Certain foods, beverages, and medications can contribute to temporary urinary incontinence. A simple change in lifestyle can often resolve this issue.
- Alcohol: Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages are diuretics. They cause the bladder to fill up very quickly, leading to an urgent need to urinate that can sometimes be uncontrollable. Additionally, alcohol can temporarily impair the ability to recognize and respond to the urge to urinate.
- Excessive fluid intake: Consuming a large amount of water or other fluids, especially within a short period, can increase the amount of urine in the bladder. This can cause the bladder to fill rapidly and lead to urinary leakage.
- Dehydration: If a person with urge incontinence restricts their fluid intake to reduce the frequency of urination, their urine can become highly concentrated. This concentrated urine can irritate the bladder and worsen urge incontinence.
- Caffeine: Caffeine is also a diuretic. It causes the bladder to fill more quickly and can lead to a more frequent and urgent need to urinate.
- Bladder irritants: Carbonated drinks, tea, and coffee—both caffeinated and decaffeinated—can irritate the bladder and trigger urge incontinence. Citrus fruits, juices, and artificial sweeteners can also aggravate urge incontinence.
- Medications: Sedatives, such as sleeping pills, can interfere with the bladder’s ability to function properly. Other medications, including diuretics, muscle relaxants, and antidepressants, can cause or worsen urinary incontinence. Some blood pressure medications, heart medications, and cold medications can also affect bladder function. After surgery, some individuals may experience temporary overflow incontinence due to prolonged effects of anesthesia.
- Other illnesses and injuries: Any serious illness, injury, or disability that prevents a person from reaching the toilet in time can cause urinary incontinence.
- Urinary tract infections: Microscopic organisms, usually bacteria, can enter the urethra and bladder, causing an infection. This infection can irritate the bladder and lead to a strong urge to urinate, resulting in leakage. This urge to urinate may be the only symptom of a urinary tract infection. Other possible signs and symptoms include a burning sensation during urination and a foul-smelling odor in the urine.
- Constipation: The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard, impacted stool in the rectum can overstimulate these nerves and trigger a frequent urge to urinate.
For Treatment in Istanbul
For the diagnosis and treatment of stress urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, functional incontinence, reflex incontinence, and temporary urinary incontinence, you can contact Prof. Dr. Ateş Karateke in Istanbul.