Gotta Pee Like a Racehorse?

Have you heard the saying “gotta pee like a racehorse?” This quote may be on the forefront of some people’s minds if they experience urinary urgency. Coffee is one of the leading causes for urinary urgency. Due to its ability to heighten the urinary response, coffee is considered a bladder irritant. Bladder irritants are foods and drinks that increase the likelihood of urinary urgency, urinary leakage, and in severe cases they may cause pelvic pain. 

You may be wondering what other ingestible goodies are bladder irritants. Carbonated drinks, alcoholic beverages, caffeinated beverages, acidic foods, artificial sweeteners, cigarettes, spicy foods, and chocolate are all considered bladder irritants. (Don’t worry, white chocolate is not included!) The degree of irritation varies from person to person and it is also common that certain foods and drinks may not even have an effect on some people.

You may also be wondering how this all works. Certain drinks and foods can irritate the inner lining of the bladder by altering the sodium levels and water to waste ratio. To further perpetuate the situation, if you are dehydrated then your bladder may not be functioning optimally. Many people think 64oz is the goal, but a better way to measure your personalized water intake is to divide your body weight in half and drink that number in ounces. For more information, visit https://www.sullivanphysicaltherapy.com/ or email laurens@sullivanphysicaltherapy.com.