Do you have a happy bladder?
Can you make it to the toilet without running or leaking? Do you empty your bladder 6-8 times a day, including up to 1 time a night? Is your stream strong and steady? Can you hold off going to the toilet if it is not convenient for you?
Your bladder is about the size of a grapefruit and is like a balloon. It is able to stretch when needed and shrink back.
The bladder is connected to the kidneys via two tubes called the ureters. When the kidneys produce urine it flows through the ureters to the bladder where it is stored. Your bladder can store around 500ml of fluid at one time.
We normally empty our bladder 6-8 times a day including up to one time a night. When you empty your bladder your detrusor muscle contracts and the sphincter at the opening of the bladder and urethra relax. The urine flows from the bladder to the urethra where it empties out of the body.
A happy bladder is a bladder that has no pain when filling or emptying, your flow is strong and steady and your urine is a pale yellow colour. You should be able to hold on until it is a convenient time to go to the toilet and should have no leaking.
Urinary Urgency
This is the sudden sensation that you need to empty your bladder, like going from 0-100 in a matter of seconds. This sensation is hard to ignore.
Normally as your bladder fills gradually over time, you will feel a strong urge to go when the bladder is full.
Urgency occurs when the bladder muscle involuntarily spasms as the bladder is filling, causing the sudden sensation to race to the toilet when the bladder is not full. This can lead to increased urinary frequency ie increase trips to the toilet during the day and night as you can get into the habit of going to the toilet when you get the sudden urge.
Lifestyle changes that may help
Some lifestyle changes can be some simple ways to reduce these sudden urge sensations.
Looking at the amount of fluid you are having each day
Too little fluid or reduced fluid intake can make your urine more concentrated and can irritate the bladder causing the bladder to spasm.
Too much fluid can cause your kidneys to produce urine faster which can increase the chance of having a spasm.
Looking at the amount how you have your fluid each day
Trying to go for a long period without urinating and then having a lot in a short period of time.
Reducing your caffeine intake
For some people caffeine can irritate the bladder and can cause bladder spasm to be strong and at smaller bladder volumes.
Reducing artificial sweeteners.
These also have a similar affect as caffeine in some people.
Managing constipation
Constipation can be a big component of altered bladder function.