Curious About Bladder Habits? Urine The Right Place!
Dr. Hannah Lattanzio PT, DPT
November is National Bladder Health Awareness Month! This month’s post is dedicated to informing you all about bladder health with bonus holiday travel tips.
The Bladder
Your bladder is an organ belonging to the urinary system along with your kidneys, ureters, and urethra. The urinary system is responsible for removing waste in the body and excreting it as urine.
The bladder is surrounded by a muscle called the detrusor which stretches when the bladder becomes full. The stretch of this muscle sends signals to the brain creating the urge to urinate. The average bladder can hold around a maximum of 17-24 oz of fluid. The bladder begins to send mild urge signals to urinate when it is around 5-7 oz full. When the bladder is 13-17 oz full, the urge to urinate is strong. It takes approximately 2 hours from the time you consume fluid to the time it is expelled as urine.
Healthy Bladder Habits
There is a lot of confusion on what healthy bladder habits look like, so we’re going to break it down for you here.
A healthy bladder will empty every 2-4 hours, 4-8 times a day
You should not get up more than one time a night to urinate.
You should feel your bladder has emptied completely
However it is important to remember there is always a small residual amount of fluid in the bladder! So yes - if you double void (go back to the bathroom again immediately after urinating) there will be more urine to expel.
The stream of urine should not be hard to initiate, slow, intermittent, or split/spray. There shouldn’t be any dribbling of urine after finishing.
Urges are healthy, however they should be controlled - not a command!
Pro Tip: Proper fluid intake is an essential component for bladder health. A healthy amount of fluid intake for an individual is half their body weight in oz. A general rule of thumb is 6-8 glasses or 40-60 oz daily.
Holiday Travel Tips
Holiday season can certainly be stressful. Here are some helpful tips to keep you and your bladder happy and healthy!
Avoid hovering or squatting over the toilet, make sure to sit down to fully relax your pelvic floor muscles and allow for easy bladder elimination.
Don’t urinate “just in case!” This can create mixed signals between the brain and bladder over time. Its important to listen to your body and urinate only when there is an appropriate urge to go.
Do not restrict fluids when traveling. It may be tempting to decrease fluid intake if you have urinary symptoms however this may in fact make your symptoms worse and cause dehydration.
Avoid rushing to use the restroom. Do not force urine out or strain to empty your bladder, allow for ample time for full muscle relaxation.
Eat a well balanced diet when possible. We all know a good vacation includes splurging on diet! However it is important to remember that constipation may have a role in bladder symptoms. While it’s okay to have fun while traveling make sure you are keeping hydrated and consuming enough fiber to avoid constipation.
Are you wondering how pelvic floor physical therapy can help your bladder habits? Book a free discovery call today.
