Can Tobacco and Alcohol use Cause Urinary Incontinence?

One out of four adults aged 20-64 years old experience urinary incontinence (problem controlling the bladder.) There are many reasons why someone may be suffering from this condition.

These include pregnancy, childbirth, obesity, constipation or diarrhea, smoking, and other bad health habits. Here are some general tips to prevent urinary incontinence.

There are many things you can do to reduce the risk of getting urinary incontinence. The first thing you should do is stop smoking. If you already have, try not to expose yourself more to situations where it may be difficult for you to get away from people who smoke, as second-hand smoke may also lead to incontinence.

Make sure to eat healthy foods. Try to keep your weight at an optimum level, which means neither too fat nor too thin. Part of this is also making sure you are drinking the right amount of water each day.

When you feel the need to urinate, just go ahead and do so as soon as possible because holding it for long may lead to urinary incontinence. This is because the longer it stays in your bladder, the stronger its urge to be emptied will be.

Exercise often and include strength exercises and cardiovascular workouts such as walking, jogging, or yoga.

Can Tobacco cause urinary incontinence?

If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, you most likely got it through some kind of bad habit. Tobacco use, for one, is a big contributor to incontinence. 

Nicotine found in cigarettes and other tobacco products can cause problems with bladder control. Not only by reducing the blood flow but also by affecting the nerve signals that trigger muscles to release urine.

Tobacco also contains over two hundred chemicals, some of which may also contribute to incontinence. Tobacco can irritate your bladder and urethra, leading to the weakening of your bladder.

This may cause leakage or a burning sensation when passing urine, making it difficult to keep still for too long. Tobacco can also cause you to become constipated or develop bladder infections.

Tobacco use, for one, is a big contributor to incontinence. Nicotine found in cigarettes and other tobacco products can adversely affect your bladder control by reducing blood flow to the pelvis and affecting nerve signals that trigger muscles to release urine.

Tobacco may irritate your bladder and urethra, weakening your bladder.

Can alcohol cause urinary incontinence?

Alcohol is another factor that contributes to urinary incontinence. It can affect your bladder control by making you urinate more often than usual.

Alcohol also irritates the bladder lining, which may lead to pain and discomfort when passing urine. This may cause some people to hold their urine for as long as possible because of the distress, which can if prolonged, lead to loss of bladder control.

Alcohol may also cause you to make more trips to the bathroom at night, causing you to lose sleep and resulting in fatigue. 

Alcohol may reduce the strength of your bladder and urethral muscles, which makes it difficult to hold urine in.

The next time you decide to party or binge drink, remember that alcohol may affect how your bladder functions for a few days after.

Can recreational drugs cause urinary incontinence?

Recreational drugs can also cause you to become incontinent. Some of these include ecstasy, LSD, and marijuana, among others.

These substances may damage the brain cells that are responsible for controlling urine flow. Ecstasy is known to change the regulation levels in the blood, which then affects signals from the bladder muscles, which control when it lets go or holds urine.

Ecstasy also causes memory and attention problems that may lead to confusion and difficulty understanding instructions on how to do things like go to the bathroom before an event or activity where you will be without access to a restroom for a long time.

Marijuana used by many people during recreational activities can affect your bladder control by causing anxiety, irritability, and panic attacks.

These conditions may lead the person to hold urine due to increased tension, resulting in loss of bladder control.

LSD, which some people use as a recreational drug, also affects the brain cells that control urination, thus resulting in the leakage of small amounts of urine during unexpected events or times.

This is because LSD interferes with the signals sent by the bladder to inform your brain when it is time to go to the bathroom.

People who use LSD may urinate more often because of the drug’s diuretic effect which increases urine flow.

Unexpected or sudden leakage of small amounts of urine can also be caused by medications used to treat conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

These drugs affect chemicals in your brain, which can cause your bladder muscles to squeeze without you knowing. This can lead to leakage and even urinary incontinence in some cases.

The effects of recreational drugs on your bladder control will depend on the type of drug being used, dosage, and frequency of use, among other factors. The best way to safeguard yourself from this is by abstaining or avoiding them completely.

When to see a doctor if you experience bladder control issues?

If you are experiencing incontinence or bladder control issues, it is advisable to seek medical attention to determine the underlying cause.

Urinary incontinence can be treated depending on the severity of your condition. Mild cases are handled through changes in one’s lifestyle and habits, while more serious issues are best managed by surgery or medication.

A newer device called Emsella uses high-frequency electromagnetic stimulation and may be the easiest and most effective non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence with no downtime.

How Prime MD Plus can help

Urinary incontinence is a common problem, especially among older adults. Prime MD Plus can help evaluate the underlying causes of upper and lower urinary tract symptoms and create a treatment plan.

Our board-certified geriatrician will take a comprehensive medical history and perform a physical exam to evaluate for a urinary tract infection and your risk to develop bladder cancer.

Prime MD Plus can provide bladder cancer screenings, treat urinary tract infections, and lower bladder cancer risk by helping to minimize risk factors.

We can also recommend conservative treatments, such as Emsella, pelvic floor exercises, dietary changes, and bladder training.

If you are experiencing urinary incontinence, please call us to schedule an appointment.

Conclusion

Urinary incontinence can be caused by various factors, including medical conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia, bladder cancer, urinary tract infections, stress incontinence, overactive bladder, as well as surgeries, and habits like cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

Recreational drugs may also be bladder irritants and contribute to the loss of bladder control.

When experiencing urinary incontinence or difficulty controlling one’s bladder, seeking medical attention for accurate diagnosis and treatment options is advisable.

If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, why wait?

Prime MD Plus provides professional medical help in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for urinary incontinence, non-invasively, with or without medication.

To learn more about urinary incontinence treatments and how we reduce urine leakage, check out primemdplus.com to request an appointment.