Bladder Health–What's Normal?

When it comes to our bladder health, most of us don’t know what’s considered normal or not normal. Here are three ways you can know if your bladder is functioning at 100%:

You’re urinating 6 to 8 times during a 24-hour period.  (Now as we get older, our bladder capacity can get smaller and we may need to urinate more frequently, but usually not more than every 2 hours.)
Your urine flows easily without discomfort. No pushing or straining is necessary.
You can jump, sneeze, and laugh confidently without any leakage.

If you have trouble with any of the three points above, you should see a pelvic floor specialist; otherwise, you are setting yourself up for having to wear a pad every day in your old age. Bladder malfunction can affect how active you can be in your work, in your sporting activities, and all the other hobbies you love doing so much!

In the meantime, here are three main tips to maintaining a healthy bladder:

Maintain a good fluid intake. Depending on your body size and environment, drink 4-8 cups of fluid per day unless otherwise advised by your doctor. 
Limit your amount of caffeine (coffee, soda, chocolate, or tea) and acidic foods.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol increases urine production and also makes it difficult for the brain to coordinate bladder control.

How our bladder functions or malfunctions can affect our quality of life more than we realize until it suddenly becomes a chronic issue. Don’t wait for it to come to that point. Take care of yourself and your bladder health by booking an initial pelvic floor therapy session with us today. Call our office to book your first appointment with Sabina Weaver at (864) 534-1780.

May your week be blessed!