ON average, most people visit the toilet around six or seven times a day – although everyone’s a bit different.
Experts agree that even going to the bathroom at night is quite normal.
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But Mr Petr Holy, consultant urological surgeon at Men’s Health ClinicKingston explained that it’s worth talking to an expert if you have to go to the bathroom more than ten time per day.
“The body produces urine as a way of expelling toxins and waste and it is one of the most important functions,” he explained.
“Any more than ten could be a sign that something isn’t quite right as a range of illnesses can cause us to pee more often than usual,” he added. These include…
1. Diabetes
“When there’s too much sugar in the blood, our kidneys are forced to work even harder to filter and absorb the glucose and excrete it as urine,”Mr Holy provided more details.
Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed when someone eats a lot of sugar, and needs to pee often.
“The presence of the glucose may also create a sweet smell in the urine,”He concluded.
2. Stroke
A stroke is a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel that transports oxygen to the brain. This can cause problems in our central nervous system.
“Nerves linked to the bladder can be affected and as a result we might need to pee more often, or lose the ability to hold it in our bladders,”Mr Holy said.
3. Prostate enlargement
An enlarged prostate is something that most men will experience as they get older. It is usually found in the area of the bladder.
“This can place extra pressure on the bladder and the urethra and cause an increased frequency of urination as well as greater difficulty in passing urine,”He stated.
4. Bladder cancer
“The bladder is a vital part of the urination process and a tumour in it can affect how we pee,”Mr Holy said.
We may need to urinate more often than usual, we may feel pain while doing so and it might also create the feeling of needing to pee even when the bladder isn’t full.
5. Sexually transmitted infections
Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and they are both linked to increased urination.
“STIs might also create a burning sensation when we pee, make the urine more cloudy in appearance, or create a strong smell,”Mr Holy explained.
6. Urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infection (UTIs), are most often caused by bacteria infiltrating the urethra. This causes inflammation.
“This can lead to more frequent urination as well as a burning sensation or even the appearance of blood in the urine,”He concluded.
7. Pregnancy
It makes sense that as the baby grows, it places more pressure on the mother’s bladder and causes more frequent urination.
However, an increase in frequency of urination can appear in the very early stages before the woman knows she’s pregnant.
“This is caused by an increase of the hormones progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin,”According to the doctor.
8. Too much caffeine
Tea and coffee are an integral part of British culture. However, too many can cause problems in the bathroom.
“Caffeine acts as a diuretic and leads to an increase in the excretion of water through urine,”Mr Holy explained.