Bladder Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist for Blue Cross B...
Key Takeaways
- Painful urination, pelvic discomfort or blood in the urine can signal infections, stones or potentially serious conditions, and should prompt immediate medical attention.
- Sudden changes in urinary habits — including frequent urination, nocturia or urgency — may indicate underlying issues such as menopause, sleep disorders, diabetes or bladder dysfunction.
- Incontinence, difficulty emptying the bladder or a weak urine stream can result from factors such as aging, UTIs or an enlarged prostate, and should be discussed with a primary care provider for evaluation and treatment.
Millions of Americans deal with bladder issues such as incontinence and frequent urination each year.
While some types of bladder issues are common and not a sign of serious illness, it’s important to pay attention to any changes in your urine or urination. Here are some bladder symptoms you shouldn’t ignore.
Pain
Urination shouldn’t be painful. A burning feeling while urinating could be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder stones. The burning or stinging feeling can also be a symptom of menopause.
Pelvic pain, either a dull ache or sharp pain, can be related to bladder problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Blood in your urine
Blood in your urine, also known as hematuria, can be a sign of serious health conditions such as infection, kidney or bladder stones or kidney or bladder cancer. Blood in urine can appear red, pink or brown, according to the Mayo Clinic.
But remember what you’ve eaten; some foods, such as beets, can turn urine red or pink.
Frequent urination
People urinate on average six to eight times a day, but this varies based on how much you drink, whether you are pregnant or what medications you take. Frequent urination is also a sign of perimenopause and menopause or a hypertonic pelvic floor. These factors can all increase the frequency of your urination.
But if you don’t have one or more of these factors and suddenly experience a need to urinate more frequently, that can be a sign of a health problem.
Nocturia
Waking up to urinate more than once a night is a condition called nocturia, which affects one in three adults age 30 and older. While drinking a lot of water before bed can be a cause of occasional nocturia, this condition can also be a sign of underlying health issues such as:
- Sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea
- Bladder functional storage issues such as reduced bladder capacity, bladder obstruction swelling, infection and pain in your bladder
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition
- Menopause
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Edema, or swelling in your feet
- Chronic kidney disease
Urinary urgency
A sudden, difficult-to-control urge to urinate can be a sign of a UTI and incontinence, among other bladder conditions.
Incontinence
Incontinence, or urine leakage, is common. People may experience some incontinence during a cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise. But another form is a sudden need to urinate and loss of bladder control. There are many causes, including:
- Pregnancy
- Aging
- UTIs
- Vaginal infection
- Enlarged prostate
- Medication side effects
Difficulty emptying your bladder
Not being able to completely empty your bladder can be a sign of a UTI or bladder infection or other type of dysfunction.
Weak urine stream
A weak urine stream can be a sign of an enlarged prostate in men.
Treatment for bladder problems
If you experience these symptoms regularly or suddenly, talk to your primary care provider (PCP). Keep track of your symptoms, including the frequency, severity and new medications. Seek your PCP immediately if you have blood in your urine or pain.
You may also discuss methods to strengthen your pelvic floor with your PCP, which could help with some issues such as incontinence.
Here are some tips for overall physical health:
- Eat a nutritious diet with recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats.
- Stay hydrated.
- Limit alcohol.
- Limit spicy foods and caffeine if you have bladder issues.
- Get 150 minutes of exercise a week, including strength training or weight-bearing exercise.
- Get seven to eight hours of sleep.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Manage stress.
Image: Getty Images
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