Disclaimer: This post was written to show you what I personally do for good bladder health, but I am not a doctor, and it is not to be used or substituted as medical advice.
When you have Spina Bifida, bladder issues are common because often these muscles do not work properly, and there is no surgery you can get that will repair your bladder muscles and give you function back. A doctor can help you manage problems with Spina Bifida, but you cannot cure damaged muscles, and your best option is to take care of yourself. As a disabled person, I think I am more aware of the things I do to my body than a non-disabled person because I have had a lot of health problems and don’t need to add more. I have a lot of bladder issues because my muscles do not work properly, and a vast majority of the surgeries I have had have been abdominal surgeries. I can’t change my disability and sometimes will need a surgery that was not within my control to prevent it, but I am in control of the habits I build and what I do on a regular basis to improve my health. How can you take care of your bladder when your muscles don’t work properly? In this post, I am going to talk about what I do to improve my bladder health as a disabled person.
Pee often- When you have Spina Bifida, sometimes it takes a little longer for you to go to the bathroom because a lot of people have to use catheters, and you have no control over how fast you are able to pee. As a disabled person, one of the things you will never see me do is go long periods of time without going to the bathroom unnecessarily because whether you are disabled or not, it is so bad for you to hold in your pee. Life happens, and sometimes you are forced to hold it in because you aren’t close to a bathroom, and that is okay, but you don’t want to make a regular habit of not peeing. It weakens your bladder every time you hold it in and increases your risk of developing an avoidable UTI infection, which can be painful. I never hold my pee in if I have to because I am already prone to bladder issues, and not going to the bathroom increases your risk. You won’t develop a problem right away, and it may take years, but eventually, you’ll start to notice that you pee when you don’t want to and may need an avoidable surgery to correct it. Don’t hold in your pee if you don’t have to because it’s bad for everyone, not just disabled people. It’s not a badge of honor to be able to hold your pee for long periods of time, but it can damage your bladder over time that can’t always be fixed.
Stay hydrated– People with Spina Bifida are more prone to UTI infections and sometimes have to drink a little more water than someone without Spina Bifida to be able to prevent infection. Hydration is so important for bladder health because dehydration irritates your bladder and increases your risk of infection. A well-hydrated bladder helps your body break down harmful toxins and flush them out, and it is important to drink enough but not too much to have a healthy balance. Make sure you drink enough water for better bladder health because most infections I have had are caused by not drinking enough. Hydration is one of the easiest and most overlooked ways to improve your bladder health and most of us don’t drink enough. Don’t drink too much at one time because your body can only process so much at once and it can be hard on your kidneys.
Monitor your caffeine intake- I love a good cup of coffee, but if you have an infection, I would cut back on the caffeine because coffee irritates your bladder, and consuming a bunch of extra caffeine is probably not the best thing to do if you have bladder pain. I drink coffee and matcha every single day, which both have caffeine, and although coffee technically counts toward your water intake, it is by no means a substitute for water. Monitor your caffeine intake because caffeine is a diuretic and causes you to pee more, and it’s easy to get dehydrated. It is okay to drink a couple of cups of coffee, but don’t skimp on your water because it’s not the same thing.
I take my medication as often as prescribed. In 2008, I started getting bladder stones and needed several surgeries to remove them, and it wasn’t until my doctor found a medication that dissolves the stones, making it so I could easily pass them, that I was able to keep the stones away. The medication I use is not something I take orally, and is something I put through a catheter after I have emptied my bladder. It is annoying to have to remember to use my medication two to three times a day, but it would be even more annoying to need a surgery. My medication is so important for good bladder health because I can’t have a healthy bladder without it, so I always make sure I am using my medication. People sometimes will tell disabled people that our medication is making us sick, but in reality, it’s keeping us out of the hospital.
I get yearly scans- I have not had any bladder stones since I started taking medication, but I still get yearly scans to make sure they have not returned because you never know if your medication is going to stop working. Bladder, bowel and kidney issues are common with Spina Bifida, and because of my disability, I get scans every year. Most times, my scans are normal and there is nothing concerning, but it’s still important to do because it tells your doctor if your bladder is healthy or not.
Listen to your doctor– Patients sometimes will not listen to their doctor because sometimes they are telling us to do things that we don’t think are necessary, so we don’t do them. If you want to have the healthiest bladder possible, it is important that you listen to your urologist because your doctor knows your bladder better than you do. Listen to your doctor and take your medication because your doctor can’t help you improve your bladder health if you don’t listen to them. Sometimes, our doctors will ask us to do things that are a bit time-consuming, but before you dismiss it and ignore their advice, I want you to consider the fact that maybe there is a reason they want you to do certain things, and it’s not as unreasonable as you thought.
If you want a healthy bladder, it is so important to eat healthy and pee often because the bad habits you have now can negatively affect you later in life. Bladder issues can happen to anyone, and good bladder health is not something that only disabled people need to be practicing; and everyone needs to be doing it. Some people say that you should drink cranberry juice to improve your bladder health, but I am not entirely sure if that is true because I have heard it isn’t or is something that we all believe, so I didn’t recommend it. Take care of your bladder because a painful bladder is not fun and is not always curable. Bladder issues are not preventable for me personally, but they are preventable for a vast majority of people who have a bladder that works properly. How do you take care of your bladder? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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