Wrinkles and reading glasses have nothing on this lesser-known symptom of aging.
Frequent urination is an unwelcome and bothersome condition that can inhibit daily life, and while some causes are a result of the natural aging process, feeling the urge to go quite often can indicate an underlying health condition, too.
Frequently peeing can be caused by too little estrogen during menopause, a shrinking bladder or a urinary tract infection, experts tell HuffPost.
“Estrogen is an integral hormone for maintaining bladder wall strength,” OB-GYN Dr. Monica Grover, chief medical officer at the med spa VSPOT, told the outlet. “As it declines, the tissues supporting the bladder wall start to become weak and stiff, thus increasing the frequency to urinate.”
The bladder also shrinks and becomes more sensitive with age, explained board-certified pelvic physical therapist Sara Reardon.
“The amount of urine it takes for someone to get the urge to go is less with aging and the amount of urine the bladder can hold is less,” Reardon, the founder of The Vagina Whisperer said. “Often this is why aging women get diagnosed with Overactive Bladder because the bladder becomes more sensitive and shrinks.”
But an overactive bladder isn’t just an issue for women — as men age, their prostates could become enlarged and squeeze the urethra, making the bladder work overtime and make it “thicker and more spastic,” explained board-certified urologist Dr. Andrew Y. Sun.
Additionally, caffeine could also be a culprit, added Sun, who also serves as chief medical adviser for Marius Pharmaceuticals.
“Caffeine and alcohol are both bladder irritants and diuretics, which increase your body’s tendency to excrete water through urine,” he said. “Limiting the consumption of coffee, soda, wine, cocktails — even chocolate — can help reduce the need to pee frequently.”
Similarly, some medications can act as diuretics, and since medical conditions become more common with age, taking certain drugs could cause an overactive bladder.
While your bladder may be over-active, bowels doing the opposite can be to blame.
Constipation can put pressure on the bladder and make you feel the need to relieve yourself, even if you don’t have to. Hydration, exercise and a fiber-packed diet can alleviate constipation.
Frequent urination, however, could also be a sign of something more serious, such as a urinary tract infection, Type 2 diabetes or kidney disease.
“Generally there’s a build-up of glucose in the blood which forces the kidneys to work harder to filter and absorb the extra sugar,” said physician Dr. Erica Montes, who is also an adviser for pH-D Feminine Health.
When someone has Type 2 diabetes, the kidneys “can’t keep up” and that forces the extra sugar to go into the urine, hence frequent urination.
A pelvic organ prolapse — when pelvic organs, like the bladder or bowel, are not adequately supported by the pelvic floor — could also be to blame for frequent bathroom trips.
Thankfully, for women, kegel exercises can help.
“If your bladder prolapses, it can sag into your front vaginal wall where residual urine can hang out after your pee,” said Reardon. “Therefore, you feel like you don’t empty completely and shortly after peeing, you may feel like you have to go again.”
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