Words you never want to hear. The thing you love most, is causing you your greatest pain.
If you are like me and are one of the unlucky 50-60 percent of womenwho has suffered from the ungodly excruciation of a UTI (urinary tract infection), you are on a first-name-basis with misery and pain. The irritation, the burning sensation and urge to pee even though you’ve squeezed out every last nonexistent drop, darn it! It can be bad enough to leave anyone folded over on the bathroom floor for hours.
You’re off to your doctor’s office (youknow what a UTI feels like you can practically diagnose yourself). Nonetheless, before you can snatch those antibiotics to crush this thing once and for all, the doctor says your urine test is negative and you don’t have a UTI.
This is exceedingly frustrating; you’re in pain, you have felt this exact sensation more times than J-Law has tripped on a ball gown and yet you’re being told there is nothing wrong.
As my doctor informed me on my last symptomatic episode, some people just have irritable bladders. Simple as that. There is even a condition called overactive bladder(OAB). Symptoms may feel very similar to a UTI, like the frequency and urgency to urinate. Caffeine consumption and reoccurring UTI’s are listedas factors that can cause symptoms of an OAB. Another condition with comparable symptoms is interstitial cystitis or chronic inflammation of the bladder. Consult with your doctor if you think you may have OAB or interstitial cystitis. Even if you don’t have one of these conditions, it is entirely possible that your bladder is just extra sensitive.
While on my visit, my doctor further explained to me that I had set myself up for the discomfort and urgency before I had even brushed my teeth— that’s right my beloved, routine cup of coffee was doing this to me.
While that morning cup of brew may get your wheels turning, it is also a known major bladder irritant. I had always assumed the reason I felt an immediate urgency after my first sip was due to the coffee’s dehydrating effect. Dehydrationis one of the risk factors for UTI’s. As it turns out, the coffee itself was actually irritating my bladder every time I had a cup. It was causing those agonizing symptoms that tricked me into thinking I had a UTI and sending me on unnecessary trips to the doctor.
Coffee itself cannot cause a UTI. However, it is a culprit in intensifying existing infection symptoms and disturbing your bladder— infection or not. People with irritable bladders might be more easily effected by coffee consumption.
If coffee is bringing you more suffering than joy, try opting for a non-caffeinated tea instead. Fresh ginger tea is a great alternative to caffeine as it has naturally energizing properties. Whether you have decided to cut the caffeine out of your morning regimen or not, drinking plenty of water is always a good idea when it comes to bladder irritation.