We can all admit to having secret stashes reserved for especially difficult days. After all, who doesn’t like to wind down a tough day at work with a fine glass of wine? While so many of us are aware of the immediate impact that alcohol has on our brains, in the long term our heart, bladder and kidney health is severely compromised due to excessive consumption. The impact starts small with a little incontinence here and there, as ascertained by a study correlating alcohol consumption and female urinary incontinence held in Japan-leading to infections and worse cases damaged kidneys. In the US there are several other studies which emphasize the negative impact of alcohol on bladder and kidney health. If you are suffering from urinary incontinence, read the article to understand if it is linked to your alcohol consumption. Here, we attempt to make you aware of some of the possible outcomes of alcohol consumption.
Bladder Infections
Bladder infections occur when one catches outside microbes or concentrated urine is not allowed to be released. It then causes inflammation of the lining tissues of the bladder causing irritation and a burning feeling. The urethra and bladder cause painful spasm and the urge to empty the urine even though it might already be empty. The infection and this overall diseased experience quickly escalates to fever, headaches, pain in the lower abdomen and and back. All this occurs due to alcohol being a powerful diuretic, causing you to urinate frequently. Not only does this cause dehydration in your body, but also produces more concentrated urine which is the source of bladder infections as pointed out earlier.
Bladder relaxation
The need to frequently urinate is also caused due to the fact that alcohol stimulates and relaxes bladder muscles. This causes all of the above mentioned bladder infections as well as unintentional leakage, which can be controlled with supplements like confitrol24. This is also the reason why people who have passed out because of excessive alcohol consumption have no control over their excretory system. Doctors often recommend incontinence pads to individuals with extreme alcohol problems.
Dehydration
Dehydration is a phenomena poorly understood in the context of alcohol and bladder health. The fact of the matter is that you ensure your bladder is functioning properly when you drink enough fluids and consume fiber. What alcohol does is that it prevents the brain (more specifically the pituitary gland) from producing Antidiuretic Hormone which controls urination. Alcohol then goes on to influence the kidneys to make more urine leading to acute dehydration. This phenomena precedes bladder relaxation and bladder infections as explained earlier.
Effect on complex structures of the brain
Alcohol has an immediate effect on the brain, impairing signals between brain cells aka neurons leading to slurred speech, slow reflexes, blurred vision and poor memory. Add to this delayed responses in judging temperature, pressure, pain and other sensory functions of the nerves. Incontinence is merely the side effect of all these impairments. If you are suffering from any of these symptoms after continued alcohol consumption, it is better to gauge the health status of your bladder system right away. One of the premier institutions to check out is Gousse Urology, a pioneer in Urinary Incontinence Treatment in Miami is a fine institute with more than quarter of a century experience in providing excellent services related to bladder and kidney health.
Occasional consumption of alcohol has been linked to some health benefits according to recent studies however, when it comes to maintaining bladder health each body is different. While some bodies can tolerate higher quantities of alcohol without getting adversely affected, a full body checkup goes a long way in ensuring your body remains disease free.