Frequent Urination

First, let’s go over how many trips to the bathroom are within a normal range. Six to eight trips in 24 hours are considered “normal”. Frequent urination is annoying and is disruptive, especially at night. A lot of times after getting up and using the bathroom, it can be hard to go back to sleep. There are a lot of reasons for frequent urination and you’re not alone.  Whether it is due to aging, nerve damage, hormones, prostate issues, cancer treatment, weak bladder or pelvic muscles, or just plain stress there are ways to find relief from frequent urination! 
Firstly, monitor your fluid intake.  Drinking coffee, tea (herbal tea is ok) or alcohol before bed can make the problem worse.  These drinks are diuretics which make you have to pee. Secondly, be mindful of the amount of sodium consumed daily. Salty foods and hidden salt in your diet (processed foods are a huge culprit) can increase the feeling of thirst, leading to more fluid intake. Third, do an inventory of medication with your doctor as some medications can increase the frequency of urination. A note about nerve damage: if nerve damage is present, you may not be able to feel that your bladder is full. In which case, going to the bathroom at set intervals will prevent an overfull bladder or leakage.  Lastly, support the muscles in the pelvic floor. Consulting a physical therapist on what exercises to perform to strengthen the pelvic floor will support a healthy bladder. Whatever the root cause, acupuncture can help!