Carbonated beverages, like soda. Artificial sweeteners, found in diet sodas and many “reduced sugar” candies, baked goods, chewing gum and breakfast cereals. Alcohol, including beer, wine and spirits. Acidic foods, like citrus fruits and tomatoes.
The American Urological Association also recognizes some foods as potentially having a calming effect on sensitive bladders. These foods include pears, bananas, green beans, squash, potatoes, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, bread, and eggs.
The two basic types of damage to the bladder by trauma are bruises and tears. Blunt injury (a bruise) is damage caused by blows to the bladder. Penetrating injury (a tear) is damage caused by something piercing through the bladder. Almost everyone who has a blunt injury to the bladder will see blood in the urine.
Cystitis (sis-TIE-tis) is the medical term for inflammation of the bladder. Inflammation is when a part of your body is swollen and hot. It can also be painful. Most of the time, cystitis happens when there's an infection caused by bacteria.
The bladder is a master at self-repair. When damaged by infection or injury, the organ can mend itself quickly, calling upon specialized cells in its lining to repair tissue and restore a barrier against harmful materials concentrated in urine.
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.
Symptoms may include: Frequent urination. Feelings of pressure, pain, and tenderness around the bladder, pelvis, and perineum (the area between the anus and vagina or anus and scrotum) Painful sexual intercourse.
Overall, nearly all extraperitoneal bladder injuries heal within 3 weeks. However, if surgery is pursued for other indications, extraperitoneal bladder injuries may be repaired surgically in the same setting if the patient is stable.
The bladder is lined by a pseudo-stratified transitional urothelium continuously repopulated by a urothelial stem cell (USC). The rate of turnover of the cells in the normal transitional epithelium is slow but continuous: it takes more than 200 days for the progeny of a USC to mature and eventually be shed.
Tomatoes – The acidity in tomatoes may irritate your bladder. Foods that contain tomatoes, such as pasta or pizza sauce, ketchup and salsa, may also affect symptoms. Citrus fruits – Foods like oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes are also acidic and can affect bladder control.
Milk/Dairy Products Avoid: aged cheeses, sour cream, yogurt and choco- late. Okay to try: white chocolate, non-aged cheeses such as cottage or American, frozen yogurt and milk. Vegetables Avoid: fava beans, lima beans, onions, tofu, soy beans & soy-based products, and tomatoes.
You should start by eliminating, or at least cutting down, on the top seven irritants: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, alcohol, artificial sweeteners and cigarettes. You should allow at least two weeks without the food or drink before noticing any change in your bladder control.
Heat & Cold Therapy
Depending on the type of flare-up, the application of heat and cold therapy can prove helpful in reducing the pain and inflammation linked to Interstitial Cystitis.
A person with interstitial cystitis can include the following foods in their diet: Certain fruits: avocados, bananas, blueberries, melons, pears, apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins. Some vegetables: asparagus, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, beets, eggplant, peas, mushrooms, and spinach. Grains: oats and rice.
Treating IC Flares from Strenuous Exercise
Yoga, pilates, and brisk walking will put less pressure on the pelvic area. However, if you do experience a flare from exercise, take some time to relax, have a warm sitz bath, and place an ice pack or a heating pad on the perineum for 20-30 minutes for relief.
End-stage interstitial cystitis is defined as a hard bladder that triggers intense pain and possesses very low bladder capacity. Many cases of end-stage interstitial cystitis involve Hunner's ulcers. Also known as “end-stage IC”, only about 5% of IC patients develop this severe condition.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) or IC/BPS is an issue of long-term bladder pain. It may feel like a bladder or urinary tract infection, but it's not. It is a feeling of discomfort and pressure in the bladder area that lasts for six weeks or more with no infection or other clear cause.
Certain medicines that you take by mouth (oral medications) may improve signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), to relieve pain.
Blueberries, bananas, watermelon, pears, papaya, and apricots are generally “safe” fruits that should not irritate the bladder.
However, many people don't realize that eating yogurt can also play a positive role in your bladder's health too. Yogurt has active bacteria known as probiotics that your body needs. Studies show that eating yogurt may even reduce the risk of developing bladder cancer by keeping the cells of your bladder healthy.
Almonds, cashews and peanuts are healthy snacks and rich in protein. Eggs. Also rich in protein, eggs are on several lists as one of the "least bothersome" foods for bladder conditions.
Researchers learned that the bladder's intitial response emphasizes shedding cells from internal walls to reduce bacterial load. Large numbers of bacteria bind to bladder cell surfaces, so shedding this wall tissue is a natural immune defense.