Strategies for Soothing an Agitated Bladder: Recommendations, Solutions, and Additional Information
An irritated bladder can be a bothersome condition, but there are several treatment options available to help manage symptoms. This article outlines some complementary therapies and treatment options for an irritated bladder, including behavioral changes, exercises, special diets, medications, nerve stimulation, Botox treatment, and quitting smoking.
Behavioral and Lifestyle Changes
Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake, staying hydrated but avoiding excessive fluid intake, bladder training, and quitting smoking are key approaches to managing an irritated bladder. These behavioral and lifestyle changes can help reduce bladder irritation and improve symptoms.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegel exercises and quick flicks, can help strengthen pelvic muscles and improve bladder control. These exercises are recommended to help improve symptoms of an irritated bladder.
Dietary Modifications
Avoiding artificial sweeteners such as Splenda, Equal, and Sweet’n Low may help alleviate symptoms of an irritated bladder. Modifying one’s diet can also help manage Overactive Bladder (OAB) symptoms, as recommended by the National Association for Continence.
Medications
Bladder relaxants like oxybutynin, tolterodine, and solifenacin are commonly used for OAB. Antibiotics may be prescribed if urinary tract infections are present. Pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron) is used for interstitial cystitis, while other medicines like hydroxyzine and DMSO bladder instillations may also be considered.
Bladder Instillations
Bladder instillations involve directly delivering medications like DMSO, sodium bicarbonate, heparin, steroids, or lidocaine into the bladder via catheter to reduce inflammation and pain. Instillations can be a primary or adjunct treatment for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.
Botox Injections
Botox injections can help manage an irritated bladder by relaxing the bladder muscle, decreasing urgency, frequency, and nocturia. The effects typically last around 6 months. The American Urological Association (AUA) may recommend Botox treatments if medications do not improve symptoms.
Nerve Stimulation Therapies
Nerve stimulation therapies, such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and more advanced neuromodulation therapies like InterStim®, Axonics®, and eCoin®, can help reduce bladder irritation and improve bladder control.
In conclusion, treatment for an irritated bladder is often multimodal, combining behavioral and dietary changes, exercises, medications, and possibly interventional procedures like Botox or nerve stimulation depending on symptom severity and underlying diagnosis. While no treatment works effectively for all cases, individuals can work with a healthcare professional to develop the right combination of lifestyle changes and medical interventions to control their symptoms.
References:
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Interstitial cystitis and bladder pain syndrome. [online] Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/interstitial-cystitis-bladder-pain-syndrome
- Mayo Clinic. (2021). Overactive bladder. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/overactive-bladder/symptoms-causes/syc-20368536
- American Urological Association. (2021). Overactive bladder. [online] Available at: https://www.auanet.org/publications/patients/aua-guidelines/overactive-bladder-in-adults
- National Association for Continence. (2021). Diet and bladder problems. [online] Available at: https://www.nafc.org/bladder-bowel-health/diet-bladder-problems
- International Foundation for Interstitial Cystitis. (2021). Treatment options. [online] Available at: https://www.iffcic.org/about-ic/treatment-options
- To aid in managing an irritated bladder, it's recommended to limit caffeine and alcohol intake, stay hydrated, practice pelvic floor exercises, and quit smoking.
- Pelvic floor exercises like Kegel exercises and quick flicks can help strengthen pelvic muscles and improve bladder control, benefiting those with an irritated bladder.
- Modifying one's diet, such as avoiding artificial sweeteners and following dietary recommendations by the National Association for Continence, can help alleviate symptoms of an irritated bladder and Overactive Bladder (OAB).
- Medications like oxybutynin, tolterodine, solifenacin, and antibiotics are commonly used for OAB, while pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron) is for interstitial cystitis and hydroxyzine and DMSO bladder instillations may also be considered.
- Bladder instillations, which involve delivering medications directly into the bladder, can help reduce inflammation and pain in cases of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.
- Botox injections, which can relax the bladder muscle, are used to manage an irritated bladder and may be recommended by the American Urological Association (AUA) if medications do not improve symptoms.
- Nerve stimulation therapies like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and InterStim®, Axonics®, and eCoin® can help reduce bladder irritation and improve bladder control as part of health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and therapies-and-treatments.
