4 Preventive Tips for Overactive Bladder

4 Preventive Tips for Overactive Bladder

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition wherein you experience a sudden or a frequent urge to pee that is hard to control. Further, there will be times when you might feel that you have to pee several times during the day. In some people, OAB might also result in urine incontinence or unintentional loss of urine.

Can overactive bladder be prevented? It most certainly can be prevented if you are aware of the right overactive bladder prevention tips. Read on to know more.

1. Drink adequate amounts of liquids
Consuming excessive amounts of liquids can aggravate OAB symptoms. But it will only worsen OAB symptoms if you do not consume enough fluids. When you do not drink adequate amounts of water, it can make your urine concentrated. This can irritate your bladder’s lining and increase your urge to pee.

2. Maintain bowel regularity
If you do not empty your bowel regularly, it might result in constipation. This can aggravate the pressure on the bladder. This has a serious implication on your bladder function. So, if you have healthy bowel habits, you can easily prevent constipation, which can lower bladder symptoms. Some of the tips to ensure bowel regularity are as follows. 

  • Adding more fiber to your diet:  For this, you can increase your daily intake of foods, such as pasta, beans, bran cereal, fresh fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread. 
  • Being physically active:  When you are physically agile, you can automatically keep your bowel functions regular.

3. Reduce bladder-irritating foods and drinks
A few foods or drinks are known to bother the bladder. So, one of the best overactive bladder prevention tips is to limit your consumption of these foods. Firstly, restrict your diuretic consumption. It includes drinks, such as alcohol and caffeine, as these stimulate your body to produce more urine. 

Further, you can remove a few items from your diet and follow an elimination method. What does this mean? There are some foods that are known to trigger OAB symptoms. However, not every food will cause symptom flare-ups. So, first cut them out from your diet and then add them back one at a time to see if they are causing any negative implications. If yes, it is best to keep them out of your diet completely. Several people have reported that they saw a reduction in OAB flare-ups by changing their dietary habits. 

Some foods that may bother your bladder are drinks that include caffeine, alcohol, tea, citrus fruits, frizzy or soda-based drinks, tomato-based foods, some spicy foods, and chocolates, except white chocolate.

4. Maintain a healthy body weight
If you are obese or overweight, consider losing some weight to keep your OAB flare-ups in check. People with excess weight are at a greater risk of urinary incontinence. So, shed some pounds.