How Does Your Bladder Health Change as You Age? | Tennessee Valley Urology Center
Everything changes as you age, including the health and function of your kidneys and bladder. But our team at Tennessee Valley Urology Center is here to help guide you on the path to a healthy bladder as you age!
What Are Common Urological Issues as You Age?
Common urological issues seen in older adults include:
- Bladder leakage
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary retention
- Bladder infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Chronic kidney disease
Fortunately, there are things you can start doing now in order to prevent these aforementioned issues as you age:
Drink Up!
How much water are you drinking on a daily basis? Most research recommends drinking at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day to stay hydrated.
However, everyone is different. The main goal is just to make sure you are staying hydrated throughout the day. The best test is to keep an eye on your urine—it should be clear or pale yellow in color if you’re properly hydrated.
Signs of dehydration include:
- Not urinating very much throughout the day
- Having dark yellow urine
- Experiencing dry skin
- Feeling dizzy
- Rapid heartbeat
- Rapid breathing
- Sunken eyes
- Sleepiness
- Lack of energy
- Confusion or irritability
- Fainting
Get Regular Exercise
When you exercise, you are not only building muscles. You are also building your core and your pelvic floor muscles, which can help prevent bladder leakage and other urological issues.
Look for exercises that focus strictly on the pelvic floor to improve the health and muscle of your bladder. A search for “pelvic floor exercises” will show you some good examples.
Fill Your Plate With the Right Foods
Particularly if you suffer from an overactive bladder, you want to make sure you are choosing foods that do not irritate your bladder. So steer clear of caffeinated and carbonated drinks, acidic fruits, spicy foods and tomato-based foods.
Are you starting to experience more issues with your bladder as you age? Our team at Tennessee Valley Urology Center is here to help! Give us a call today.