Long touted by health gurus as the way to glowing skin and weight loss, perhaps more importantly, proper hydration is also critical to keeping the urology system functioning and healthy.
Drinking water helps kidneys rid your body of waste in the form of urine, and also helps keep your blood vessels open making it easier for blood to flow, delivering essential nutrients to the kidneys.
Chronic, severe dehydration can lead to permanent kidney damage including low kidney function and kidney failure.
Signs You May Be Dehydrated
There are varying degrees of dehydration, each presenting with different symptoms. Mild dehydration--- the main cause of heat exhaustion -- may result in symptoms like:
Extreme thirst
Less frequent urination
Fatigue, loss of strength or stamina
Headaches
Muscle weakness or cramps
Constipation
Signs of more severe dehydration can include:
Altered kidney, heart, or digestive function.
Markedly decreased urine output, or no urination at all
Dizziness / confusion that inhibits your ability to stand or walk normally
Rapid heart rate
Low blood pressure
Fever
Seizure
Shock
Bloody stool
The good news is that mild to moderate dehydration has one very simple, very obvious solution: drinking more fluids, water being the ideal thirst quencher.
However, severe dehydration requires medical intervention as it can affect kidney function, increase the risk of painful kidney stones and even cause kidney failure.
3 Ways Dehydration Can Impact Your Urinary System
#1 Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
UTIs are very common, but women tend to get them more frequently because their urethra is shorter than men and so are continually exposed to pathogens from the vagina and rectum. In fact, around 50-60% of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime.
When bacteria is not flushed from the system with adequate hydration, the lining of the bladder and urethra may become irritated, which can result in a UTI.
Staying hydrated and urinating frequently flushes out the bacteria, decreasing the risk of getting a UTI.
Most healthy adults urinate around 6-7 times in a 24 hour period, but some urinate as few as 4 times or as many as 10. Any deviation outside these norms may require a visit to your doctor.
#2 Kidney Stones
Without frequent urination, calcium, uric acid and salts can build up in the kidneys which can result in the formation of kidney stones.
Also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, kidney stones don’t generally cause permanent damage but, as anyone who has had them will tell you, they can be extremely painful to pass.
Symptoms include pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin, sharp pain in the side and back below the ribs, pain or burning sensation when urinating, and pink, red or brown urine.
#3 Painful Bladder Syndrome (BPS)
Also called interstitial cystitis (IC), painful bladder syndrome is the result of a spectrum of diseases including autoimmune disorders, allergies and vascular disease.
A normal, healthy bladder expands until it’s full and then sends signals to your brain through the pelvic nerves, letting you know when it’s time to urinate.
In patients with IC, these signals get jumbled up, causing a need to urinate more frequently and in smaller volumes than is considered normal.
How Can I Stay Hydrated?
According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups of water for men and 11.5 cups a day for women, more for those who work out regularly.
Whether you start the day with a long drink of water or end it with drinking water (perhaps keeping a water bottle beside your bed) it’s a good idea to make drinking water a habit.
Drinking water with every meal can help you establish this habit and is another good way to stay hydrated.
Many water bottles come with measurements on the side. Challenge yourself to drink the minimum amount of water recommended by doctors.
If water isn’t your normal go-to drink of choice, try adding a lemon slice or fresh fruit to make it more palatable.
If you’re feeling hungry, try drinking 8 oz of water. Thirst is frequently mistaken for hunger. Plus, drinking water can help you feel full if you’re trying to lose weight.
When to See Your Doctor
If symptoms negatively impact your day-to-day activities, or if you are experiencing severe symptoms, it’s advisable to consult with your physician. Your urologist can provide you with information about how to keep hydrated for a healthy urinary system.
The urologists at Norman Urology are experts in this field and are highly trained to treat disorders of the male and female urinary tract.
If you think you may be experiencing the negative effects of chronic dehydration, why not schedule an appointment with us today?