Fluids
When you have bladder issues, you might feel less encouraged to drink a lot of water, because you feel that this increases your problem. In fact, not drinking enough can make your symptoms worse. Instead you should try to time your fluid intake as well as your bathroom visits to gain better control.
Drinking lots of fluid can help flush bacteria out of your body. Water is best but fruit juices can count for some of your fluid needs as well. Most people should aim for 6-8 glasses of water a day (or 1.5 -2 litres) – unless your healthcare professional says otherwise as some medical conditions require fluid restrictions.
When you travel or play sports you might feel like drinking less if you're afraid of leaking or don’t want to catheterise at inappropriate times. However, it is actually even more important to keep your fluids up at these times. If you're travelling in a hot climate or sweating from doing exercise you risk becoming dehydrated.
Not drinking enough fluids can also cause constipation which can affect your general health as well as your bladder health.
When you’ve got a urinary tract infection (UTI)
Increase the amount of water you drink when you’ve got a UTI. Fluids perform two jobs: they help flush out bacteria from your bladder and they thin (dilute) your urine. It is less painful to pass diluted urine than concentrated urine.
Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea or cola. Caffeine can irritate your bladder even more when you have an infection.
What about cranberry juice?
You might have heard about the wonders of cranberry. Some people may benefit from drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry extract tablets but there is no clear proof that it helps. Ask your healthcare professional first, in case treatment with other medication could be affected.
