bladder irritants you may want to avoid

Dr. Ariel Hovland, PT, DPT, CSCS

How does our bladder health affect our pelvic floor health?! 

Your bladder and your pelvic floor need to work together in order to create a solid foundation for urinary continence. This system, when functioning properly, allows you to hold your urine when necessary, and expel urine at the appropriate time. 

You bladder is actually surrounded by a set of muscles that contract in order to expel urine. These muscles rely on a signal from your brain to tell you that your bladder is full, and allows your pelvic floor muscles to relax in order to expel urine. 

When this system is not functioning properly, you may experience an increase in urinary frequency, an increase in urinary urge, and episodes of leaking! When this system is disrupted, there are a few strategies we can use to restore proper function. One is avoiding or reducing our intake of certain bladder irritants, which can disrupt the signal from your brain to your bladder and cause an increase in symptoms! 

Here are the top bladder irritants we recommend reducing or avoiding if you are experiencing urinary incontinence symptoms: 

-Alcohol: Beer, wine, and hard alcohol 

-Caffeine: Teas, coffees, and even in decaf coffee

-Acidic fruits: Lemons, limes, oranges, etc. 

-Chocolate: Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, cocoa 

-Spicy foods: Hot peppers, hot salsa, etc. 

-Carbonated drinks: Soda, seltzer water, etc. 

You do not need to reduce or eliminate these foods forever! We recommend starting with one bladder irritant, eliminating your intake for 2 weeks, and monitoring your symptoms. If your symptoms improve, there may be a correlation! Once you have addressed any other underlying causes for your symptoms, you may be able to gradually reintroduce these items. 

Want to learn more about pelvic floor health?! Join Dr. Ariel Hovland for a 90 minute virtual pelvic floor workshop through our online platform, Fixxed Lab! You’ll cover all things pelvic floor health and prenatal fitness. Link below to register! 

Fixxed is a first of its kind recovery studio offering bodywork techniques to help you move and feel your best. We offer quick and effective hands-on services in a one on one setting performed by a licensed physical therapist or athletic trainer. Click HERE to book a free consultation with FIXXED!