Menopause can definitely make you feel like you have to urinate more frequently. This common symptom is known as urinary urgency and it's caused by changes in estrogen levels. As estrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, it can cause changes to tissues in the urethra and bladder leading to urgency and frequency.
Some key points about menopause and frequent urination:
- Estrogen plays a role in maintaining the health of tissues like those in the urethra and bladder. As estrogen decreases, these tissues can become drier, thinner and less elastic. This can irritate the bladder and cause symptoms like urgency and frequency.
- The urethra and bladder can also become more sensitive to irritants in urine like caffeine when estrogen levels drop. This also contributes to needing to urinate more often.
- Urinary tract infections are more common in menopause due to changes in vaginal pH and thinning of the urethral lining. UTIs can definitely make you feel like you need to pee all the time.
- Other common menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness, painful intercourse and discomfort can make you feel like you need to urinate frequently even when your bladder isn't full. The symptoms can kind of "echo" down there.
Some things that can help if menopause is making you feel like you need to pee constantly:
- Stay hydrated by drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily
- Cut back on bladder irritants like caffeine, alcohol and acidic foods
- Treat vaginal dryness with lubricants or vaginal estrogen
- Treat UTIs quickly with antibiotics if they occur
- Take OTC supplements like cranberry extract or D-mannose to prevent UTIs
- Do Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles
- Get checked for urinary tract or vaginal infections
- Consider prescription medications that can calm bladder muscle spasms
If frequent or urgent urination is really bothering you during this time, have a chat with your healthcare provider about it. There are many effective solutions available today for getting this menopausal symptom under control. You don't have to just live with the nuisance of running to the bathroom all the time.
At
Harmony Hormone Center, we specialize in helping women alleviate frustrating menopause symptoms just like urinary frequency. Our comprehensive hormone testing can get to the bottom of what's causing your symptoms. We offer customized
bioidentical hormone therapy including estrogen and
testosterone to help resolve problems like bladder sensitivity. Our nurturing staff and holistic approach can get you feeling like yourself again. Contact us today to learn more about our menopause treatments and schedule a consultation.
