Frequent Urination - A Brief Overview
Frequent urination is classified as the need to have a sudden, intense urge to urinate followed by an involuntary loss of urine. You may need to urinate every few hours, or over 7-10 times in 24 hours despite consuming around 2-3 litres of water.
While urination refers to the entire process by which urine is made in the kidneys, stored in the bladder and then expelled from the body. Micturition meaning ‘to have the constant urge to urinate’ in Latin is described as the process by which urine is expelled from the body. It is this process of micturition that is usually interrupted in a person affected by frequent urination.
It is normal for most people to have differing urinary cycles. Most people’s urine cycles range between 4 and 10 visits to the toilet in 24 hours. This depends on their diet, the amount of liquid consumed by the person, their lifestyle, whether they smoke or drink, their genetics and even the weather.
Winter is one of the most common causes of frequent urination. During winter we do not lose any water through sweat resulting in a higher load on the bladder.
Apart from this, reasons for frequent urination could be issues with the urinary apparatus (such as the bladder itself, or the muscles and the sphincter), external sources such as medicines, menopause, pregnancy, injuries, surgeries or cancer.
How to stop frequent urination thus depends on the reasons for frequent urination.
What Leads to Frequent Urination
The most common causes of frequent urination are as follows:
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Consumption of too much liquid, is especially prevalent in some athletes
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Consumption of too much coffee or alcohol
- Smoking
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Both types of diabetes
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Pregnancy - which causes the exertion of pressure on the bladder leading to the trickling out of urine
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Prostate issues
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Anxiety
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Blood pressure medication
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Infections in the bladder and urinary tract
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Vaginal infections
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Menopause.
Other causes can include cancers, tumours in the region, radiation in the lower abdominal area, nervous system disorders or damage to the urinary tract.
Another typical cause of frequent urination is ageing. The muscles that are responsible for the opening and closure of the bladder, as well as the muscles that support and hold up the pelvic region, may be compromised as one gets older, resulting in pain. the bladder system to fail. Aging also results in a reduction in the production of ADH or antidiuretic hormone which can result in more frequent urination at night.
Symptoms of Frequent Urination
A person is said to be facing frequent urination if they are having to urinate more often, with shorter and shorter durations between trips to the toilet; and if the urgency to pass urine appears to be escalating.
A person with a normal urine cycle will have ample warning before the moment of urination and will not find it difficult to wait a few minutes at least before using the toilet. Furthermore, if a person drinks 2-4 litres of water each day, they should wait at least 2 hours between urine visits.
The most tell-tale signs of frequent urination are as follows:
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A strong constant urge to urinate every 30 minutes or so
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A sudden uncontrollable urge to urinate followed by a very small/negligible amount of urine
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Loss of bladder control leads to bed-wetting especially at night
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Pain or burning sensation while urinating
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An unusual colour of urine
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Difficulty in passing urine
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A frequent or constant dribbling of urine through the day
Risk Factors and Complications of Frequent Urination
The failure to diagnose and manage frequent urination can result in severe complications. Fairly common issues such as diabetes and kidney infection if left untreated can become life-threatening. The following are some of the risk factors and consequences that frequent urination can cause if left untreated:
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Infertility
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Diabetic coma
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Spread of cancer
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Kidney failure
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Ketoacidosis
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Shock
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Blood infections
The Effects of Frequent Urination on Overall Health
Urination, regrettably, is still fraught with taboo and stigma. Urine is regarded as impure, and losing control of one's bladder is considered 'unbecoming' or childish. Several people who have frequent urination go years without reporting their symptoms or seeking treatment.
Unfortunately, frequent urination can have a long-term effect on the sufferer's life, compromising their overall health. The following are some of the worst side effects:
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Isolation: Unable to talk about their problems with even their closest family and friends, sufferers withdraw from society, shutting people out and living alone.
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Imprisoned at home: Incontinence sufferers avoid going to work, parties, or anywhere else where a toilet is not readily available. This results in further alienation
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Fear of falling: Elderly sufferers may fall down on the way to the toilet at night resulting in spine/hip injuries and even death.
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Reduced water consumption: This is one of the most common effects with sufferers cutting off their water intake to manage trips to the toilet resulting, soon after in kidney issues/stones.
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Shame: The shame of having to go to the toilet, again and again, wetting the bed or having to need assistance from family can be deeply disturbing for sufferers and weigh down deeply on their mental health.
As a result, it is strongly advised to see a doctor as soon as any of the above-mentioned symptoms appear.
A doctor can guide patients to understand how to stop frequent urination and spot advanced symptoms including fever, extreme hunger and thirst, stomach edoema, abrupt weight loss or gain, and vaginal or penile discharge.
How Friend’s Diaper Can Help
Friends Diapers and Dry pants are specially designed to help users combat frequent urination. These are highly absorbent, super soft and comfortable, and easy to use and dispose of so that urine leakage can be easily and effectively managed. Friends diapers are also aloe vera-treated and have anti-bacterial and odour-locking technology to keep the user's skin dry and healthy.
Our dry pants are just like underpants and have allowed several users to resume their usual lives and continue work, socialising and all that they love, as they did earlier. Using diapers can help those dealing with frequent urination live better. Help someone make a choice today! :)
