How Our Urinary Systems Age With Us

Your urinary system often reflects your overall health. 

A healthy urinary system works to filter blood and to remove toxins and wastes produced in the body through urine. It also helps to maintain the balance of water, minerals and salts in your blood. Plus, it enables your body to make red cells and regulate blood pressure.

By removing wastes and toxins and regulating fluids and electrolytes, the urinary system helps the body regulate itself and work properly. That is why it’s essential to protect your urinary health as a way of improving your overall health as you age.

In fact, if you take common sense steps early in life to protect your urinary health it will significantly contribute to good overall health later in life especially after the age of 40 years. 

So how does your urinary system age with you?

  1. Kidneys

The number of cells in your kidneys decrease once you’re 40 years or older. This results in thickening of the connective tissue capsule surrounding the kidney and a reduction in the thickness of the cortical region.

The loss of cells causes loss in glomeruli function. And because the glomeruli are responsible for filtration, loss of function of the glomeruli leads to a natural yet gradual decline of kidney function. 

Between the ages of 30 and 40 years, the rate of filtration in your kidneys begins to slowly decline, the size of the kidneys begins to reduce and the arteries supplying blood to the kidneys begin to narrow.  In turn, your kidneys become more susceptible to injury and kidney disease.

  1. Bladder

The walls of your bladder and urethra are made of smooth muscles. As you grow older, the muscle tissue weakens and becomes less elastic. In turn, the capacity of your bladder reduces, resulting in difficulty to fully evacuate during urination.

Likewise, the bladder wall generally becomes stiffer as you grow older. This reduces the bladder’s ability to hold as much urine as your younger self. And as your ability to hold urine reduces, you end up urinating more often with a higher risk of urinary tract infections.

Accidental urine leakage results from muscle weakness in the bladder and is more frequent in older people, especially women. More than 50-percent of people aged 65 and older have urinary incontinence symptoms. 

By the time you are 80 years or older, bladder control may be sufficiently diminished that many find themselves waking to pass urine during the night. 

Various age-related causes of urinary incontinence include: 

  • Weak pelvic floor muscles
  • Nerve damage
  • Urinary tract infections
  • An enlarged prostate (in men)

The most common treatment options for urinary incontinence are surgery and targeted nerve stimulation. 

Another age-related urinary system condition is bladder cancer. Though the disease is not very common, the chance of having it increases with age. In fact, over 70-percent of cases of the cancer are diagnosed in people who are 65 years or older. 

Risk factors include exposure to carcinogens, tobacco smoking, and radiation. The most common symptoms are blood in urine (hematuria) and pain during urination. It is advisable to speak with a urologist if you experience these symptoms.

  1. Urethra

After the age of 40 years, your risk of having urinary tract infections increases due to changes in the urethra. The infections may occur when bacteria invade the urethra, multiply and spread to the upper parts of the urinary system such as bladder and kidneys.

While urinary tract infections are more commonly a concern in aging women, it can also be a problem for men. More than 50-percent of women have urinary tract infections at least once in their lifetime as opposed to just 3-percent of men.

Advancing age is also a factor in UTIs as a result of general immunity weakening with age. Plus, the infections may be more frequent in older people due to urinary incontinence and retention. When not treated promptly, infections that begin in the urethra can in some cases lead to kidney infections and even sepsis.

  1. Prostate 

The prostate is not a urinary organ; it is part of the male reproductive system. However, changes in the prostate result in problems in the urinary system. This is largely due to the prostate gland gradually enlarging after the age of 40 years and leading to extra pressure applied to the bladder, blocking urine flow.

More than 30-percent of men aged 50 years or older require treatment for an enlarged prostate (BPH) while up to 90-percent of men aged 80 years have an enlarged prostate. An enlarged prostate is not cancer, but it is associated with bothersome health issues, such as urinary tract infections, kidney infections, urinary incontinence and bladder damage.

The most common symptoms of BPH are change in urination, inability to start to pee, and a weak urine stream. Speak with your urologist about BPH symptoms as soon as they start in order to get prompt, effective treatment.

Timely urological care

To prevent age-related urinary issues, consider making regular visits to your urologist. The doctor is a specialist with the skills and experience to assess your specific symptoms, ask the right questions, make the appropriate diagnosis and find the right treatment options. 

Speak with your urologist as soon as possible to get the right medications or minimally invasive treatment for relief of the symptoms. For more information on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of urological disorders, visit the site “St Pete Urology.”

What color of pee is bad?

Do you ever pay attention to the color of your pee? If not, then starting today, you should.

The color of your pee can give you a hint of what is going on in your body—and whether you are well or unwell.

Urine is made in your kidneys as your blood is filtered. The kidneys make pee to help remove toxins and other harmful substances from your blood. So your pee is not just made of water and salt but also contains wastes such as uric acid and urea, and other substances found in your blood.

What is the color of pee?

The normal color of pee is yellow because of the yellow pigment, urochrome, made in your body.

When you are healthy and adequately hydrated, you should expect to produce light yellow and close-to-clear pee.

However, lots of things can change the color of your pee.

For instance, your urine will have no color if you’re drinking a lot of water or taking diuretics drugs that enhance fluid loss.

But when dehydrated, your pee becomes amber, dark yellow to light brown.

The color of your pee also changes with the type of foods, medications, or illness.

What color of pee is bad?

  1. Clear

Clear urine typically indicates you’re drinking too much fluid, and you need to cut back on your water intake. Although staying hydrated is a good thing, drinking too much water can rob your body of electrolytes.

Besides, consistently clear pee may indicate that you have a liver problem, like viral hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.

If your pee is clear for a while and you’re not consuming large amounts of water, then you should see your doctor.

  1. Dark brown

Dark brown pee color may be due to medications, such chloroquine (Aralen) and metronidazole (Flagyl), or extreme exercise that causes muscle injury.

It may also be due to eating large quantities of aloe, rhubarb, or fava beans.

Most often, brown pee indicates you should drink more water, showing that you are dehydrated.

In some cases, brown pee results from diseases. One of them is porphyria—a rare disorder that usually involves sensitivity to light and leads to brown urine because of the breakdown of red cells.

Pee can also be brown when you have a buildup of bile, liver disease, or a tumor.

You should see a urologist if your pee is brown and doesn’t get better after a day or so.

  1. Cloudy

Cloudy, foamy, or frothy pee is bad and requires immediate medical help.

When urine has bubbles or foam, you may be consuming too much protein in your diet, but a persistently cloudy pee indicates a more serious condition, such as kidney disease, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, or other chronic condition.

Make sure to let your doctor know about it as soon as possible.

  1. White

Pee that is cloudy white could mean you have kidney stones or a severe infection.

The white color is probably due to the presence of pus in your urine.

Make sure to see your urologist immediately for appropriate medication.

  1. Pink or red

Your pee may be pink or red due to foods like blackberries, beets, rhubarb, and carrots. But red or pink color of pee may also be caused by medications like the antibiotic rifampin or phenazopyridine for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

In the worst case, pink or red pee is due to blood in urine caused by urinary tract infections, an enlarged prostate, kidney disease, a tumor, kidney stones, or cysts.

If the color change occurs together with burning pain, odd smell, or any other unusual symptoms, then it certainly means you have an underlying health problem.

So if you have red pee and have recently not eaten the foods above, then you should visit your doctor immediately for help.

  1. Orange

Pee that has the color of citrus-flavored soft drink may be due to medications such as high-dose vitamin B12, the antibiotic isoniazid, or the UTI drug phenazopyridine. But it can also mean you’re dehydrated or you have a problem with your bile duct or liver.

If you have orange urine in addition to light-colored stools, then bile might be reaching your bloodstream due to problems in your bile ducts or liver.

It could be a result of adult-onset jaundice.

 Make sure to speak with your doctor about it.

  1. Blue

Blue urine is usually due to brightly colored food dyes and medications such as amitriptyline and indomethacin.

If you are not taking dyed food or these types of medications, the blue tinge may be due to bacterial infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or the rare condition hypercalcemia—too much calcium in your bones.

Generally, blue pee is rare and is almost often related to diet.

  1. Green

Your pee may be green due to vegetables in your diet.

However, green pee is usually bad as it is associated with Proteus infection.

If your pee is green, you should see your doctor, establish the source, and prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear up the urinary tract infection.

When should you see your doctor?

Speak with your doctor every time you see a change in your urine color that you can’t link to a new medication or a recent meal, particularly if the color change lasts more than a day.

Don’t hesitate to inform your doctor about it as it could signify a serious health condition.

A change in color of your pee that comes with a fever, vomiting, side or back pain, feeling very thirsty, or discharge requires urgent attention. Your doctor will run tests on your urine to determine what is going on and provide proper treatment.

Does drinking more water help incontinence?

Urinary incontinence is a frustrating, embarrassing condition. Who wants to always be on the lookout for the nearest restroom, or have to deal with an unexpected leak during a cough, sneeze or lifting a weight.

If this condition is not well managed, you may experience discomfort in social situations, affecting your behavior and how you interact with others.

Can drinking more water help?

When you have urinary incontinence, your first instinctive reaction would be to reduce your water intake. You may also be hesitant to drink lots of fluids as a way of forestalling the leaks and minimizing your toilet visits.

But drinking more water is not bad.

While it sounds counterproductive, drinking more water helps with incontinence.

First, your body is full of fluid, and you always need to drink more water to replace the fluid you lose. Failure to drink enough water leads to dehydration.

Secondly, when you drink more water, you ensure a free filtration of fluids via your kidneys. Doing so means that wastes and other substances do not build up in your urinary tract and that your urine does not get more concentrated.

When urine becomes more concentrated, your bladder is irritated, and incontinence worsens.

You can tell when you’re dehydrated, and your urine is more concentrated when it looks darker, cloudy, and has a strong odor.

Concentrated urine results in irritation, which translates to pain or burning sensation while passing urine.

An irritated bladder increases urgency, which is bad news if you have urinary incontinence. So drinking more water is effective when done correctly.

With the right amount of water, you can prevent dehydration, keep your urine dilute, avert bladder irritation, and minimize incontinence.

You must strike a balance, as drinking too much water may also cause excessive leaks.

How do you drink more water to manage incontinence?

1. Drink enough fluid every day
For a grown man, enough fluid is roughly 13 cups (3 liters) of total beverages a day. For a woman, 9 cups (2.2 liters) of drinks a day is ideal. In terms of drinking water, the right quantity is 4-8 eight-ounce cups a day.

2. Drink when thirsty
Your body has a way of directing how much water you need, and you will notice this in how frequently you get thirsty. When this occurs, make sure to drink water immediately.

3. Drink it in sips
When you drink water, you must avoid guzzling one or two cups at a time, which can overwhelm your bladder. Instead, drink water by frequent sipping. It would be best to have smaller amounts of water and liquid throughout the day, sipping slowly over several sittings.

4. Drink most of your water early in the day
Drinking water a few hours before bedtime can be problematic, especially if you are struggling with nocturia. A good practice is to drink most of your water in the morning and afternoon and avoid drinking 2-4 hours before going to bed.

5. Be creative
While plain water is ideal for urinary incontinence, you can try flavored water to boost your fluid intake. Add fresh mint or a splash of lime or lemon to your water. Dilute your juice as much as possible. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, as they have high water content. Just make sure to avoid adding sugar, particularly if you have diabetes.

6. Drink fluids with every snack and meal
Whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any little snack in between, ensure to complement it with a glass of water.

7. Carry a bottle of water with you
Whether at your desk, in your car, or in your bag, always have some water with you. The easiest way to drink enough water is to make it a habit to carry a water bottle wherever you go.

Get the right balance gradually

Drinking enough water without overwhelming your bladder is a practice you will learn with time. Once you know how to go about it, you will stay hydrated and reduce urine leakage.

Take it gradually and learn to balance your water consumption with your other health goals and lifestyle.

Seeking treatment for urinary incontinence

Are you having urinary incontinence? Visit your urologist today to determine the actual cause of the condition and get proper treatment.

The problem may be a result of the aging process, urinary tract infection, or a symptom of a disease, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

At St Pete Urology, we offer a wide array of solutions for urinary incontinence, including guided pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercises), bladder retraining, Botox injection, medications, and surgery.

Come and see us today for tailored treatment of your leaky bladder.

Overcoming an Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is an uncomfortable and stressful condition. Characterized by a sudden involuntary bladder contraction that triggers a compelling urge to pass urine, OAB may lead to urine leakage or the need to pass urine several times during the day or night. As a result, having an overactive bladder makes it difficult to go through the day without several visits to the bathroom.

Bothersome Symptoms

While the symptoms of OAB may be less troublesome when you are at home, they can be a problem in a public or unfamiliar place. No one wants to rush out of meetings with important clients or friends for fear of not making it to the restroom in time.

The fear instilled by overactive bladder can interfere with your ability to go out with friends, work, exercise, and even sleep. It can also disrupt your sex life, leave you tired and short-tempered, or cause rashes or infection due to the leaks. And the whole experience may leave you feeling unhappy and hopeless.

Strategies for Overcoming Overactive Bladder

The good news is that overactive bladder can be controlled. In fact, many patients overcome OAB without the need for invasive medical and surgical procedures. The key to successful treatment is seeing a urologist early to assess your condition and identify steps to help you manage the symptoms and regain control over your bladder.

Lifestyle measures may include changing what you eat or drink, pelvic floor exercises, and pre-planned bathroom visits. When lifestyle changes are unsuccessful, medical and surgical interventions may be necessary.

Behavioral Changes

1. Reducing fluid intake

Restricting fluid intake reduces your urinary output and helps control OAB symptoms. Since the symptoms of overactive bladder usually occur after a certain critical urinary volume is reached in the bladder, limiting fluid intake ensures it takes longer to reach this critical volume.

By consuming most of your fluid before 7 PM, you can lessen your nocturnal frequency. If you are on diuretic medications, you can check with your urologist to see whether they can be changed.

2. Limiting foods and drinks that trouble your bladder

Alcohol and caffeine (present in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and some energy drinks) irritate the bladder and increase urinary output. By reducing the intake of these beverages and foods, you can improve your bladder control.

Foods such as fruits and vegetables have hidden water content, so you can limit additional beverages when eating healthy fresh produce. You might also want to reduce or abstain from spicy foods, citrus fruits, and artificial sweeteners, foods made with tomatoes, soda, and other fizzy drinks.

Because the chemical constituents of tobacco constrict blood vessels, impair blood flow, decrease oxygenation, and promote inflammation—affecting the bladder, urethra and pelvic floor muscles—quitting cigarette smoking will improve your OAB symptoms.

3. Keep a bladder diary

Writing down the time and triggers for your trips to the bathroom can help you understand your body better. After a few days, your diary will show you the things that make your symptoms worse. For instance, you may realize that your symptoms get worse after you eat or drink a certain food. This helps you to decide what changes to make in your diet.

4. Weight loss and regular exercise

Excess weight puts pressure on the urinary bladder and worsens overactive bladder. Even modest weight loss may improve your overactive bladder symptoms.

Lower impact exercises, such as yoga, cycling, Pilates, and swimming, can help to alleviate pressure on the urinary bladder by boosting core muscle strength and tone. As a result, OAB symptoms improve.

Due to the proximity of the rectum to the bladder, a full rectum can put pressure on your bladder, resulting in worsening of urgency, frequency and incontinence. Taking steps to avoid constipation will improve bladder control.

Voiding Measures and Bladder Retraining

You can overcome overactive bladder by managing how and when you void. Ways to manage voiding include delayed (inhibited) voiding, timed voiding, and double voiding. Bladder retraining gradually imposes increased intervals between voids and establishes a more normal pattern of urination.

Delayed voiding means you practice waiting before you can go into the bathroom, even when you feel the urge. At the beginning, you may try waiting a few minutes, then gradually increase your waiting time to achieve a delay of up to 2-3 hours.

By timed voiding, you follow a daily pre-planned bathroom schedule. That is, instead of going to the bathroom every time you feel the urge, you go at set times during the day. For example, you may try to pass urine every 2-4 hours regardless of whether you have the urge to go or not. The goal of doing this is to prevent an urgent uncontrollable feeling and to regain control over your bladder.

Double voiding (emptying your bladder twice) helps if you have trouble emptying your bladder. After you go to the bathroom, try again a minute later.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training

Pelvic floor muscle exercises, also called Kegel exercises, help to stimulate inhibitory reflexes between the bladder and the pelvic floor muscles. By exercising your pelvic floor muscles rhythmically, you can inhibit involuntary contraction before and after it begins.

Kegel exercises target muscles that relax the bladder. To perform the exercises, you should begin by mastering the presence, location, and nature of the pelvic floor muscles. A simple means of identifying the muscles is to start urinating and then, when about halfway completed, to abruptly stop the urine stream.

Once you locate the muscles, squeeze them just before and during the trigger for urgency or incontinence. This will diminish the urgency and help avoid the incontinence. When performing Kegel exercises, always squeeze and relax the muscles repeatedly when you feel the urge to pass urine.

Medications

Bladder relaxant medications can help you suppress overactive bladder symptoms, although you may need several trials of different medications or combinations of medications to achieve optimal results.

Your urologist will prescribe medication either in conjunction with behavioral modification or after behavior modification has been tried unsuccessfully. The drugs prevent involuntary contractions of the bladder muscles by relaxing and stabilizing them.

Biofeedback and Botox injections

Biofeedback is an adjunct to training pelvic floor muscles in which electronic instrumentation is used to transmit feedback information about pelvic floor muscle contractions. It enhances awareness and strength of pelvic floor muscles.

In other cases, your urologist may opt for Botox—a simple procedure usually done in the doctor’s office—where it is injected directly into the bladder muscle to help reduce OAB symptoms. Once injected, Botox helps to relax areas of the bladder where it is injected. Botox injections generally last 6-9 months and are covered by Medicare and most insurance companies.

Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) and Interstim

PTNS is a minimally invasive form of neuro-modulation. A tiny acupuncture-style needle is inserted near the tibial nerve in the ankle and a hand-held stimulator used to generate electrical stimulation with the intent of improving OAB symptoms. The procedure is performed once every week for 12 weeks.

In some cases, your urologist may opt for the more invasive form of neuro-modulation, called interstim. During the interstim procedure, electrical impulses are used to stimulate and modulate the sacral nerves in the effort to relieve OAB symptoms. A battery-powered neuro-stimulator (bladder “pacemaker”) is used to provide the mild electrical impulses that are carried by a small lead wire to the stimulated sacral nerves affecting bladder function.

Surgery for Overactive Bladder

Treating OAB with surgery is not common and is usually reserved for cases where other treatment plans have failed. Surgery may increase the physical size of the bladder by using portions of the bowel to replace and expand a section of the bladder.

At St Pete Urology, our approach to helping you overcome overactive bladder includes lifestyle changes and medical treatments such as prescription drugs, bladder Botox treatment, nerve stimulation, and surgery. Our specialist team of urologists is experienced at dealing with overactive bladder through proper diagnosis and treatment. You can be sure your consultation will lead to a recommendation of the best possible treatment options for you. Schedule your appointment with us and begin your journey to freedom from overactive bladder. For more information on overcoming overactive bladder and other urologic conditions, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Signs of Bladder Problems

Bladder problems are very common and can range from mild issues like a urinary tract infection to life-threatening conditions such as bladder cancer. It is important to be aware of your bladder health and symptoms that can indicate a problem so you can seek prompt medical treatment when needed.

Problems With Urination

Urinary incontinence and urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are both common problems that affect millions of people every year.

If you experience leaking urine during activities like coughing, laughing or bending over; if you feel sudden, strong urges to go to the bathroom but do not always make it in time; or if you wet the bed at night, you may be suffering from a bladder issue causing urinary incontinence. It is important to discuss these symptoms with your doctor, who can help find solutions so you enjoy a better quality of life.

If you are experiencing a burning sensation during urination, a frequent urge to go, cloudy urine or a fever, you might have a UTI. A physician can determine the best route to deal with it, most likely involving antibiotics, to clear up the infection before it can spread to the kidneys and become more serious.

Pain In The Bladder

If you have been experiencing issues with the urinary tract for more than six weeks without signs of an infection, and if there is also pain and a feeling of pressure in the bladder area, you might be dealing with interstitial cystitis. This is a chronic health condition that can range from mild to severe. Every case of IC is different, so your doctor will work closely with you to reach a diagnosis and determine a treatment plan.

Warning Signs Of Bladder Cancer

The first sign of bladder cancer is usually blood in the urine, also known as hematuria. Sometimes the blood is not visible and will only be noticeable during urinalysis performed as part of a physical exam. Other times, enough blood may be visible to tint the urine pink, orange or dark red. Blood in the urine also can be a symptom of other serious issues such as kidney stones or an infection.

Other signs of bladder cancer can include indications of less severe bladder problems, such a frequent urge to go, a burning sensation during urination, or difficulty relieving yourself. Symptoms of more advanced bladder cancer include an inability to urinate, lower back pain, swollen feet or bone pain.

Whenever you experience new symptoms or difficulties with your urinary system, it is important to contact your doctor as soon as possible. The urologists at St Pete Urology are here to help with bladder problems of all kinds so you can live your happiest, healthiest life. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

What to Know About Overactive Bladder

Like the name suggests, an overactive bladder is a bladder that does more than it should. The normal functioning of a bladder is that as urine drains from the kidneys to fill the bladder, nerve signals in the brain communicate the need to discharge the urine. The urge to urinate grows gradually so a person can delay the passage of urine for a while. During the discharge of urine, the bladder contracts, letting out the urine through the urethra.

An overactive bladder contracts suddenly and involuntarily, so a patient cannot hold the urine. It also contracts often, even when it contains just a little urine. This forces the patient to take numerous bathroom breaks. Due to the frequency and suddenness of the contractions, an overactive bladder is known to cause the leaking of urine, otherwise known as urine incontinence. It affects both men and women.

Causes of an Overactive Bladder

An overactive bladder cannot be attributed to one single cause or factor. In most cases, it is caused by a combination of factors. These include:

1. Serious case of a urinary tract infection;

2. A neurological disorder that damages the communication of nerves in the brain and in the bladder;

3. Bladder complications such as bladder stones or tumors;

4. Stroke and multiple sclerosis;

5. Acute urine retention. When urine is retained in the bladder for long, there is no longer space for storage of urine. This may result in an overactive bladder;

6. Pelvic organ prolapse in women and benign prostate hyperplasia in men; and

7. Diabetes.

Social and Emotional Impact of an Overactive Bladder

Patients with an overactive bladder often worry a great deal about stigma. They find the frequent bathroom visits embarrassing and the fear of leaking urine in any social or work environment can be debilitating. These fears affect the normal day to day life of a patient and make it necessary to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment of an Overactive Bladder

A patient can receive treatment in the form of medication, injections and in few cases, minimally invasive surgical procedures. Very often these treatment options are combined with physical therapy and behavioral modifications. Such modifications include:

1. Kegel exercises. These are administered to help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor;

2. Exercise aimed at achieving and maintaining a healthy weight;

3. Going on scheduled bathroom visits; and

4. Use of absorbent pads.

An overactive bladder is manageable and treatable. In order to avoid the difficulties that accompany the condition, it is advisable to seek the help of a qualified urologist for a proper diagnosis followed up by efficient treatment. Our team of experts at St. Pete Urology can help with any questions, as well as diagnosis and treatment of an overactive bladder. For more information, visit the St Pete Urology website.

Bladder Control Problems in Women

While there are many types of bladder problems in women, including an overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, one of the most common problems related to the bladder is urinary tract infection (UTI).

Urinary tract infection occurs when a bacteria gets into the urethra and then moves into and multiplies in the bladder. The bacteria may even spread to other parts of the body from the bladder, resulting in complications such as blood poisoning and kidney failure.

Causes of urinary tract infections in women

The urethra is located close to the anus, making it easier for bacteria found in the large intestine (such as E. coli) to move from the anus into the urethra. Once inside the urethra, bacteria can move into the bladder and begin to multiply, resulting in inflammation of the bladder. If the infection is not treated, the bacterial infection may spread into the kidney or the blood.

Women have a higher risk of bladder infection than men because their urethra is shorter, allowing bacteria to gain quick access to the bladder. Bacteria also may be introduced into a woman’s urinary tract during sexual intercourse. Other factors that make women more susceptible to UTIs include diabetes, older age, surgery, catheterization, menopause, immobility and improper hygiene.

Symptoms of urinary tract infection in women

Women with UTIs may have the following symptoms:

  1. Cloudy, bloody, dark or strange-smelling urine.
  2. A burning sensation or feeling when urinating.
  3. An intense or frequent urge to urinate, although very little urine comes out when they do.
  4. Cramping, pressure or pain in the lower abdomen or back.
  5. Feeling shaky or tired.
  6. Low-grade fever or chills (indicating that the infection has reached the kidneys).

Seeking for medical help

Even though most urinary tract infections do resolve on their own, it is important that women seek medical help when having symptoms that are very uncomfortable or when their symptoms last for more than 5 days. Similarly, UTIs may require medical help when there is a sudden worsening of fever or of symptoms. Likewise, women who are diabetic or who are pregnant should seek medical help.

During a visit to a urologist or doctor, a urine test may be ordered to check for offending bacteria before antibiotics are given. In some instances, specialized laboratory testing may be necessary and an intravenous urogram (IVU) may be done to evaluate the urinary tract. Another diagnostic option is cystoscopy, a procedure in which a thin flexible tube is used to look into the bladder.

Treatment of UTIs in women

Generally, most cases of urinary tract infections are easy to treat as long as the diagnosis and treatment begins early. Therefore, it is important to visit a urologist as soon as your UTI symptoms worsen or last longer than expected. Treatment is usually done using antibiotics for about 5 days. However, more complicated cases of UTIs, such as those occurring during pregnancy, may call for administration of antibiotics for a longer duration. Even if you get better soon after starting to take antibiotics, make sure to continue the treatment so that all bacteria are killed and to prevent a recurrence of the infection.

The doctor also will recommend that you drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and to relieve symptoms. Paracetamol may be prescribed for relieving UTI pain and discomfort, while methenamine hippurate (which is effective in stopping bacterial growth in the urinary tract) may be used as an alternative treatment in women who cannot use antibiotics. More severe cases of UTIs may require hospital admission, where antibiotics are administered through intravenous (IV) drips.

Prevention of urinary tract infections

Because women are at higher risk of getting UTIs than men, they should always take the necessary steps to prevent the infections. Ways of preventing UTIs include:

  1. Urinating soon after sexual activity.
  2. Drinking copious amounts of fluids.
  3. Practicing proper hygiene.
  4. Avoiding fragrant feminine products (not douching).
  5. Wearing cotton underwear.
  6. Avoiding tight-fitting-pants.
  7. Taking showers instead of baths.
  8. Avoiding bladder-irritating fluids such as alcohol and caffeine.

At St Pete Urology in St Petersburg, Fl., we have treated bladder and urinary tract problems in women for decades. Through our skilled, experienced and professional board-certified urologists, we give the most accurate diagnosis and administer the most effective treatments. If you have a bladder problem or have symptoms of UTIs, come see us for quick relief. For more information on the diagnosis, treatment and help with bladder problems, visit the “St Pete Urology” site.

Treatment Success for Overactive Bladder

Successful treatment of overactive bladder can relieve annoying urinary symptoms and inject new enthusiasm and confidence into your life. While successful treatment may mean different things, it is typically defined by a reduction or an end to annoying and embarrassing bathroom visits that force you to approach everyday activities with fear and anxiety. It is important to know that an overactive bladder is not a disease but a group of urinary symptoms. Knowing this will help you to assess your disease, the range of symptoms and underlying causes and find the right treatment.

Targeted treatment

Treatment results for overactive bladder vary depending on the state of the condition and underlying causes of the symptoms. At St Pete Urology, the urologist will conduct a comprehensive medical history though an open, warm and private conversation to establish the state of your condition and identify potential causes. A physical examination is followed by relevant medical tests to help find the cause of the disorder in order to tailor treatment. The doctor also will create a record of the symptoms to be used later to monitor the success of the treatment.

Patient-oriented goals

Before choosing a treatment or combination of treatments that is ideal for you, the doctor will discuss all the options with you. The treatment chosen will target both the underlying cause and the symptoms. For example, if the underlying cause is a urinary tract infection, the urologist will offer antibiotics to combat the infection as well as provide the medications or recommend the exercises to alleviate the symptoms. The urologist will help you to identify your treatment goals to enable you to find relief as soon as possible. For example, voiding 6-8 times and getting up just once at night may be normal if you are an older adult. So if you have been voiding 12 times a day and 3 times a night, you may set your goal at 6 times a day and 1-2 times a night. When setting your goals, the doctor will explain what is normal and what is not so you can set goals that boost your treatment success..

In many cases, treatment success may be marked by:

  1. Decreased urinary urgency.
  2. No dribbling.
  3. Remaining dry all night.
  4. Sleeping all night or waking up just once to urinate.
  5. Remaining dry all day.
  6. Passing urine every couple of hours.

For instance, if you have been voiding 16 times a day, going down to 3 times a day means your treatment is successful. Likewise, if you previously woke up 3-4 times a night, going down to 1-2 times a night means your treatment is successful. Similarly, if the treatment can help you to stop dribbling on your way to the bathroom and significantly reduce your urinary urgency, then it can be classified as successful. With goals that are specific to your overactive bladder symptoms, you can easily monitor your treatment and increase success.

Tracking your symptoms

Overactive bladder is usually characterized by a sudden and uncontrollable urge to pass urine and the tendency to visit the bathroom several times (8 or more times) during the day and night. Urine also may leak immediately after you experience the urge. With treatment, the urgency and frequency of passing urine may begin to change, while urine leakage may reduce or stop. In order to monitor any improvements as soon as you begin treatment, it is important to record all your symptoms before treatment. At St Pete Urology, the urologist will help with taking your bladder records before treatment begins. The data then is used as treatment progresses to monitor your improvement and evaluate success.

Success rates vary with type of treatment

Outcomes vary from one treatment to another. For example, Botox can provide 80-90 percent success rate when chosen correctly. Likewise, a combination of bladder training, kegel exercises for pelvic floor muscles and anticholinergic drugs can produce a success rate of 70-90 percent when properly deployed. It is important to work with a urologist who has been treating overactive bladder on a regular basis and is knowledgeable and experienced to customize treatments for your condition. At St Pete Urology, we have a pool of skilled urologists who have been treating overactive bladder symptoms for decades. We will help you overcome embarrassing symptoms and get your life back to normal quickly. For more information, visit the “St Pete Urology” site.

4 Best Treatments for Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is not just an embarrassing and annoying condition. It can have serious impact on every aspect of your life. For instance, it can compel you to avoid vacations, dinner outings and other social events, miss out on valuable time with friends and family, or lose out on many hours of sleep. Fortunately, there are safe and effective ways to treat the condition and restore your life back to normal. Minor cases of OAB can be effectively treated with pelvic muscle exercises, bladder training and absorbent pads, while severe cases can be successfully treated with medication and surgery.

The 4 best treatments for overactive bladder are:

1. Bladder training

As a non-drug remedy with almost no side effects, bladder training helps to change how you use the bathroom and allows you to gain control over your bladder. Through scheduled voiding (urinating at set times of the day), you can learn to control the urge and gradually overcome embarrassing symptoms. Bladder training should begin with waiting for a few minutes before voiding and progressively increase to one hour or more between your bathroom visits.

2. Pelvic floor exercises

Carefully selected exercises can strengthen muscles that control urination and in turn relieve overactive bladder symptoms. During pelvic exercises, such as biofeedback and kegel exercises, you voluntarily tighten, hold and relax muscles responsible for starting and stopping urine flow and gradually regain control over your bladder.

3. Medications

If a specific cause is identified, overactive bladder can effectively be treated using appropriate drugs. For instance, if a urinary tract infection is the underlying cause, antibiotics can be used to alleviate the symptoms. Likewise, topical application of estrogen vaginal cream can be used to relieve OAB symptoms associated with atrophic urethritis.

Drugs commonly used to treat overactive bladder include:

  • (a) Anticholinergics: This group of drugs relieves symptoms by blocking nerve signals associated with involuntary contraction of bladder muscles. The drugs also reduce the urge to go to the bathroom and increase bladder capacity. Examples of anticholinergics are Darifenacin (Enablex), Tolterodine (Detrol), Fesoterodine (Toviaz), Trospium (Sanctura), Oxybutynin (Oxytrol) and Solifenacin (Vesicare).
  • (b) Antidepressant imipramine hydrochloride (Tofranil), which relaxes the muscles of the bladder and relieves symptoms.
  • (c) Botox: When injected into the bladder muscles, Botox causes them to relax and minimizes involuntary muscle contractions. Botox also boosts bladder capacity. However, Botox is only recommended when oral medications, bladder training and exercises have failed.

4. Surgery

Urologists opt for surgery as a last resort when medications and behavioral therapy have failed. There are many surgical options available for treating overactive bladder, including sacral nerve neuromodulation and percutaneous tibial stimulation, which typically are used for severe overactive bladder symptoms. For successful treatment of OAB, urologists often combine two or more treatments such as combining behavioral interventions with oral medications.

Other measures for alleviating overactive bladder symptoms include:

  1. Limiting the intake of bladder irritants such as caffeine and alcohol.
  2. Cutting down excess weight.
  3. Avoiding spicy foods, citrus fruits, chocolate and tomatoes.
  4. Avoiding artificial sweeteners, which tend to aggravate symptoms.

At St Pete Urology, we have successfully treated overactive bladder for decades. Through open and candid conversations with patients, carefully selected treatments that depend on the underlying cause of symptoms and patient-oriented goals, we can help you to get back to your old routine quickly. Visit us today for evaluation and help with your overactive bladder symptoms. For more information, visit the “St Pete Urology” site.

What is Overactive Bladder?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition defined by a set of urinary symptoms related to the frequency and control of urination. Most cases of overactive bladder are characterized by a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate even when the bladder is not full (urinary urgency), passing urine 8 or more times daily without excessive fluid intake (urinary frequency), and involuntary loss of urine immediately after onset of an urgent need to urinate (urge incontinence). In the United States, the condition affects at least 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women, with about 33 million Americans having bothersome overactive bladder.

Annoying and embarrassing problem

Untreated overactive bladder comes with symptoms that can cause serious embarrassment and get in the way of your social life, work, exercise and sleep. For instance, with lots of bathroom trips associated with the condition, you may begin to shy away from social events or everyday activities for fear of not finding a bathroom when you need one. As you refrain from going out with friends or engaging in everyday activities, you start to feel lonely and isolated and may even experience relationship problems with your spouse and family. Overactive bladder also can rob you of a good night’s sleep and leave you tired and depressed. Likewise, frequent leakage of urine can lead to infections or skin problems.

Causes of overactive bladder

At St Pete Urology, we are keen on identifying the underlying causes of an overactive bladder in order to boost treatment outcomes. We recognize that while an overactive bladder is quite common in older adults, it is not a normal part of aging but a treatable condition with various causes. Generally, OAB occurs when bladder muscles begin to contract involuntarily even when the volume of urine in the bladder is low. It is the involuntary contractions that cause the urgent need to pass urine. The most common causes of an overactive bladder include:
Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.

  1. Catheter use.
  2. Obstructions to bladder outflow, such as enlarged prostate.
  3. Pelvic organ prolapse.
  4. Weakened or stretched pelvic muscles.
  5. Weakened or stretched bladder muscles.
  6. Incomplete emptying of bladder.
  7. Excess consumption of alcohol or caffeine.
  8. Structural problems with bladder.
  9. Stroke and Parkinson’s disease.
  10. Hip problems or hip surgery.

When to see a doctor

If your symptoms disrupt your life or cause distress, speak to your doctor about available treatments. While discussing such a private issue with your urologist may not be easy, doing so may be the beginning of restoring your life back to normal. Make sure to see a doctor if the symptoms disrupt your social interactions, work, sleep or everyday activities.

Safe, confidential and effective treatment

If you have overactive bladder, you should not allow the symptoms to weigh you down. Instead of feeling embarrassed, isolating yourself or limiting your work and social life, you should see a urologist for a brief evaluation to reveal the specific cause of your symptoms and help you to get relief. At St Pete Urology, we recognize that you may feel discouraged from seeking treatment because of the sensitive nature of the condition. For this reason, we offer confidential and patient-oriented services to suit your needs. Our candid and private conversations will help us explore your condition, identify the underlying cause and provide the right treatment. We help with all urinary incontinence problems in men and women, but evaluate men with urinary incontinence further to rule out prostate problems. For more information, visit the “St Pete Urology: site.