Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Relieve Cramps by Strengthening Muscles
• Part 2 of 4: Change your lifestyle
• Part 3 of 4: Medical Assistance
• Part 4 of 4: Determining the Causes of Bladder Spasms

Each of us has experienced pressure in the bladder, which signals that it is time to go to the restroom. However, with spasms of the bladder, this pressure increases sharply, and an uncontrollable urge to urinate makes it impossible to postpone going to the toilet until a more convenient time. Bladder spasms are involuntary contractions of the muscles that control the bladder. They happen suddenly and cause an uncontrollable urge to urinate. Bladder spasms can be quite painful and can lead to urinary incontinence. They can cause a condition known as overactive bladder, or urge incontinence. Fortunately, there are methods that can help you control your bladder.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Relieve Cramps by Strengthening Muscles

1. 1 Strengthen your pelvic muscles. Exercises for the muscles of the perineum (Kegel exercises) help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder. Men can do these exercises too! First of all, it is necessary to identify the corresponding muscles.
   • When urinating, contract the muscles and stop the flow of urine. In doing so, you will feel one of those muscles that support the pelvic floor and bladder. Do not hold back the flow of urine for too long, as this can lead to other problems, including causing a urinary tract infection.
   • Another way to determine the right muscles is to imagine that you are trying not to release gas from the intestines in a public place. This will compress the corresponding pelvic floor muscles.
2. 2 Consult your doctor. A doctor or physical therapist can help you find the pelvic floor muscles that you need to strengthen.
   • Once you find the muscles you want, try not to tense or squeeze other muscles while doing the exercises, as this can increase the pressure on the bladder.
   • Don't hold your breath while exercising.
3. 3 Exercise frequently and in various positions. If your doctor recognizes that pelvic floor exercises can be beneficial, do them three times a day in three different positions.
   • Do the exercises while lying, sitting, and standing.
   • Squeeze the muscles for three seconds, then relax them for three seconds. Tighten and relax your muscles 10-15 times in each position.
   • Squeeze the muscles longer after you get used to these exercises.
4. 4 Be patient. It may take up to two months before you feel your bladder spasms become less frequent and less intense.
   • Keep in mind that strengthening your pelvic floor muscles with exercise is just one part of a treatment that can help you heal your bladder spasms.

Part 2 of 4: Change your lifestyle

1. 1 Empty your bladder in time. Notice the times of day when you are most likely to experience cramps and incontinence. Schedule bathroom visits throughout the day. Stick to this schedule for several weeks and empty your bladder often enough to avoid cramping and incontinence.
   • Gradually increase the intervals between toilet visits. This will train your bladder to hold a little more fluid and strengthen your muscles, which will help prevent cramping.
   • Avoid drinking fluids two hours before bed to better control your bladder at night.
2. 2 Monitor your diet. Certain foods can trigger bladder spasms. Pay attention to what you eat and cut out foods that contribute to cramping.
   • Acidic foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, as well as spicy foods, contribute to bladder spasms.
   • Chocolate and foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners can cause bladder spasms.
3. 3 Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake. Drinks high in caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and soda, can trigger bladder spasms. The same is true for drinks with a high acid content, such as citrus juices.
   • Alcohol and caffeinated drinks lead to rapid filling of the bladder, which leads to incontinence and spasms.
   • Drinks high in citrus fruits can irritate the bladder and cause cramping.
   • Try to drink a little throughout the day rather than drinking a lot of fluids at one time.
4. 4 Do not use bubble bath. Harsh detergents and bubble bath ingredients can cause bladder spasms.
   • The ingredients in bubble baths and scented and harsh detergents can irritate the bladder and cause cramping.
5. 5 Monitor your weight. Being overweight puts extra pressure on the bladder. Talk to your doctor about a weight loss plan and lose weight to better control your bladder.
6. 6 Stop smoking. In addition to being unhealthy in general, smoking irritates the muscles in the bladder. This bad habit irritates the lungs, which causes a chronic “smoker's cough”. The cough, in turn, contributes to bladder spasms and incontinence.
   • Talk to your doctor about your plans to quit smoking. For more information on this topic, see How to Quit Smoking.

Part 3 of 4: Medical Assistance

1. 1 Ask your doctor about medications. Certain medications have been found to help control the bladder. Some active ingredients prevent incontinence, while others control unwanted muscle contractions, i.e. spasms.
   • Anticholinergics and bronchodilators prevent certain muscles from contracting.For spasms, these drugs help reduce unwanted bladder contractions. The medicines in this group include propantheline bromide, oxybutynin, tolterodine tartrate, darifenacin, trospium chloride and solifenacin succinate. These drugs can cause dry mouth and other side effects such as constipation, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, and drowsiness.
   • In some cases, tricyclic antidepressants can be used, which also have anticholinergic effects. The most commonly prescribed drugs are imipramine hydrochloride and doxepin. These substances help control bladder smooth muscle.
   • Your doctor may prescribe alpha-blockers, which reduce bladder contractions and relax the muscles, which can help alleviate the symptoms of an overactive bladder. Common drugs in this class include prazosin and phenoxybenzamine.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about possible drug interactions. All medicines have certain side effects, and many of them interact with other medicines. Often this interaction can lead to serious complications.
   • Your doctor will review the medications you are taking and determine if additional medications for bladder spasms can be prescribed.
3. 3 Check with your doctor before trying alternative therapies or taking any herbal remedies. Be careful. There is insufficient evidence that alternative therapies and herbal remedies help with bladder spasms. Be sure to check with your doctor before using herbal remedies and alternative methods as they can interact with the medications you are taking and complicate your health problems.
   • The effectiveness of alternative and herbal remedies for treating bladder problems, including spasms, has been evaluated in few human studies.
   • There is some evidence for the benefits of Japanese and Chinese herbal remedies, but the results are very limited and insufficient to warrant a recommendation for the treatment of bladder spasms.
4. 4 Consider using acupuncture. Some studies suggest that acupuncture can help with overactive bladder and spasms. Ask your doctor to recommend a suitable acupuncture specialist who is experienced in bladder treatment.
   • Look for a qualified acupuncture practitioner who is licensed to do so. Such a specialist will be able to provide you with appropriate assistance.
   • Tell your doctor what alternative methods you are going to use. In this case, specialists will be able to coordinate their efforts, which will allow achieving maximum results.
5. 5 Ask your doctor about electrical stimulation. To prevent sudden spasms, electrical stimulation equipment (such as an electromyostimulation device) is sometimes used to periodically stimulate nerves and muscles. Generally, electrostimulation is not considered a first-line treatment.
   • Many of these devices require minor surgery to insert the electrodes.
   • These methods are most often used to control bladder problems, whether or not they are directly related to spasms. Electrical stimulation is often used for overactive bladder syndrome, stress urinary incontinence, or urinary incontinence.
6. 6 Think about a possible surgery. For spasms of the bladder and related problems, surgeries are performed, the purpose of which is to get rid of the cause. Your doctor will tell you in detail about the possible risks and benefits of surgery.
   • For bladder spasms, surgery is recommended only for patients with excessive overactive contraction muscle, which causes severe and painful bladder spasms, and for those who have not been helped by other treatments.

Part 4 of 4: Determining the Causes of Bladder Spasms

1. 1 Consider muscle weakening. The bladder is controlled by several muscle groups. These are the muscles of the sphincter, the muscles of the abdominal walls and the muscle of the bladder itself. Most often, bladder spasms are associated with contractile smooth muscle, which is the main muscle of the bladder wall.
   • The contractile muscle is made up of smooth muscle fibers that are part of the bladder wall. When this muscle contracts with the muscles of the abdominal wall, the contents of the bladder are forced into the urinary tract. Nevertheless, all of the muscle groups listed above are involved in emptying the bladder, and the problem can be associated with any of them, so it is necessary to see a doctor to determine an accurate diagnosis.
   • The sphincter muscle compresses the opening of the bladder, which helps to retain fluid in the bladder. When the brain signals that it is time to empty the bladder, the sphincter muscle relaxes and allows urine to flow into the urethra.
   • The urethra, or urethra, is the tube that extends from the bladder to the outside.
   • The muscles in the abdominal walls are relaxed when the bladder is empty or gradually fills with urine. These muscles stretch slightly as the bladder enlarges.
   • The muscles of the abdominal wall and the sphincter muscle jointly control the bladder. When the brain tells you to urinate, the muscles in the abdominal walls contract and press against the bladder, causing urine to flow into the urethra.
   • Muscles and the nervous system work together to efficiently communicate with the brain and provide conscious control of the emptying of the bladder. A problem with any of the muscles or nerves involved can lead to bladder spasms.
2. 2 Be aware that nerve damage can cause bladder spasms. The nerves in the bladder are part of a complex communication system that exchanges signals with the brain.
   • Nerves in the bladder and abdominal wall tell the brain that the bladder is full and needs to be emptied.
   • When you do this, you feel pressure, which lets you know it's time to empty your bladder.
   • Damaged nerves can send signals to muscles to contract at the wrong time, causing spasms.
   • Diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke affect the signals that cause the bladder to contract.
   • Nerve damage can also be caused by spinal surgery, pelvic disease or surgery, spinal problems such as a herniated disc, and exposure to radiation.
3. 3 Eliminate the chance of infection. Sudden muscle spasms can be caused by a bladder or kidney infection. The irritation caused by the infection causes the muscles in the bladder to contract, resulting in spasms. In this case, bladder problems are temporary and will go away after you get rid of the infection.
   • If you suspect you may have a bladder or kidney infection, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your doctor will prescribe the right antibiotic to help you fight the infection.
   • Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include a strong and frequent urge to urinate, small amounts of urine, burning or pain during urination, cloudy or discolored urine, visible signs of blood in the urine, strong-smelling urine, and pelvic pain.
4. 4 Talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking. Certain medications can cause bladder spasms.Consult your doctor if you are taking medication for other conditions.
   • Not all medications can cause bladder problems. Even though a drug can cause these problems, it does not cause them in all people.
   • Do not stop taking medications or replace them with other medications. Talk to your doctor about bladder spasms and any medications you are taking before doing anything.
   • If you are taking medications that can cause bladder spasms, talk to your doctor about changing your dosage. This may help to relieve the cramps while continuing to take the drug.
   • Drugs such as sedatives, sedatives, muscle relaxants, diuretics, and drugs to treat nerve damage (such as fibromyalgia) can lead to problems with bladder control.
5. 5 Use a suitable catheter. In many cases, for spasms of the bladder, catheters are used, which are inserted either by the doctor or by the patient himself.
   • The body perceives the catheter as a foreign body and tries to get rid of it through muscle contractions, or spasms.
   • Ask your doctor about the most comfortable catheter for you. The catheter should be of suitable size and made of a material that will cause less irritation.
6. 6 Please note that there may be several reasons. It so happens that bladder spasms are associated with several reasons.
   • For example, you may have weakened muscles or slightly damaged nerves, but you may not experience bladder spasms. However, if you add factors such as being overweight or drinking caffeinated beverages to weakened muscles or damaged nerves, this may be enough to trigger bladder spasms.
   • Understanding that multiple factors can cause bladder problems can help you get rid of these problems by combining several different treatments.