Overactive Bladder

In today’s blog, I am writing about a health issue. Friends, have you ever felt the sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate? Or do you find yourself in the restroom more frequently than you’d imagine? Or do you experience a few leaks and wake up multiple times in the middle of the night to urinate? Chances are you might have an OVERACTIVE BLADDER (OAB)

An overactive bladder is when the muscles of the bladder start to contract involuntarily, even when the amount of urine in the bladder is insignificant. This leads to frequent and sudden urges to urinate. AN OAB  is the most common among older adults, but it can affect anyone,  men, women, young or old. People with OAB find this condition frustrating and even find their quality of life being affected because of it. While there is no cure for OAB, you can control and manage it without it disrupting your life.

A healthy bladder can hold around 300 to 400 ml of urine during the day, it can hold more urine at night before you feel the need to empty it. Emptying your bladder 4-6 times throughout the day is considered normal. Generally, people empty their bladder before going to sleep, and emptying your bladder once during the night is OK, and empty your bladder after getting up in the morning.

Simple lifestyle and dietary changes can improve your bladder control and enhance your response to medication. There are certain foods which you can avoid if you have an OAB

1 Carbonated Beverages– drinks like soda, sparkling water, champagne, energy drinks, or sports drinks should be kept at a distance. These can irritate a sensitive bladder, and increase the chances of OAB.

2 Caffeine– Most of us love tea or coffee and both contain caffeine. If you have OAB symptoms, it is best to reduce the consumption of them. Drinking too much caffeine increases bladder activity and causes higher urgency and frequency of urination. Reducing or eliminating caffeine from the diet or switching to decaffeinated options can decrease OAB symptoms.

3 Alcohol– Beer, wine, and hard liquor are big NO when it comes to OAB. Alcohol not only can disrupt the signals to your brain that make you aware of your bladder flow but also irritate and aggravate your symptoms of an OAB.

4 Citrus Fruits– They contain high amounts of citric acid. This acid can worsen bladder control and OAB symptoms. Fruits like oranges, pineapple, sweet limes, lemons, kiwi, and limes should be kept at a distance. Make sure to opt for less acidic fruits like apples, berries, and bananas.

5 Tomatoes and its products– A staple in Indian cooking, tomatoes are a very acidic food. The acid in tomato can irritate the bladder and intensify the symptoms of an OAB. Try to avoid or limit your intake of tomatoes and their products like ketchup, tomato paste, juice, etc.

6 Chocolate– Everyone’s best friend except the bladder. Chocolate tends to have amount of caffeine and it contains milk, both of which can provoke the OAB. If you need a piece of chocolate, opt for white chocolate, which usually does not have caffeine.

7 Sweeteners– Both natural and artificial sweeteners can trigger OAB symptoms. If the symptoms are really bad, one might have to cut out sugar and sweeteners to get things under control. In most cases, one might not have to cut sweeteners completely, but it is wise to experiment and see if your symptoms lessen when you limit sweets in your diet. Both natural and artificial sweeteners can worsen inflammation within the urinary system.

8 Raw Onions– Typically, people with an OAB are most affected by raw onions, so try cooking them before eating. Switching to a milder onion-like spring onion might be a good idea. Onions can cause bladder problems and increase the urge to urinate.

Some other foods to avoid if you have an OAB symptoms–

Spicy foods.  Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG), Processed foods, Milk/milk products, Honey, Medicines with caffeine, Corn syrup, Strawberries, and Vinegar.

In the end, people living with an OAB can often find relief by adjusting their diet and making lifestyle changes. Although there isn’t a cure for OAB, most people can ease their symptoms with the above-mentioned alterations in their diet. Eliminating irritating foods does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. You can tolerate certain foods in smaller quantities or when eaten occasionally. Do not be rigid and most importantly listen to your body and bladder.

Waiting for your views on this blog.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

26^th December 2023.