Why Do I Get Recurring Bladder Irritation?

Even Though My Tests Are Normal

I once treated a patient who was completely exhausted from constant bathroom trips. She had seen multiple specialists. She had a full workup and even a cystoscopy. Everything was “normal.”

So we started playing detective. We looked at her daily habits. And we discovered the culprit sitting right on her kitchen counter.

Her son had given her a machine to make carbonated water. She was drinking it all day long.

She had no idea that carbonated water is actually acidic. That fizz was acting like sandpaper on her bladder lining. When she stopped drinking it, her symptoms vanished.

And it is not just soda water. Caffeine, alcohol, and citrus are also acidic. They can irritate the bladder the same way. That trendy sparkling water so many people drink as a healthy substitute for alcohol? It can be just as harsh.

Here is a helpful tip. If something is irritating your bladder, it is often irritating your esophagus too. So if you have bladder urgency and heartburn at the same time, that is a big clue. You may be drinking too many acidic beverages.

You might want to pick up some simple pH drops and test the drinks you have every day. Even the water from your filtration system. You generally want beverages with a neutral pH of around 7.

That does not mean you can never enjoy a carbonated drink. But if you are having them regularly, they may be causing your irritation.

So next time you reach for a soda or sparkling water, pay attention. Notice if you are running to the bathroom more often. Your bladder might be telling you something important.

Authored by Gerard Guillory, MD

Gerard Guillory, MD, is a board-certified internist who practiced for nearly four decades with a focus on functional, root-cause medicine. He is the author of three books on irritable bowel syndrome and the founder of It’s My Health, where he and his team put current health news in context and help members understand the underlying causes of chronic symptoms.