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Suggest Remedies For Urinary Urgency
Question: I am experiencing a continuous urge to urinate even when I try to empty my bladder the urge is still there. My doctor prescribed oxybutynin two days ago but it has not helped. I wonder if I may have a bladder infection. He did not take a urine sample. Please give me your opinion.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Urinary symptoms such as this can be due to a mild bladder infection. It can also be from urethral irritation such as from a new soap or bath product or from certain irritating foods. Urinary frequency can be from urinary tract stones or gravel too.
Also, if you have given birth to children, the uterus can prolapse when we get older and put pressure on the bladder, which can give this feeling.
I recommend going back and once there:
1. giving a urine specimen for urinalysis. If it shows a possible infection, make sure it is sent for "culture and sensitivity" testing. The sensitivity test shows which antibiotics the cultured bacteria would be most sensitive to. This is helpful information as bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.
2. unless you have had a hysterectomy, ask your doctor to do a "bimanual" which is 2 fingers in the vagina with the other hand pressing on the pelvic organs from outside your pelvis. During this exam your doctor should ask you to bear down as in pushing. If he feels the uterus come forward, that is a sign of prolapse.
If there is indication that you have a mild UTI, drink plenty of water and consider cranberry juice as well. If you want to avoid the excessive amounts of sugar in products such as Ocean Spray, consider bottled concentrate (sold on shelves) and reconstitute it with water and maybe a bit of apple juice. If it is a significant UTI, an antibiotic will help.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Urinary symptoms such as this can be due to a mild bladder infection. It can also be from urethral irritation such as from a new soap or bath product or from certain irritating foods. Urinary frequency can be from urinary tract stones or gravel too.
Also, if you have given birth to children, the uterus can prolapse when we get older and put pressure on the bladder, which can give this feeling.
I recommend going back and once there:
1. giving a urine specimen for urinalysis. If it shows a possible infection, make sure it is sent for "culture and sensitivity" testing. The sensitivity test shows which antibiotics the cultured bacteria would be most sensitive to. This is helpful information as bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.
2. unless you have had a hysterectomy, ask your doctor to do a "bimanual" which is 2 fingers in the vagina with the other hand pressing on the pelvic organs from outside your pelvis. During this exam your doctor should ask you to bear down as in pushing. If he feels the uterus come forward, that is a sign of prolapse.
If there is indication that you have a mild UTI, drink plenty of water and consider cranberry juice as well. If you want to avoid the excessive amounts of sugar in products such as Ocean Spray, consider bottled concentrate (sold on shelves) and reconstitute it with water and maybe a bit of apple juice. If it is a significant UTI, an antibiotic will help.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I should explain further that I first consulted my General practioner who prescribed apo-oxybutynin for the diagnosis re: overactive bladder. The medication as not changed the symptoms. So I went to a walk in clinic and the doctor said my urinalysis was o.k. And decided to do a culture test too which will not be back for a few days. He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic which he said not to fill until the lab test comes back. Meanwhile I have urinated 5 times in the night and 3 times in the last two hours. How much cranberry juice should I take?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
Usually there is a preliminary report for the culture in 24 hours, so at this point, if it's been a day, you can call the Walk In Clinic and ask if there have been any results on your urine culture. The final report often doesn't result until 3 days, but the preliminary report at 24 hours will give a good picture of what is going on if it is an infection.
Another thing to think about is that sometimes atrophic urethritis can cause a twitchy bladder. Atrophic urethritis is from lack of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Treatment is to use a topical estrogen cream which is not absorbed very much into your system.
Cranberry juice in doses of 4 to 10 oz. of pure juice, or 114 to 296ml, a day reportedly helps treat and prevent recurrences of UTI. You can also drink several 16-oz. or 500ml glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice from concentrate daily. If you don't want to drink that much cranberry, it is also sold in powder form in capsules.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information.
Usually there is a preliminary report for the culture in 24 hours, so at this point, if it's been a day, you can call the Walk In Clinic and ask if there have been any results on your urine culture. The final report often doesn't result until 3 days, but the preliminary report at 24 hours will give a good picture of what is going on if it is an infection.
Another thing to think about is that sometimes atrophic urethritis can cause a twitchy bladder. Atrophic urethritis is from lack of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Treatment is to use a topical estrogen cream which is not absorbed very much into your system.
Cranberry juice in doses of 4 to 10 oz. of pure juice, or 114 to 296ml, a day reportedly helps treat and prevent recurrences of UTI. You can also drink several 16-oz. or 500ml glasses of unsweetened cranberry juice from concentrate daily. If you don't want to drink that much cranberry, it is also sold in powder form in capsules.
Note: Consult a Urologist online for consultation about prostate and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, urinary incontinence, impotence and erectile dysfunction - Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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