Does it feel like you have to pee all the time? The technical term for that is frequent urination and it can be inconvenient and disruptive to your life. If you find yourself needing to go more than eight times a day including waking up multiple times in the middle of the night, you’re either drinking a lot of fluids or it could be medical. Here are the common reasons for it.
Overactive bladder
People with an overactive bladder need to pee more frequently and feel a sense of urgency. An overactive bladder is caused by spasms in the bladder that make it contract involuntarily triggering the urge to pee. It is one of the most common causes of frequent urination and it can be treated through medication, procedures, and behavioural modifications.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and bladder conditions
A UTI occurs when bacteria irritate the lining of the urinary system, most commonly the bladder. Frequent urination is one of the key symptoms of a UTI. UTIs can affect both men and women and can be treated with antibiotics. Bladder stones can also make you pee a lot. If they are small, drinking water is sufficient to help them pass but if they are larger, they may need to be surgically removed.
Diabetes
One key symptom of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is frequent urination with abnormally large amounts of urine. This happens because the body is trying to rid itself of unused glucose through urine.
Diuretic use
Diuretics are medications used to treat high blood pressure or fluid build-up in the kidney. They flush excess fluid from the body causing frequent urination.
Stroke
A stroke can damage the nerves in the bladder causing frequent urination.
Anxiety
Nerves and anxiety can cause frequent urination. When you’re anxious, instead of the bladder waiting until it’s full to trigger the urge to pee, the bladder becomes more anxious making you want to pee more frequently. If this isn’t one-time but ongoing, some ways to manage it are stress reduction techniques like meditation and yoga.
Women
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, as the baby grows and takes up more space, the bladder gets squished making it smaller and including your frequency of peeing. It’s interesting that this is most experienced during the first and third trimesters. You get a brief reprieve during the second trimester because the uterus is higher in your body taking some pressure off your bladder. The body returns to a regular rhythm weeks after childbirth and Kegel exercises may be recommended.
Yeast infections
One symptom of a yeast infection is frequent urination. A yeast infection is an infection of the vagina commonly caused by Candida albicans, a naturally occurring fungus that is usually not a problem. Treatment involves taking anti-fungal medication.
Menopause
Menopause can cause frequent urination in multiple ways. It can cause an overactive bladder and can cause you to lose elasticity in your bladder. As you age, your pelvic floor muscles also get naturally weaker which can make you pee more often. A physical therapist can help you learn how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and help you manage the negative effects of menopause.
Men
Prostate problems
An enlarged prostate can press against the urethra which is the tube that carries urine out of the body. This can block the flow of urine causing irritation in the walls of the bladder. The irritation then makes the bladder contract even when it has only small amounts of urine triggering the urge to pee. When this frequent urination happens at night, it’s referred to as nocturia. Treatment depends on the specific prostate problem.
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