Is that normal? Urinary health edition

“Is that normal?” or some version of this question is invariably asked in 99% of our pelvic floor physical therapy appointments, and we love to answer it! We have all been taught to accept so many things as normal about the ways our bodies and pelvic floors function, especially women, and so many times those things are unacceptable. So today we wanted to talk about what’s normal when it comes to a very hot topic around here: bladder function. What’s normal, what’s common but not normal, and what’s a cause for concern. Let’s get into it!

What's Normal:

Frequency: A healthy, normal urination pattern means you’re visiting the bathroom about every two to four hours, give or take, or a total of around six to eight times per day.

Color: Ideally your urine will consistently be a very faint yellow color and not particularly odorous.

Urgency: You should have anywhere from 10-30 minutes between the thought of going to the bathroom entering your mind and the urge being strong enough to actually need a bathroom.

Flow: When you sit down to void your bladder, the urine should flow effortlessly and painlessly. It should sound like a bell curve, so it should gradually increase in intensity and then taper off at the end.

What's NOT Normal:

Leaking: This might be the number one offense we see doctors commit when it comes to older and postpartum women. Leaking is common but not normal. There is absolutely no excuse for trained medical professionals setting the expectation that women will have to worry about peeing their pants every time they sneeze or workout for the rest of their lives. We can absolutely help you with this.

Constant urgency: Do you find yourself running to the bathroom every 30 minutes to an hour? There could be a few reasons why. First, if you run to the toilet the second the thought of having to pee enters your mind, or you are a practitioner of “just in case peeing.” Your body is wiring itself to go anytime the urge arises. Second, if you consume a lot of caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, or citrus, these are all bladder irritants that can contribute to high frequency. Practice putting off the urge, or drink more flat water and fewer carbonated and caffeinated beverages, and you may be able to reduce your frequency back to normal levels.

Brown or fluorescent urine: Unless you just took your Vitamin B supplement, you are probably dehydrated. Make sure you’re drinking enough water, especially if you consume a lot of caffeine or salt. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water, daily.

Straining to pee: You shouldn’t have to strain to pee, and you should also never stop your urine mid-stream. NO KEGELS WHILE PEEING.

What's A Cause For Concern:

Pain: If you experience burning or pain around your vulva when you urinate, you may have a UTI or yeast infection. These typically require treatment to clear up and there is no reason for you to suffer, so please visit your doctor and get an appropriate prescription to help. (And please be VERY careful about just purchasing something over the counter as many women have additional pain and other adverse reactions to options like Monistat). If you feel sharp pain higher up in your abdomen or in your back when you urinate, this may be a sign of a bladder infection or kidney issues and requires immediate medical attention.

Blood: We’re not talking period blood, we’re talking blood coming from your bladder. This could be a sign of something much more serious and should be addressed by a medical professional immediately.

Uncontrollable urinary urges: We addressed high frequency earlier, but if the urge to urinate hits you and immediately feels uncontrollable, this could also be a sign of a bigger issue.

Inability to urinate: If you are on the other end of the frequency spectrum and find it difficult or impossible to urinate, please consult your doctor. This may be something simple like a side effect of a medication, but allowing urine to back up for an extended period of time can be extremely dangerous.

If you are experiencing any of these urinary health symptoms and are looking for a pelvic floor physical therapist in Kansas City, Well + Core is here for you! Schedule a free 15-minute consultation today.