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Treatment for Frequent Urination

Friday, April 9th, 2010

The symptom of frequent urination can be caused by any number of things ranging from an enlarged prostate in men to a growing fetus exerting pressure on a woman’s bladder. It can also be an early warning sign for diabetes, or it may indicate the onset of a urinary tract infection.

After ruling out some of the major health issues connected with frequent urination, one of the more common causes of this problem is an overactive bladder. When an overactive bladder is diagnosed, medications like Detrol, which reduces the urge to go to the bathroom and Ditropan can be a very effective treatment for frequent urination. Sometimes, rather than truly having a physical malformation, the urge to go to the bathroom can be the result of a behavioral compulsion. Anyone who has had to deal with urinary incontinence at any level may have developed a frequent urination problem as a way to deal with their incontinence issues. For these people the idea of having an accident in public is so disturbing, that they would far prefer to make frequent trips to the bathroom.

Especially for these compulsive people using cognitive therapy to make behavioral changes helps them retrain their bladders to be quiet. However, when medication and behavioral therapy do not solve the problem of frequent urination in a patient, there are a couple of surgical options available as a last line of treatment. The first surgical option involves implanting a sacral nerve stimulator, which is a tiny, mechanical device that is placed in the abdomen of the patient, and it connects to the sacral nerves under the tailbone. It works kind of like a heart’s pacemaker and helps regulate nerve messages sent to the bladder.

The second surgical selection is augmentation cytoplasty, which borrows from the bowel using the tissue to increase bladder size. This surgery usually requires cathetertization after surgery, which can increase the risk of kidney and bladder infections, not to mention that it is probably even more inconvenient that the original problem or frequent urination.

While many people chalk up the problem of frequent urination as an eventual and inevitable byproduct of ageing, it is not. By eating a diet rich in fiber and getting adequate exercise, you can help stave off the problem of frequent urination. Also staying away from foods that aggravate the bladder or act as diuretics can keep frequent urination symptoms at bay. However, if you do notice the onset of frequent urination problems, let your doctor know, so that he or she can find and treat the underlying cause of the problem.

While you are working with your physician to find the most appropriate treatment for frequent urination problems, make sure that you have access to quality, absorbent pads to help protect from any embarrassing mishaps. At DryForLife we have been helping people find just the right products to complement their lifestyles and manage their problems for over forty years, and we are here to help. With discreet ordering and delivery available, we can help make your frequent urination problem just a little less of a problem.

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10 Reasons Frequent Urination Problems Can Occur

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

If you find yourself annoyed by the number of trips that you are taking to the bathroom, then it may be time to talk to your doctor about frequent urination problems. Generally your physician can help you determine the underlying cause and help you get back to normal.

1. Medication – There are certain medications such as diuretics which will increase the amount of urine that your body produces, and that will make you need to go to the bathroom more frequently.
2. Radiation Treatments – Treating any type of cancer that is in the vicinity of the bladder with radiation, such as prostate cancer, can cause damage to the wall of the bladder. It may take up to a year for your bathroom patterns to return to normal.
3. Prostate Gland – When the prostate gland becomes enlarged, which happens as men age, it can put pressure on the urethra and cause frequent urination problems. The same problem can occur when this gland becomes infected.
4. Bladder – Infection, cancer or bladder stones can also cause frequent urination, which may actually be an early warning sign of bladder cancer.
5. Infections – Urinary tract infections, which are bacterial infections of the urethra or the bladder can cause frequent urination along with other symptoms like pain and fever.
6. Heart Failure – When the heart does not properly pump blood throughout the body, fluids build up and the kidneys process the fluid into large amounts of urine. This process leads to frequent urination problems.
7. Disease – Diabetes causes an increase in urine production to rid the body of excess sugar, and kidney disease inhibits the kidneys from concentrating urine causing larger amounts of urine for the body to excrete. Both of these diseases present the symptom of frequent urination problems.
8. Age – As you age, muscles weaken, and this weakening includes the muscles of the pelvic floor, urethra and bladder. These weaker muscles have trouble holding the same amount of liquid in the bladder as they did when they were young and strong, and so frequent urination happens.
9. Diet – Spicy foods and drinks containing alcohol, carbonation or caffeine cause a diuretic effect in your body causing it to shed an increased amount of fluid.
10. Behavior – You may want to take a look at the volume of liquid that you are consuming, and if you are drinking large quantities of water, this will cause frequent urination. If the frequency becomes a problem, simply cut your volume intake accordingly.

As you can see the causes behind frequent urinary problems can be quite varied, and while some problems can be managed by yourself like behavior and diet, most others need to be evaluated by a health care professional. So if you notice that your bathroom habits have changed, let your doctor know, because this change may be the harbinger of a serious illness. On the other hand it may be nothing to worry about at all.

As you are working your way through your frequent urination problems, you may want to have some protective incontinence pads on hand just in case you find yourself in a situation where you cannot get to the bathroom quickly enough. DryForLife has been supplying incontinence products for over forty years and can offer discreet advice on which products might benefit you the most.

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Frequent Urination in Women Can be Frustrating

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

For women it can be frustrating to have to make frequent trips to the bathroom whether it is during the day or night, and if you drink a lot of water, or any liquid for that matter, fantastic because you are staying healthy and hydrated. However, being properly hydrated may mean that you have to go the the bathroom more often. While there is no set ‘norm’ for how frequently a woman should go to the bathroom, as it varies by person, and even by the day, when you find that your bathroom visits are so frequent that they are interfering with normal work and sleep you may be suffering from a condition known as frequent urination in women.

The most common cause of frequent urination in women is often stimulants and bladder irritants like alcohol and caffeine, which is not surprising because they are also natural diuretics. High blood pressure medication also is a diuretic, and may be another cause of frequent urination symptoms. Symptoms can also be caused by kidney disease, diabetes, and urinary tract infections among other things.

Another cause of frequent urination in women, especially if it is happening at night, is ageing. As you get older you produce two thirds of your urine at nighttime and one third during the daytime, which is the exact opposite of how your body works when you are younger.

If your frequent urination is not accompanied by any pain or discomfort, then you probably do not need to worry about it. However, if it is simply getting too inconvenient, there are a couple of things that you can do. First of all, try cutting back on the amount of liquid that you are drinking, especially later in the day. You can also try building a bigger bladder by gradually expanding the lapse time between bathroom visits. You can do this by waiting at least fifteen minutes to go to the bathroom after you first feel the urge to go. Then after about a week increase your wait time by another fifteen minutes. Over several months try to lengthen you time between bathroom visits to three or four hours.

If you are taking a diuretic medication, do not take it late in the day. Check with your doctor to make sure that you can take it earlier in the day. By taking your medication earlier in the day, the effects that your medication has on the bladder should be long gone by bedtime. By just making a few simple changes to your behavior, you can generally alleviate the most annoying symptoms of frequent urination in women.

If you worry about having an accident during the night, you can protect your mattress with a waterproof mattress pad, which you can order from DryForLife from the privacy of your living room and have delivered directly to your front door.

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Nocturia Treatment with an Enlarged Prostate

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

Frequent night urination, or nocturia, can be caused by many different things; so nocturia treatment is varied depending on the underlying cause. One of the most common causes of nocturia occurs in older men, and it is an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland is normally about the size of a walnut, and it is situated right beside the urethra. When this gland grows larger it exerts pressure on the urethra causing any number of problems, not the least of which is nocturia. Other problems that an enlarged prostate can cause are urinary incontinence and repeated infections in the urinary tract. Just to confuse things, it is possible to have an enlarged prostate and not have any symptoms, or to have a regular sized prostate and suffer from nocturia.

There are a couple of key factors that determine how much the prostate size affects the number of times that you have to go to the bathroom. The prostate consists of two different types of cells, spongy and rigid. The thought is that nocturia is more affected by the proportion of rigid cells in the prostate rather than simply its size. Unfortunately these rigid cells do not respond as well to drugs as they are more resilient than their spongy counterparts. Because of this a patient is frequently faced with surgery, often minimally invasive, for treatment of the problem.

The other piece of the puzzle has to do with a man’s bladder elasticity and capacity. So men with smaller more rigid bladders are more likely to suffer from nocturia than men with larger more resilient bladders. Another variable that is frequently thrown into the mix is the prostate specific antigen or PSA, which is the measure of a prostate protein. This protein is measured in a blood test, and it is used as a cancer screening tool. An elevated PSA may indicate that cancer is present, but the test is not 100% conclusive.

If you are just beginning to experience problems with nocturia, you may want to keep track of your fluid intake. Try to cut back on any liquid consumption within two hours of bedtime, and stay away from alcohol and caffeine later in the day as they have a diuretic effect causing the body to shed even more fluid. If you are taking a diuretic medication try to schedule it early in the day so that its effects will be completed during waking hours.

If you are suffering from nocturia and suspect that an enlarged prostate may be at the root of the problem, have your doctor assess the situation and offer you nocturia treatment solutions. If you are worried about any type of urine leakage during the night there are many different types of incontinence products that can help alleviate your worries. DryForLife can offer you helpful advice on which products might work for your situation, and they can be ordered by phone or online and delivered directly to your home.

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Frequent Night Urination Deserves a Closer Look

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

If you have noticed a pattern of frequent night urination developing, you should probably pay attention to it. Since it can frequently be caused by lifestyle habits, that is probably the first thing that you should consider. The problem is, though, that it can also be caused by medical conditions, and it is frequently the harbinger of kidney, liver and other serious medical problems. So if you notice that your nighttime bathroom trips are increasing, take a look at the amount of fluid that you are consuming later in the day, and consider making adjustments to see if that alleviates the symptoms.

Begin by not drinking any liquids within two hours of when you go to bed. Especially stay away from beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, because they tend to act like a diuretic and cause the body to get rid of even more fluids in your system.

However, if you change your behavior, and you are still having the problem, it is a good idea to consult with your doctor, because frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia, can be caused by any number of underlying conditions from prostate problems to diabetes. By consulting with a doctor, you may head off a serious problem by handling a developing situation in its early stages.

Notice how your nighttime bathroom pattern has changed, and take note of how frequently you do go to the bathroom. Also take note of how you feel as you are getting up yet again to relieve yourself. Does you bladder feel full? Does it feel like you kind of have to go? When you go to the bathroom are you pretty sure you will be up again for another bathroom trip, because it feels like you did not quite empty your bladder? All of this information will be very helpful pointing your doctor in the right direction as he or she sets about finding a solution for your frequent night urination problem.

This problem is actually serious even if you do not have an underlying medical condition, because it begins to affect your quality of life. When you do not sleep well at night, you will not feel rested the next day, which can affect your performance at work, your reflexes and your concentration. You may step away from any social plans that involve traveling overnight. While the topic is pretty uncomfortable for most people to talk about, it is worth talking to your health care professional about it to get to the cause of the problem.

In the case of diabetes, the high sugar levels cause more urine to be produced which causes frequent urination, and this is a problem that needs to be contained for a multitude of health reasons. Certain medications can have a diuretic effect, or in men an enlarged prostate can cause these symptoms as well. Frequently your doctor can cure or help you manage the situation so that it does not interfere with your lifestyle.

If your frequent night urination has you concerned about nighttime continence, then you may want to protect your mattress with a protective mattress pad. DryForLife can provide discreet advice and help you manage your problem as you and your doctor pinpoint its cause. You can order your products, which are available online and have them conveniently delivered to your home.

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Frequent Urination in Men May Indicate an Underlying Problem

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

As men age many of them notice that they feel the need to urinate far more frequently then they did when they were younger. While frequent urination in men is associated with ageing, you should never just assume that your increased frequency is simply due to getting older. If you notice an increase in your bathroom visits, it is a good idea to discuss this change with your health care professional, because there are various causes for frequent urination in men, many of which can be relieved.

If you are unable to sleep through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom, you are suffering from nocturia, which is simply frequent urination during sleeping hours. Normally, you should be able to sleep six to eight hours without waking to go to the bathroom. So if you notice that you are getting up several times during the night to relieve yourself, this is reason enough to have a talk with your doctor.

Sometimes a frequent or urgent need to relieve yourself can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection. The inflammation from the infection affects the bladder reducing its urine holding capacity, and this translates into more frequent bathroom visits. Caffeine in beverages can also irritate your bladder and cause the urge for more frequent urination.

Frequent urination in men can also be a harbinger of diabetes or cancer, or it can occur as the side effect of drugs like diuretics. Another problem that could be occurring is an actual dysfunction of the bladder. One of the more common causes of frequent urination in men is an enlarged prostate gland. This gland surrounds the urethra and functions to secrete seminal fluid. As the prostate grows, it begins applying pressure on the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to be voided. As the pressure increases, the need to urinate becomes more frequent.

As the prostate gland grows the bladder muscle has to exert more pressure to push the urine through the urethra, and this causes the bladder muscle to become more sensitive and stronger. However, if the prostate continues to grow crowding the urethra more and more, at some point the bladder muscle will not be able to compensate, so it is important to talk to your doctor about this condition as well.

If you notice that your number of bathroom visits has increased during the day or night, you may want to consider several things. Notice if you have begun taking a new medication, and determine if there is anything else other than frequent urination going on. Pay attention to when you have to go to the bathroom, whether day or night or after eating or drinking certain foods. See if your fluid intake has increased, and notice if the colour of your urine is darker than normal. All of this information will be very helpful as you discuss your problem with your doctor to see what the underlying cause is for your frequency problem.

And as you are determining what is causing your problem, there are many incontinence products and protective pants that can help with any leakage that you may be experiencing. While frequent urination in men is common in an ageing population, it should not be considered normal, and discussing it with your doctor during your next exam would be prudent. You may even be pleasantly surprised to find that there is a course of treatment that can dramatically improve or alleviate your frequent need to urinate.

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Frequent Urination in Women can be More than Annoying

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

At the very least needing to go to the bathroom too often can be more than annoying. It can cause sleep deprivation if you have to get up multiple times during the night to urinate, which may leave you tired and useless the following day. Frequent urination in women is also known as an overactive bladder, and urine leakage may also happen when you laugh or cough.

This condition is generally caused by an infection, hormonal changes or an underlying disease. If the frequent urination is also painful, then this most likely indicates an infection of some sort is present. If you have just recently given birth or are going through menopause, then your bladder may not stretch as well as it used to causing more frequent trips to the bathroom.

Stress is another frequently overlooked reason why women suffer from frequent urination, and in younger women, it may be an early sign of an overactive thyroid gland.

There are also diseases that may include frequent urination as symptoms like chronic kidney disease, tumors or diabetes. Another problem that may cause the need to urinate more frequently than normal could also include kidney stones or bladder stones. Constipation may actually cause you to have to urinate more frequently, and finally the later stages of pregnancy may also cause this problem.

Some causes of frequent urination are self-correcting. Obviously, if you are pregnant, eventually you will give birth, and you will not have the added pressure of an unborn child on your internal organs. Kidney or bladder stones may pass on their own, and an infection may clear up.

Watching what you drink and when you drink it may also help reduce your trips to the bathroom. For example, alcohol and caffeine both irritate the bladder and simply consuming less liquid before going to bed may help limit nighttime bathroom trips.

However, there are times when you will want to seek medical attention when your frequent urination symptoms do not subside on their own. For example, you may have an infection that does not clear up on its own. Or menopause may cause hormonal changes that are not righting themselves without help. So this would be an excellent time to discuss your frequent urination symptoms and treatment options with your doctor.

While frequent urination in women may not necessarily be a serious problem, you will not know if it is or not without having your health provider’s input. So, before you either worry too much or dismiss the problem as insignificant, get a definite diagnosis, and then you will be able to take care of the problem with the proper treatment.

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What is Nocturia?

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

During the night a normal person can sleep about eight hours without needing to go to the bathroom, because the human body produces an anti-diuretic hormone that causes fluid retention. So, what is Nocturia, exactly? When a person suffers from Nocturia they may get up anywhere from a couple of times per night to about six times per night to relieve themselves. While Nocturia can occur any time in your life, it is most frequently found in people over the age of sixty.

On the face of it Nocturia may seem innocent enough, but it can be almost incapacitating for some, because it can lead to the continuous loss of sleep. Being sleep deprived can at best require an afternoon nap, and at worst it can cause injury or death, as in the case of falling asleep while driving. So it is something that you should take seriously if it is impacting your day.

Discussing Nocturia with your physician may be a good idea on several levels, because it is frequently a symptom of some other medical condition like an infection, a tumor, or organ and muscle damage. It may also be a harbinger of heart or liver failure, diabetes or pregnancy. If you are older there is also the chance that your body is just creating less of the anti-diuretic hormone or you have a normal loss of bladder capacity.

Another indirect cause of Nocturia is sleep apnea where you may stop breathing for several seconds multiple times during the night. As you stop breathing, your body shocks itself awake, and you begin breathing again. This sleep pattern causes you to sleep lighter, and it makes you more susceptible to feeling like you need to relieve a full bladder during the night, thus more frequent urination.

The treatments for Nocturia can be a simple as not drinking liquids for a few hours before bedtime, especially caffeine laden beverages, to medication, to surgery depending on what the underlying medical condition is. Proper diagnosis of the cause of Nocturia is essential to finding the correct course of treatment. So if you find yourself dragging out of bed more than once during the night to make a trip to the bathroom, it is probably time to contact your physician to learn more about what is Nocturia and why it is affecting you.

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Dealing with Frequent Urination

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Frequent urination while inconvenient does not always indicate a serious problem. If you find that you have to urinate more often than you usually do, you are suffering from the symptoms of frequent urination, which is also known as urgent urination. Sometimes the need to urinate is sudden and urgent, and sometimes it is a gradual, growing discomfort in your bladder.

If you suffer from the symptoms of frequent urination during the night, it is called nocturia. You should generally be able to sleep for about eight hours without needing to go to the bathroom.

There are many things that can cause frequent urination like illness, pregnancy or enlarged prostate. Simply drinking too much liquid right before retiring for the night can cause you to suffer from nocturia. If you have an occasional occurrence of frequent urination, then you may not need to give it much thought, but you should contact your doctor if the problem persists.

You will want to check in with your doctor sooner rather than later if you have any other symptoms at all including pain, nausea or fever. You may want to keep a log of what times you go to the bathroom to help you determine the cause of your urinary frequency problem.

Then as you are treating the underlying cause of your frequent urination, even if it is for a short time, you may wish to use incontinence pads to alleviate your worries or having an accident. They are available at DryForLife in many different absorbencies and sizes, and they will help protect skin from irritation as well as protect clothing and furniture.

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Archive for the ‘Frequent Urination’ Category

Treatment for Frequent Urination

10 Reasons Frequent Urination Problems Can Occur

Frequent Urination in Women Can be Frustrating

Nocturia Treatment with an Enlarged Prostate

Frequent Night Urination Deserves a Closer Look

Frequent Urination in Men May Indicate an Underlying Problem

Frequent Urination in Women can be More than Annoying

What is Nocturia?

Dealing with Frequent Urination

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