causes of fatigue and weakness during the day. It is for this reason that immediate treatments should be put in place. If you are suffering from nocturia, here are some of your treatment options.

I. Undergo drug therapy:

There are specific medications designed to address the symptoms of nocturia. To relax the bladder muscles, for instance, oxybutynin and solifenacin are prescribed. To control the production of urine, you might be asked to take furosemide. If furosemide doesn’t work, the doctor will prescribe you with bumetanide.

Darifenacin might also be part of your medication to address the overactive bladder. One of the most common drugs for nocturia is desmopressin. This mimics a particular hormone to reduce the production of urine. All these drugs are usually taken in combination with behavioral therapy.

II. Perform behavioral therapy:

 Many experts agree that behavioral therapy works better than drug therapy. This is because behavioral therapy directly addresses the production of urine. If you undergo behavioral therapy, you will have to reduce your intake of water and other liquids prior to bedtime.

These include alcohol, tea, and coffee. You will also need to sleep with your legs elevated, take afternoon naps, and wear compression stockings. Performing only one of these practices can already give you satisfactory results, but should you want to gain maximum benefits from behavioral therapy, you can do all these options.

III. Take Note of What You Drink:

Alcohol and beverages with caffeine such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks are diuretics and can increase the frequency of urination. According to Ariana Smith, urologist and associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, “Eight ounces of coffee seem to be harder on the bladder than 8 ounces of water, so go with water.”

IV. Try herbal medicines:

Many people find herbal medicines helpful in treating nocturia. Some of these herbs saw palmetto, stinging nettle. Saw palmetto has anti-inflammatory effects on the bladder, thereby promoting good urinary flow.

Stinging nettle, meanwhile, is good for menopausal women experiencing nocturia. When properly cooked, it can trim down the frequency of urination. Pygeum is beneficial to men because it can shrink the size of an enlarged prostate, but it also works as effective on women.

V. Exercise Pelvic Muscles:

• Flex the muscles surrounding your lower bladder and urethra to strengthen them.
• With an empty bladder, practice tightening your pelvic floor, hold for five seconds, and then relax.
• Work your way up to 10 seconds. These are called Kegel exercises.
• According to the Mayo Clinic, “For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles.
• Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs, or buttocks.
• Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.”

VI. Change Your Diet:

Adjust your diet and decrease foods that act as bladder irritants. Some foods such as apples, cranberries, and citrus fruits and juices can increase urination. Here’s a list of bladder irritants. Tomato-based foods and spicy foods also can be the cause of an increased urge to urinate.

Consider alternative medicines:

 Alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, provides a holistic approach to treating nocturia. In other words, it tracks all the factors of your condition and goes beyond your physical condition. If you want to benefit from alternative medicine, please consult your physician first.

How to Stop a Full Bladder From Killing Your Sleep?

Tips for dealing with nighttime urination:

A. Limit Your Intake of Fluids Two Hours Before Bedtime:

Drinking too close to bedtime can cause the need to urinate at night. And alcohol and caffeine — bladder stimulants — should be limited all day long. Cut back to just one alcoholic beverage, or none at all, and decrease your current caffeine intake.

B. Check For Sleep Apnea:

During deep sleep, our bodies produce an antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This allows us to retain more fluid overnight. People with sleep apnea do not get into the deep stages of sleep, so their bodies don’t make enough of this hormone. In addition, the drops in oxygen levels during apnea episodes trigger the kidneys to excrete more water. In this case, treating sleep apnea should take care of the problem.

C. Keep a Voiding Diary:

Monitor your drinking and your urine output. Take note of whether you are urinating too much around the clock, or just at night. If you’re urinating more than eight times in 24 hours, that’s too much. A lot depends on your age. And if you’re between age 65-70 and going more than twice a night, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

Also, see a doctor if you are getting up more than once a night if you are between age 60-65, and more than three times each night if you are age 70 or older. While your bladder’s capacity does not necessarily decrease with age, the prevalence of overactive bladder increases with age.

D. Exercise, and wear support hose for swelling in your feet or legs. 

• If you experience swelling in your feet or legs, you’ll probably wake more often overnight to urinate.
• That’s because the fluid pooling in your extremities during the day will be reabsorbed into your system once you lie down with your feet at the level of your heart.
• Then the fluid will head to your kidneys to be processed.
• To help with this issue, exercise and wear support hose to try to get that fluid processed before bedtime.

E. Elevate Your Legs:

In the late afternoon, if you prop up your legs for an hour at the level of your heart, this can help you urinate during the day (rather than at night).

Foods to Avoid When You Have an Overactive Bladder:

If you have an overactive bladder there are specific foods you should avoid. Here are some foods to avoid when managing incontinence.

1. Citrus Fruits:

Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and even pineapples all contain bladder irritating components. While it is crucial that seniors have a well-balanced diet, they should avoid eating these fruits if they are experiencing incontinence. The problem with citrus fruits is that they are highly acidic and can irritate the bladder.

This will only make the incontinence worse. Keep in mind that citrus fruits should also be avoided in juice form, as well. Rather than give up all juices and fruits; simply replace them with bananas, apples, berries, and pears for great nutritional value and fiber. Fiber can also play a key role in reducing the symptoms of incontinence.

2. Chocolate:

This can be painful for those people who love dark stuff. However, the caffeine found in chocolate is known to be a bladder stimulant. You should not assume that hot chocolate is any better (In fact it is worse) since the chocolate arrives in liquid form. The best solution is to have 1-2 ounces of truly dark chocolate in order to help with that chocolate craving.

3. Hot Sauce, Chili Peppers, And Wasabi :

If you like it spicy and are trying to manage incontinence then the news isn’t good. All varieties of spicy foods, from nachos to curry tend to irritate the lining of the bladder and make incontinence worse.

If you simply can’t give up your favorite spicy dish then you should consider choosing a cooled down version. You can still use herbs, garlic, and other strong flavors in place of the heat-carrying ingredients listed above.

4. Sugar And Honey:

You may be surprised to learn that the sweet stuff can have a major effect on the bladder. While it can be challenging to completely cut out sugar it can help the symptoms of incontinence, if you can at least reduce the amount you eat.

You can start by not adding those extra spoonfuls to your morning cereal or coffee, and make sure that you are reading labels on everything you buy since there is a lot of hidden sugar. In addition, it is important to know that for some people even artificial sweeteners have the same effect.

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