How Menopause Impacts the Bladder

Introduction:

Menopause is a significant life stage for women, marked by the cessation of menstruation and a series of hormonal changes. While many people are aware of the more well-known symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and mood swings, the impact of menopause on the bladder is often overlooked. In this blog, we'll delve into how menopause affects the bladder and discuss strategies for managing these changes.

Menopause and Bladder Health:

Menopause, which typically occurs around age 50, is primarily triggered by a decrease in estrogen levels. Estrogen, the primary female sex hormone, plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of various tissues in the vagina and vulva, including those surrounding the bladder and urethra. When estrogen levels decline, several changes can affect bladder health:

1. Vaginal Dryness: Decreased estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness. This dryness can make the bladder and urethra more prone to irritation and infection, leading to increased urinary urgency and frequency.

2. Thinner vaginal and vulvar tissues: The vaginal and vulvar tissues have estrogen receptors in them. When estrogen decreases, these tissues not only become drier, they also become thinner, giving less support to the bladder and pelvic organs.

3. Urinary Incontinence: Estrogen's role in supporting the bladder's lining and sphincter muscles is crucial. Reduced estrogen levels can contribute to urinary incontinence, both stress incontinence (coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising) and urge incontinence, characterized by sudden, strong urges to urinate that are challenging to control.

4. Increased UTI Risk: Lower estrogen levels may also make the urinary tract more susceptible to infections because of the thinner, drier tissues, increasing the likelihood of urinary tract infections (UTIs) during menopause.

Managing Bladder Changes During Menopause:

The good news is that there are several strategies for managing the impact of menopause on the bladder:

1. Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT): This used to be called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend hormones to address the estrogen deficiency and alleviate symptoms related to bladder health. This could be pills, patches or creams.

2. Vaginal Estrogen: This is a localized cream that is put directly on the vaginal tissues and can help with dryness as well as increasing the thickness of the tissues for better bladder support.

3. Pelvic Floor Exercises: Kegel exercises and other pelvic floor exercises can help strengthen the muscles that support the bladder and improve continence.

4. Dietary and Lifestyle Changes: Staying hydrated, minimizing bladder irritants like caffeine and alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight can help manage bladder symptoms.

5. Medications: For women with more severe symptoms, prescription medications can be effective in controlling overactive bladder or incontinence.

6. Vaginal Moisturizers and Lubricants: These can help alleviate vaginal dryness and its associated discomfort. There are many over the counter options available or prescription ones, too.

7. Behavioral Techniques: Scheduled bathroom breaks, biofeedback, and bladder training can help regulate bladder function.

Conclusion:

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman's life. While it brings about various changes, including those affecting bladder health, it's important to remember that there are options for managing these changes effectively. Pelvic floor therapy can help with strengthening the pelvic floor muscles to support the bladder as well as teaching you techniques to decrease overactive bladder and bladder leakage.

Next Steps:

You can learn 3 ways to improve your bladder control in my free online course here.

You can schedule an in-office or telehealth visit here.