Stress can also cause symptoms of a chronic urinary condition called interstitial cystitis (IC) to flare up. In a 2019 study involving children and teens with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), researchers found that around 20 percent had significantly higher stress than those without symptoms.
stress. Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is a condition of the bladder that is thought to occur in connection with stress and anxiety. There may be factors in the home that are causing stress and anxiety, but these may be subtle, or unexpected, as FIC cats often have a low tolerance for even the smallest stressors.
If you suffer from high stress levels or anxiety, you might also develop a urinary tract infection. Can stress cause a UTI? Not directly. However, stress can increase your cortisol levels, which can affect your immune system and make you more prone to infections.
Feeding wet food only and increasing your cat's water intake can also help to dilute the urine and reduce irritation of the bladder wall. The best way to try and prevent recurrence of stress cystitis is to reduce stress and anxiety.
Causes of cystitis
Cystitis is usually caused by bacteria from poo getting into the tube that carries urine out of your body (urethra). Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder and cause an infection.
Try to relieve as much stress as you can if Interstitial Cystitis (IC) pain is getting you down. Stress does not cause IC, but if you have IC, stress can cause a flare. Physical stress and mental stress can lead to flares. Remember, every flare will settle down and worrying about it only prolongs the discomfort.
Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
The study discovered that women who drank an additional 1.5 liters of water had 50% fewer episodes of recurrent cystitis, and required fewer antibiotics than women who did not drink additional fluid.
Stress by itself doesn't cause UTIs, but it can make you more susceptible to infections and other illnesses by harming your immune system. Stress can also trigger or worsen urinary tract symptoms — even if you don't have a UTI.
When you're anxious, the muscles tense up and your body puts pressure on areas like your bladder and your abdomen. This pressure may also cause you to need to urinate more often. Those with anxiety may also feel more physically tired from all of their anxiety symptoms, and this too may lead to more frequent urination.
stress affects urinary bladder function and has been reported to exacerbate signs/symptoms of urinary bladder dysfunction in overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, bladder outlet obstruction, and spinal cord injury-induced bladder dysfunction.
Commonly, cystitis clears up on its own within a few days. During this time there are cystitis treatments you can buy over the counter to help relieve any pain you are experiencing. These include cystitis sachets which contain potassium or sodium citrate.
Alkalising the urine may help to sooth the bladder. Bicarbonate of soda, 5 ml (one teaspoon) in half a glass of water, 2 - 3 times a day. However, due to its high salt content it should only be taken for short periods of time.
In the early phase of IC the symptom flares are intermittent in most patients. Over time symptoms increase and pain cycles may appear and last for 3-14 days. When these cycles become more frequent and last longer they are likely to be referred to a specialist.
The cause of interstitial cystitis (IC) is unknown. Researchers are looking at many theories to understand the causes of IC and find the best treatments. Most people with IC find that certain foods make their symptoms worse.
The Difference Between a UTI and IC
In women who have interstitial cystitis, urine culture results will be negative, meaning that no bacteria are found in the urine as with a urinary tract infection. With IC, women may also experience pain during sexual intercourse, another symptom not commonly associated with a UTI.
There is a positive correlation between psychological stress levels and the severity of urgency and bladder pain symptoms in IC/BPS [3].
Relax your abdominals and on your next deep breath, inhale down into your lower abdomen. This relaxes your pelvic floor muscles. As you reduce physical stress symptoms, you're combating both anxiety and overactive bladder.
Chronic psychological stress can affect urinary function and exacerbate lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction (LUTD), particularly in patients with overactive bladder (OAB) or interstitial cystitis–bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).