How Aging Affects Your Bladder?

Posted On October 18, 2021October 18, 2021

Aging does not only bring outward changes such as grey hair and wrinkles, but the internal body is also witnessing changes occurring with each passing year. For example, aging also affects the bladder and its functions in multiple ways. The bladder is an organ located in the lower abdomen inside pelvic bones.

The bladder muscles are contracting and relaxing to maintain temporary storage of urine—the bladder contracts to excrete urine out of the body. A person might complain about bladder issues with aging. Therefore, it is important to consider age-related bladder issues and some healthy ways to cope with them.

How Healthy Aging Can Bring Difference

Make sure that you are aging healthily. Try to combat unhealthy routine habits. You might observe changes right away. However, the result of these changes might become evident as you age. Give up most unhealthy habits such as:

1.  Smoking

Smoking gives out chemicals that are strong irritants. Thus it is important to avoid or limit smoking completely. Considering vaping might generate promising results. Make sure that you use vaping products of reputed brands to have a better vaping experience. Also, try tobacco flavour e-liquids, so you don’t miss anything about smoking cigarettes.

2.  Not Drinking Enough Water

Drinking less water might not only give out concentrated urine, but it might also trigger bladder issues. Concentrated urine is itself a strong bladder irritant, and it can harm the bladder lining. Thus, make sure to drink enough water as it will promote bladder health and improve other signs of aging.

3.  Holding It Too Long

Make sure that you are not holding your urine for too long. Over time it can certainly increase the risk factor for bladder problems. Holding urine for too long can cause bladder muscles overstretched and weak. This can get more serious as you age and get older.

4. Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is a diuretic, and it can even irritate the bladder. Over time consistent intake of alcohol can certainly increase the risk factor of different bladder problems. Thus one should keep check of alcohol intake to prevent bladder issues as he gets older.

How Aging Affect Bladder

As we age, the body organ gets affected by it. For example, the bladder is the body organ that gets affected, leading to undesirable situations. It is thus significantly important to understand age-related possible bladder issues.

1. Infections Become Common

Bladder infections are something anyone can experience anytime in life. However, it becomes more common among older women, especially after menopause. Studies suggest that 10% of women of menopause age deal with urinary tract women. Though younger women might also deal with the issue, chances are quite lesser. Also, the symptoms significantly vary between younger women and older ones.

Older women can usually complain about the strong urge to urinate, and urine leakage also becomes common. In addition, older women can also experience abdominal or back pain. The younger women rather complain about pain and burning while urinating and a more frequent desire to urinate. In order to reduce risk factors of such age-related bladder issues, you may start to drink more water and maintain good hygiene.

2.  Blocked Urethra

The bladder contracts for excreting urine through the urethra. With aging moth, men and women can deal with some serious problems in the urethra and the most common being urethra blockage. The blockage could occur due to numerous reasons. With blocked urethra, a person becomes unable to pass urine and may even accompany pain and discomfort.

Among men, there is a walnut-sized organ that surrounds the bladder; with aging, it becomes enlarged, causing a blockage in the urethra. Similarly, in women, aging might cause pelvic muscles to become weak, and it might dislocate the bladder, which eventually blocks the urethra. Immediately visit your doctor in case of urine obstruction and get the problem fixed in order to overcome associated pain and discomfort.

3. Bladder Walls Stiffens

Bladder walls are made of smooth muscles which can easily contract and relax and make the bladder empty. However, these smooth muscles tend to become hard and stiff with aging. This loss of strength and elasticity of the bladder can affect its ability to empty itself, and as a result, it fails to empty itself completely.

With this, you are more likely to observe changes in urination frequency and even urine leakage. Therefore, make sure to consult a urologist to seek treatment in order to treat such conditions. Surely with some medical attention and medication, you can get more hold over conditions.

4. Leakage And Stones Become Common

Urine incontinence signifies involuntary urine leakage. Though it becomes more common with aging, you do not have to live with it. Instead, you may plan a visit to the doctor based on your condition. He might suggest some lifestyle changes, medication and even surgery in order to get you some relief.

Bladder stones are accumulated mineral crystals that cause pain, discomfort and difficulty to pass out urine. Bladder stones are more common among men as compared to women. Small-sized stones and particles can easily be passed out with excessive intake of water.

5. Cancer Risk Increases

The count of risk factors for numerous diseases and ailments usually increases as we age. The same applies to bladder cancer. Among Americans, bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer that affects both men and women. Along with aging, there are numerous factors that are responsible for possibly increasing the risk of it.

There are some prominent signals that indicate the possibility of bladder cancer, such as blood in urine, experience pain while urinating and low abdomen pain. Proper medical care can assist in a better deal with such serious problems.

Take Away

Aging can significantly impact proper bladder functioning. There are some prominent and common bladder issues generally faced by older men and women. However, a healthy lifestyle can effectively help to reduce the risk of developing bladder issues later in life.