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Foods That Cause Urinary Retention to Aggravate

Urinary retention is the inability to completely empty the bladder. This condition is not only uncomfortable but can be dangerous as well. Before knowing about the foods that aggravate urinary retention, let us understand about urinary retention and its types.

Acute urinary retention occurs all of a sudden and lasts only for a short duration. Acute variants can be potentially life-threatening. They can result in great discomfort or pain and require immediate medical treatment.

While chronic urinary retention most often happens because of a medical condition and can last for long. Chronic variants of the condition allow a small amount of urine output, causing the sufferers to feel like they have not completely emptied their bladders.

Urinary retention treatment is designed to correct the problem of inability to fully empty the bladder. Urinary retention more commonly affects older men. While no direct link exists between urinary retention and diet, certain foods are known to irritate the bladder. These are the foods that aggravate urinary retention and worsen the problem.

This can be mainly related to the possibility that your body reacts in a particular way to certain foods. These particular changes caused by certain foods can be linked to the aggravation of urinary retention. For example, unsatisfactory bowel movements, bloating or stomach upset can cause pressure and worsen urinary retention. Hence, foods that cause such relevant problems are some of the foods that aggravate urinary retention.

While it depends on the severity of urinary retention and health of a person, it is worth seeking medical opinion to understand the role of your diet in worsening urinary retention. As each person is different, the complaints and extent may vary, but knowing about such foods can help to plan a healthy diet.

Foods That Cause Urinary Retention to Aggravate

Foods That Cause Constipation – Constipation can lead to urinary retention. Hence, foods that aggravate urinary retention are those that can cause constipation. So, by avoiding such foods, and having more of foods that improve bowel movements, the problem of urinary retention can be managed effectively. For preventing constipation and aggravation of urinary retention, processed foods like sweets, white bread, French fries, hot dogs, and fast food should be avoided. Instead of these, more of whole grains, high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans should be consumed. Skipping meals can also increase the risk of constipation. Hence, one should avoid missing meals when suffering from urinary retention.

Artificial Additives – People with urinary retention often experience pressure and discomfort in the lower abdominal region. Medical experts believe that artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame K, can increase bladder discomfort. Similarly foods containing artificial colors, preservatives and other additives must be avoided as these can affect digestion and cause pressure in the lower abdomen. All these are the foods that aggravate urinary retention by worsening discomfort in abdomen. By avoiding these chemicals laden sweeteners and additives, one can give them self the best chance of treating their problem of urinary retention.

Acidic and Spicy Foods – Some people experience bladder issues after having acidic and spicy foods. Vinegars, citrus fruit and juice, pineapples, tomatoes and tomato products are examples of acidic foods. Spicy foods include curry, hot peppers, chili sauce and powder, horseradish, and barbecue sauce. Certain cuisines, like Mexican, Indian and Thai, are known to be spicy too. These can be some of the foods that aggravate urinary retention by causing bowel and bladder issues. Whether one needs to avoid acidic or spicy foods would depend on the way the foods affect the person individually. Keeping a food diary and monitoring the symptoms can help in identifying the foods that cause urinary retention to aggravate and foods that don’t, so as to plan a healthy diet.

Caffeinated Foods and Drinks – As a diuretic, caffeine can aggravate symptoms linked with urinary retention, like urgency and frequency of urination. Caffeine is present in different foods and drinks, like chocolate, tea and coffee. Hence, such foods that aggravate urinary retention are best avoided. Doctors believe that by limiting the intake of caffeine to 100 mg per day, the symptoms of urinary retention can be reduced. 1 cup coffee contains 135 to 200 mg, 1 cup of tea has 15 to 50 mg and 1 piece of sweet chocolate has 19 mg of caffeine.

This is a list of common foods that cause urinary retention to aggravate. However, for some, there may be other foods too that aggravate the condition. Hence, it is best to keep a close watch on the way diet influences urinary retention symptoms and necessary action must be taken with medical advice.

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Foods That Cause Urinary Retention to Aggravate