Frequent restroom trips in the middle of the night. Bladder spasms. Leaking through under clothes. Bedwetting, in the most extreme cases. There are many embarrassing symptoms of overactive bladder (or OAB). This persistent, nagging, and oftentimes embarrassing medical condition affects over 200,000 Americans per year. In the most basic terms, OAB is essentially a very weak bladder.
Although it can cause lasting physical problems, the mental effects and anxiety of OAB are often the most debilitating. However, with recent shifts to more natural treatments, there are several methods to battle this socially crippling bladder issue with home remedies:
1. Do Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises are actually one of the most effective methods to combat OAB because they help correct weak bladder muscles. Their benefit isn’t just for women, either. These exercises strengthen your pelvic muscles, which in turn help support your bladder. To do this exercise in the most efficient way, pretend you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Hold and squeeze those muscles for about 10 seconds, then rest for 10, and repeat.
2. Cutting caffeine
People with OAB will find it best to avoid caffeine and switch to decaf. This is quite possibly one of the biggest non-internal causes of OAB. Caffeine is a stimulant, and type of diuretic, which leads to very frequent urination. Can’t cut out coffee altogether? A little is better than nothing. Studies have shown that cutting out just one cup of coffee each day can have a dramatic effect.
3. Quit smoking
Smoking is bad for OAB patients for two reasons. The biggest factor is the amount of nicotine. Nicotine can irritate the bladder muscle, causing it to contract and give the feeling of urgent urination approaching. Second, smoking makes you cough. Coughing makes the bladder flex which can cause people with OAB to leak on themselves.
4. Add more fiber to your diet
In studies, there has been an association with OAB and constipation. There is a very prevalent link in adults with OAB and incontinence and constipation. The reasoning behind this isn’t quite clear at this time. Foods high in fiber, such as vegetables, oats, and bran make you more regular and aid in constipation. Eat a fiber rich diet to gain relief from OAB.
5. Shed excess weight
There is a trend emerging in the list. Our final method is to lose a few extra pounds. Dropping weight not only relieves the bladder of extra stress, but helps the patient become more in shape, which overall, helps to define all muscles and strengthen the bladder, as discussed earlier.
It seems as if living a healthier life in general will help OAB enormously. As is the case with many other illnesses and underlying conditions, living the healthy life we should be on a normal basis reverses a lot of our most prevalent diseases and disorders.