November is Bladder Health Month. According to the Urology Care Foundation, as many as 30% of men and 40% of women in the US live with overactive bladder symptoms. What many people don’t realize, is that Physical Therapy is an awesome tool to help improve bladder health. There are many things that contribute to bladder health and function. As a physical therapist, there are three main areas that I focus on when evaluating someone’s bladder problems. This includes diet, pelvic floor strength/bladder control, and behavioral bladder habits.
Diet: Water and fiber are very important when it comes to bladder health. Many people do not drink enough water, sometimes out of habit and sometimes due to issues with bladder control. It is recommended to drink at least half your weight in water throughout the day. This means if you weigh 200lbs you should be drinking up to 100oz of water. This number will vary based on daily activity and heat of the day as well. Having consistent clear urine throughout the day is a good way to track that you are getting enough fluid. Increasing fiber intake helps with regular bowel movements and is also important with bladder control and function. When the bowels are not moving the way they should, there is extra pressure and confusion that happens within the bladder reflex system. Taking in at least 25 grams of fiber per day for females and 30 gram of fiber per day for males is recommended but also varies from person to person. Good sources of natural fiber include beans, whole grains, oats, fruits and vegetables. The other thing to think about when it comes to bladder and diet has to do with bladder irritants. There are certain foods and drinks that tend to irritate the bladder and cause discomfort when there are already issues going on in the bladder. These irritants can include, but are not limited to coffee, teas, and acidic fruits or vegetables. The only way to know whether a certain food or drink is causing bladder irritation is to track this, with assistance from a healthcare professional, by using a bladder diary.
Pelvic Floor: The pelvic floor is the support system for all that is bladder and bowel. It holds and controls the function of the bladder and is also the foundation to your entire core support system. Having a weak pelvic floor can not only cause bladder leakage and other bladder issues, but can also cause back pain, painful sex, and difficulty with bowel control. Women are most commonly affected by a weak pelvic floor due to impact on the pelvic floor muscles during child bearing and delivery. Although bladder issues are very common after having children and with increased age in women, it should not be considered normal and can be helped with techniques and strengthening for the pelvic floor muscles.
Behavioral Habits: Even if we do not realize it, all of us have habits when it comes to urination and control or our bladder. There are three main habits that can cause poor reflexive feedback to the bladder. Urinating “just in case” before leaving the house or work, urinating at the very first urge to go, and urinating on a schedule (ex. every hour). Even though these habits are meant to prevent bladder leakage issues or discomfort, they can mess with the natural reflexive pattern of the bladder and cause the bladder to think that it is full and needs to urinate even when it is nowhere close to being full. This in turn causes increased issues with bladder control, urinating too frequently, and can also cause bladder pain or pressure.
If you are experiencing any problems with bladder health make sure to talk with your provider about what the best options and treatment are for you. With a well-rounded approach, including care from a physician and a physical therapy pelvic health specialist, many people are able to reverse bladder problems such as pain, leakage and pressure.
Sarah Heinrich, DPT