Too much of anything is bad for our health, as our parents never fail to remind us, and this isn’t just for what we intake but also what we, for the lack of a better word, pass from our bodies.
Frequent urination, which seems like a harmless concern, can disrupt daily life and be a hint towards underlying health issues. While factors like drinking large amounts of fluid can lead to increased urination, going too often or having disruptive urination means you need medical attention, particularly when all this comes with symptoms such as fever, back or side pain, vomiting, or chills.
Key Points
- Disruptive, persistent urination, often with other symptoms, needs medical evaluation.
- Frequent urination may stem from conditions like diabetes, pregnancy, enlarged prostate, medication reactions, UTIs, or overactive bladder.
- Diagnosis involves physical exams, medical history review, and potentially various tests.
- Treatment options depend on the root cause, ranging from antibiotics, anticholinergics, surgery, to behavioral modifications.
- Certain medications, albeit with side effects, can aid in managing frequent urination.
- Alternative treatments like Botox and surgery are available for those unresponsive to common measures.
- Professional medical consultation is crucial for proper diagnosis and personalized treatment for frequent urination.
Causes
The frequency of urination can signify varying problems, ranging from diabetes to pregnancy, urinary tract infections, and even reactions to certain medications.
- Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes often present frequent urination with large volumes of urine as the body tries to flush out excess glucose.
- The growing uterus in pregnant women places pressure on the bladder, causing frequent restroom visits.
- In men, an enlarged prostate can press against the urethra, triggering an urge to urinate, even with small urine quantities.
- Diuretic medications, used to treat conditions like hypertension or fluid buildup, can increase urination frequency by removing excess fluid.
- Accompanied by symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, and an urge to urinate, UTIs, common in women, can lead to increased urination.
- Involuntary bladder contractions trigger an immediate urge to urinate, often disrupting sleep.
Diagnosis
If the increased urinary frequency hampers your lifestyle or accompanies other concerning symptoms, consulting a doctor is essential who may perform a physical examination, learn your medical history, and order tests like blood tests, urinalysis, cystometry, cystoscopy, neurological tests, and ultrasonography, based on your condition.
Treatment
Treatment for frequent urination pivots on the underlying cause. From antibiotics for UTIs to anticholinergics for overactive bladder or interstitial cystitis, and surgical interventions for enlarged prostate, treating the underlying conditions can help manage frequent urination.
Behavioral techniques and lifestyle modifications also play a key role in managing frequent urination. These include bladder training, monitoring fluid intake, Kegel exercises, and avoidance of bladder irritants.
Medicines
Several medications can address unwanted bathroom breaks:
Toviaz (fesoterodine): This drug reduces bladder muscle spasms, but its side effects can include blurred vision, impaired thinking, and dizziness.
Gelnique Topical Gel (Oxybutynin Chloride): Used to treat overactive bladder, this gel can cause blurred vision, dry mouth, and skin irritation among other side effects.
Oxytrol: An anticholinergic agent, Oxytrol treats bladder muscle spasms and incontinence, but can cause blurred vision, dizziness, and drowsiness.
Vesicare (solifenacin): This medicine treats muscle spasms causing frequent urination, but its side effects range from dry mouth and eyes, mild constipation, nausea, and dizziness to severe conditions like hot, dry skin, extreme thirst, and severe stomach pain.
Botox injections and several surgical interventions are available for those unresponsive to lifestyle changes and medications. These treatments aim to control pelvic floor nerves, manipulate contractions in the organs and muscles within the pelvic floor, or relax the bladder to increase its storage capacity and reduce leakage.
For more information, visit Canadian Pharmacy Online
