Many of us only think about our bladder when we have to pee, so we head over to the closest bathroom, relieve ourselves, and carry on our day. But for some of us, we may be taking that trip to the bathroom more often, or what appears in the toilet is starting to look different from the typical yellow fluid. When changes occur to our bathroom habits and urine, then this is your body’s way of letting you know that there is something more serious going on. But if you ignore these symptoms or don’t discuss them with your doctor, you could be making matters worse and putting yourself through unnecessary suffering.
Therefore, here are four signs that you may be experiencing a bladder problem, and believe us when we say you don’t want to ignore these signs. Many people don’t speak to their doctor about bladder problems because they are either embarrassed or they believe there isn’t much that can be done about it. Well, unfortunately, they are wrong, as there are many different treatments available for a variety of bladder problems. The first step is to recognize the signs, so you can speak to your doctor.
4 Signs You May Have a Bladder Problem
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Blood in your urine: Sometimes, blood is very evident in your urine, as the color appears pink or red. Other times, blood is microscopic and can only be seen in a laboratory. When you can visibly see red, you should immediately visit your doctor for further testing. You should also go for routine physical exams, where your doctor checks a urine sample to check for microscopic traces of blood.
Blood in urine can be a sign of a variety of things including infection, kidney or bladder stones, or even bladder cancer, so it’s best that you have yourself checked out.
Darker urine: Healthy urine should be a pale-yellow, so anything darker is your body’s way of letting you know to drink more water. If you do drink more water and your urine color doesn’t improve, then you should speak to your doctor.
You’re visiting the bathroom more frequently: Some of us just have a small bladder, while others drink a lot of water, which prompts them to visit the bathroom. But if those two scenarios don’t sound like you yet you find yourself visiting a bathroom more often, then something is going on. This is a sign of an overactive bladder and can occur for several different reasons including older age, enlarged prostate, or even infection. Changes to your bathroom routine should be discussed with your doctor.
Painful or cloudy urine: If it hurts to pee or your urine appears cloudy in color, this could be a sign of an infection, especially if there is a strong odor present. A simple urine test can uncover the cause of your cloudy, smelly, painful urine.
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Related:
Frequent urination: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment tips
Prevent bladder infection: Natural ways and lifestyle tips to boost bladder health
