If you find yourself running to the bathroom frequently, you may be suffering from a condition known as overactive bladder.
For some women, frequent urination is an inconvenience. For others, the problem can be so severe that they avoid leaving home.
There are several different reasons you may be going to the bathroom frequently.
To properly address the problem, you may need to work with your health care provider.
One common cause of urinary frequency can be a bladder infection. To diagnose a bladder or urinary tract infection, your doctor will perform a simple, in office, urinalysis. Most urinary tract infections can be treated with antibiotics.
If you have had a urinary tract infection before, you might try using cranberry extract capsules to treat it instead.
To prevent future urinary tract infections, make sure you stay properly hydrated, make sure to wipe from front to back after you go to the bathroom, and use the bathroom before and after sex to flush any bacteria away from the urinary opening.
Did you know that a yeast infection can cause overactive bladder symptoms? Sometimes you can have a subclinical yeast infection that can linger for quite some time.
Vaginal yeast infections are common in women who are diabetic, who have taken antibiotics frequently, or who are using hormones, such as hormonal birth control pills. Steroids, such as prednisone, can also increase your proclivity for having a yeast infection. A urinalysis will not diagnose a yeast infection.
There are prescription medications that can treat a yeast infection. These include Diflucan and nystatin. You can also change your diet, by greatly reducing the amount of simple sugars, such as white flour and white sugar that you consume.
Taking a probiotic will also help restore the natural, healthy bacterial balance of your system following a round of antibiotics. There are herbal preparations that can also help with yeast infections, such as garlic and oregano.
If you are menopausal, you may be experiencing frequent urination. This is because the changes in your hormones can cause thinning of your urethra, which is the tube which carries urine from your bladder to your urinary opening.
If this is the case, your doctor may prescribe a hormone cream, which could also relieve other problems you may be experiencing, such as vaginal dryness.
To prevent cramps and spasms anywhere in the body, make sure you are getting enough magnesium. You should be getting between 200 and 600 mgs of magnesium every day.
Bladder spasms are common among women who have multiple sclerosis, or who are deficient in B12. Your doctor can perform a simple blood test to see if you need supplemental vitamin B12.
