Why is Judy Golden?
Comedian Judy Gold recently posted an interesting question for fans on Instagram. “Can you explain something to me? Why is it,” she asked, “that … the second I hit 60, the amount of time for my brain to register that I have to go pee—and the pee actually exiting my body—is now down to about a third of a second?” She then proceeded to apologize to her downstairs neighbor for running to the bathroom so loudly! Continue reading to discover more about urinary urgency after menopause.
What Is Urinary Urgency?
Perhaps you can relate (although I hope you can’t!). The official medical term for it is urinary urgency, and there are some myths around it.
First, it can happen even if you haven’t been on a long car ride drinking five Red Bulls in a row. And it can happen even if you don’t have a UTI or overactive bladder.
Why It Can Happen Around Menopause
And while I’m not treating Judy (although I’m happy if she needs me to!), you should know that women who are around Judy’s age (menopausal) can experience this kind of urgency due to a lower level of estrogen and thinner vaginal tissue, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Other Possible Causes of Urinary Urgency
What are some other reasons this might happen? Vaginal and bladder inflammation, diabetes, MS, a side effect of a new medication (such as a diuretic) and even winter. What you eat (fake sweetener, for example), drink (like seltzer) and hear (such as water dripping from a faucet) can play a part in how long you’ll feel comfortable holding your urine, so you may want to think about it like a detective when determining the cause.
When to Loop in Your Doctor
As there are so many reasons why this can happen—and because some are quite serious—it’s good to loop your doctor in. (Your doctor may be able to prescribe Botox too if overactive bladder is the cause. Botox, injected directly into your bladder’s detrusor muscle, can keep that muscle from spasming, so you don’t feel that sudden, panicked need to get to the bathroom. It’s not especially painful and FDA-approved, but it may need to be injected more than once, as it wears off in a few months.)
How Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Can Help
If it turns out not to be serious, and you can’t resolve it on your own, then it’s time to contact your local awesome pelvic floor PT! Urinary urgency is not something you have to put up with, regardless of what you’ve been told. I repeat, you do not have to live like this. You deserve better! It is something we know how to treat effectively with bladder training and kegels. Kegels can be hard to get the hang of, so ask your therapist to allow you to practice during a session. Bladder training is determining ahead of time when you will go to the bathroom. This is versus allowing your bladder to empty on its own, without your wish or permission. It is something that also requires patience, but can be so worth the effort.
Why This Matters
Getting urinary urgency under control can change your life! Imagine: no more avoiding long car rides. No more mapping out every bathroom in a mile radius. No more racing to your bathroom before you even say hi to your family. And no more being scared to laugh at a hysterical scene at the movies. I really appreciate Judy Gold for shining a light on urinary urgency with her trademark sense of humor. I hope that you, Judy (and Judy’s neighbor) get some relief soon because urinary urgency is, at the end of the day, no laughing matter.