Urinary urgency is the medical term for the feeling of an uncomfortably strong need to urinate. It can be a symptom of several different diseases, but in most cases can be treated well without the need for medications. Here are 5 natural ways you can help treat urinary urgency.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Source: Mayo Clinic
Common Reasons for Urinary Urgency
Here, we take a look at the most common reasons for urinary urgency, along with what you can do if it persists or becomes troublesome:
- Kidney Stone
Typically this is not an emergency. However, where the urgency could last for more than a few days, surgery may be warranted. - Health Anxiety
“This can manifest itself as vomiting or other GI distress.” Snyder tells us. - Poorness
Another common reason for urinary urgency can be due to low red blood pressure. This is why doctor’s procedures like artery stapling/placement and bypass surgery are often used. To help decrease pressure and improve circulation, you can do a multitude of things, depending on what’s really discomfiting. - Blood Sugar Conditions
Just as dehydration can lead to lowered blood pressure, low blood sugar levels can be a contributor, too. If loss of salt air causes your blood to become diluted, you could experience urinary urgency, says Snyder. Blood sugar also drops during exercise, and will typically drop even more after strenuous exercise. - Hardening Pain
Pain is a common complaint of those dealing with central and peripheral nerve pain, as well as nerve compression. While you can’t entirely control how your body adapts to pain, staying hydrated and stretching can help reduce the intensity and duration of discomfort. Don’t forget strengthening your abs and other muscles that are typically affected by pain, as this can help your body better cope.
Unlock an experience that’s like having a dietitian, trainer and coach at your fingertips.
What You Need to Know About Urinary Urgency
If you’re suffering from urinary urgency or the feeling that you have to urinate but can’t find a toilet in time, it’s not just uncomfortable, it also disrupts your day and makes you less productive. What causes urinary urgency, and what can be done about it? To learn more about this common condition, see this article.
What causes urinary urgency?
Without getting into too much detail about why someone might have a persistent urinary urgency issue, let’s just say it’s not good. Basically, peeing easily and often, or being unable to concentrate in the shower without leaking, can be a sign of a serious condition.
Luckily, experts have some tips for relieving the issue.
Crossing the Ayurvedic Trigger
The most likely culprit is a condition called adrenal gland restenosis, also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to Dr. Alex Tauber, board-certified gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in California.
Symptoms of IBD can include changes in bladder movements, including urgency and frequency, and an increase in abdominal pain and bloating that results in lower distress, according to Justin Ang, certified strength and conditioning specialist, founder and CEO of Tech Pak Kombucha.
Here’s what you should know about this condition:
It hurts, and could happen even if you don’t need to pee.
Typically, IBD causes inflammation in the digestive tract, but it’s not always a disease of the bowels, Ang notes. Herniated disks can be a symptom of IBD, as well.
In early cases of IBD, suffering from the pain can be relieved by taking certain medication, such as glucocorticoids. However, if your symptoms are especially bothersome or chronic, an IBD surgeon may want to pursue surgery to relieve pain and inflammation, according to Dr. Andrew Suardi of Urology Associates of Orange County.
It’s not always Bedroom anxiety
Since IBD can worsen or become chronic over time, if you’re not able to overcome the issue with medication, your “symptoms may include urinary urgency, frequent urination and/or frequent and/or painful bowel movement,” according to Jennifer Broxterman, PhD, a leading IBD researcher and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Utah.
People who already have low levels of white blood cells or low scores in urine analysis tests should also be especially vigilant because chronic inflammation can result in loss of kidney function as well as other serious complications from weakened immune systems.
You may not want to think about it, but keep these things in mind:
1 The Weight Saver
While you might experience an uptick in urgency when you’re dealing with IBD, your weight, and the overall amount of weight in your abdomen, should not fluctuate as your condition progresses, according to Alissa Rumsey, PhD, PhD, nutrition and psychology expert, MPH, founder of Aliquipse.
What is Upper Blast
“Upper blast is the sensation of having to pee earlier in the day. Which can last for several hours,” says Erin McDaniel, RD. This phenomenon has two causes: some people need tighter grips. Or fewer bathroom trips when they wake up or go to the restroom. Which causes them to pee more often. And for others, the pressure of a bladder attached to the wall. May make it a hassle to pee when they wake up.
As odd as this sounds, in this condition, it’s more often than not the result of stressed bladder.
McDaniel
Why Upper Blast is BAD
More often than not, peeing in your sleep shouldn’t be so uncomfortable. The images and sensations associated with having to pee can be a bit mind-numbingly vivid, similar to your being rushed to the bathroom when you’re thirsty.
Peeing in your sleep is a very natural reflex, and it’s often the reason we yawn. It could be blood circulation taken a step backward, or we simply relax our bladder a bit more than usual.
Lowery
Although it might sound like you should be grateful you have good bladder control. There are actually some conditions that can make peeing in your sleep even more frustrating.
Unfortunately, most folks don’t have any of these discomforts. Still, seeing a peeing problem as a sign someone might not be doing their “best work”. Is a good reminder to examine what’s going on.
Which period of the day should you pee?
Obviously, if this is a chronic problem. And not just a weird side effect of stress in general. You should prioritize relieving it at certain times of the day.
For example, in my 12-step program, we address urgency at nighttime because it is the time most people stay asleep.
McDaniel
This strategy is also known as sleep hygiene.
In the short term, night owls likely don’t have a lot of control over their urination times. However, keep in mind that there are strong data that shows people who get plenty of shuteye are happier. And have a better cognitive function as a consequence, than those who are sleep-deprived.
If you are an older adult prone to constant pressure. Urinary issues who usually goes to bed at the same time each night. And wake up at the same time each morning. Getting enough sleep might be an option. The same is true for people who simply need to be more flexible with their schedules. Who can be patient with them?
Physical Background
As we age, the muscles and connective tissues in the bladder wall get stiffer, making them less receptive to urination. This usually happens because of a decrease in blood flow in that area (hypochromia), but it could also happen because of something else.
When this happens, the urodynamical feedback in your bladder that tells you when it’s time to pee is compromised, causing the bladder to sense urgency even when you don’t. In the worst case, you might be ready to pee, but feel like holding it until the urgency subsides.
Typically, the most common factor causing this issue is something called spinal stenosis. This means there is a buildup of scar tissue (either directly on the spinal cord or elsewhere underground) that can’t really be seen with a microscope.
The nerves in and around this area that normally send signals so you don’t have to pee don’t work anymore, and the nerves that take you to the bathroom don’t either. Some people can still function normally during urination simply because they can tell when the stream of urine is light, or has even, starting with a urine color that is just a pale yellow.
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the severity of the problem.
First and foremost, if you are already experiencing this problem, be sure to check up with your doctor (if you don’t have one already) to see if there are any other conditions, or possible underlying problems, that are causing the problem.
In most cases, as long as the problem isn’t due to a heart condition like hypertension, diabetes and so on, then getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked is a good idea. Urinalysis is usually enough to diagnose spinal stenosis. Other factors that can affect the problem include smoking, estrogen use and dehydration.
Keeping up with a healthy diet and exercising is also recommended, especially if you don’t already have smooth territory around the kidneys (lung quality is also important).
What can you do about it?
If your problem is caused by spinal stenosis, and especially if you’ve already been diagnosed with hypochromia, then you might be able to minimize the symptoms by getting some surgery. Usually, this is done for those who are older and have other indications like cancer, heart failure or kidney disease that prevent you from taking long trips without bathroom breaks, but you may also be able to postpone the surgery if you’ve been suffering with urinary urgency for less than a year.
Related Posts
6 Ways to Reduce the Pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia
Frequent Micturition: Causes and Effective Home Remedies
How to Treat Urinary Frequency or Polyuria
A lot of work has gone into bringing you this post. We hope you found it interesting and informative. If you have a question, please ask it in the comments at the foot of this post.
If you don’t have a question you can use the comment to say “Hi”. If you have MS – stay strong and follow the warrior code.
Stephen Walker
Stephen Walker is a blogger who has been living with Multiple Sclerosis or MS since 1994. He devotes a lot of time to researching this dreadful autoimmune disease, looking for answers and possible treatments.