Does drinking more water help incontinence? Can drinking too much water irritate your bladder? Does drinking water help with overactive bladder? | UC Irvine Health (2024)

FAQs

Does drinking more water help incontinence? Can drinking too much water irritate your bladder? Does drinking water help with overactive bladder? | UC Irvine Health? ›

Many people have heard that they should drink 8 glasses of water per day. However, for most people this is more than enough fluid, and drinking too much water can irritate your bladder leading to more incontinence.

It is a commonly held belief that increased fluid intake (8 glasses of water per day) is beneficial for health. However, increased fluid intake exacerbates overactive bladder symptoms.

Water is the best drink of choice to keep your bladder pain under control. It will also provide other benefits such as healthy skin, increased energy, reduced toxin levels, and a boosted metabolism. You'll want to stay away from acidic, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages such as fruit juice, coffee, beer, and soda.

Too much fluid

Everyone needs to drink enough fluid, but too much can make bladder problems worse.

Drink plain water when you're thirsty, from four to eight 8-ounce glasses a day. You'll know you're drinking enough if your urine is light yellow or almost colorless. Sip water throughout the day, instead of gulping down a lot at one time. Unless you're exercising, don't carry a large water bottle.

You should start by eliminating, or at least cutting down, on the top seven irritants: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and cigarettes. You should allow at least two weeks without the food or drink before noticing any change in your bladder control.

Mild cystitis will usually clear up on its own within a few days, although sometimes you may need to take antibiotics. See your GP for advice and treatment if: you have symptoms of cystitis for the first time. your symptoms don't start to improve within a few days.

There may be times lasting days, weeks or months where your symptoms improve, followed by flare-ups when they're worse. You might also find the pain is worse during your period or after having certain foods or drinks.

What are the symptoms of drinking too much water? ›

For most people, dehydration is the much greater issue. However, if you suspect you may be overhydrated, look for symptoms like cloudy thinking, nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps and headaches. In severe cases symptoms could include mental confusion, seizures, unconsciousness and even coma.

You Drink Too Much Water

It may seem obvious, but too much water will make you pee more. That could lower the salt in your blood to unhealthy levels. Follow the “Goldilocks” rule: Drink enough to keep your urine clear or light yellow, but not so much that you spend all day in the bathroom.

If your pee is clear more often than not, it can be a sign that you're drinking too much water in a short time or that you're taking in slightly too many fluids overall. One word of caution: Some dietary supplements turn your pee darker, so monitoring urine color may not always be the best approach in that case.

Treatment for Overactive Bladder

Our urologists treat patients with OAB with combinations of behavioral therapy, medication, and in severe cases, a therapy called Interstim, to treat overactive bladder. Another option is the injection of Botox into the bladder to relax and paralyze the overactive muscle.

Cranberry juice helps fight off bladder infections, but it can be a culprit in worsening overactive bladder symptoms. The berries' acidity can irritate the bladder, and although its diuretic action helps flush out the bladder and urethra, it will also make you go more frequently.

Overactive bladder is caused by a malfunction of the detrusor muscle, which in turn can be cased by: Nerve damage caused by abdominal trauma, pelvic trauma or surgery. Bladder stones. Drug side effects.

Home remedies for OAB may include dietary changes, bladder control exercises, and lifestyle changes. People with OAB may need to try a combination of different techniques to help improve their symptoms. A person should speak with a doctor for advice about which treatments may work best for them.

OAB does not go away on its own and may worsen without treatment. Lifestyle changes, medical treatments, and sometimes surgery can help people effectively manage OAB.

The bladder is a master at self-repair. When damaged by infection or injury, the organ can mend itself quickly, calling upon specialized cells in its lining to repair tissue and restore a barrier against harmful materials concentrated in urine.