MS and bladder problems – natural helpers to try at home

MS and bladder problems unfortunately often go hand in hand

Having an overactive bladder is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), and, as well as medication, there are natural ways to help soothe your bladder that can help.

Diet

Certain food and drink can make things worse. Everyone person is different, And what one person finds irritating to the bladder, another will have no issue with, and so it’s often a process of elimination.

The following foods are known to be irritants so it may be worth keeping a food and drink diary, eliminating certain ones for a few days at a time, and noting down any change in symptoms.

• alcohol
• artificial sweeteners
• caffeine
• chocolate
• citrus fruits and juices
• cranberry juice
• dairy
• fizzy drinks
• spicy foods
• sugar and honey
• tomatoes
• vinegar

Liquid intake

It’s tempting to limit liquid intake when you have bladder issues, but this can lead to more problems. Plus if your bladder is overly sensitive, concentrated urine will only irritate it more.

To avoid multiple trips to the loo in the night, avoid liquid for two or three hours before bed, and during the day aim to have six glasses of water.

Bladder training

There are ways to slowly train your bladder to reduce urgency which can be done easily at home. For example one method is to try and delay going to the toilet by five minutes every time the urge to urinate happens. Try to increase your ‘holding’ time up to three hours if you can.

Kegel exercises

These involve squeezing your pelvic floor muscles to strengthen them. To find the muscle, stop urinating mid-stream. This is your pelvic floor.

To exercise them, squeeze them for ten seconds, and then relax them for three seconds. Repeat this ten times. Try doing three sets of ten of these exercises daily – they can be done anywhere, even while watching TV.

For more information, download our Bladder and Bowell Choices booklet.