Less fluid can help bladder rest

Dear Dr. Gott: I am 65 and have to urinate every hour of the day and night. I do not drink abnormal amounts of fluids, just two juices, one tea, one coffee, one milk and six glasses of water a day. Should I reduce my liquids, or increase them? Doctors say I have a small bladder. It was stretched once, but that was so painful that I can’t undergo the procedure again. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Dear Reader: A small bladder volume is, alas, a predictably common cause of frequent urination, because as fast as the bladder fills up and stretches, it must be emptied. Other than undergoing repeated procedures to enlarge your bladder volume, your only hope is to reduce your fluid intake.

I do not believe that you need six glasses of water a day, in conjunction with your other fluid intake, to maintain good health. Cut back on this. Drink water only when you’re thirsty. And to avoid the nuisance of voiding at night, don’t drink any fluids after supper; such fluids will be filtered by your kidneys and end up in your bladder while you’re asleep.

If my suggestion doesn’t appreciably help you, return to your urologist for further advice and, possibly, medicine to relax your bladder.

Because low-grade urinary infections are also a common cause of frequent urination, I am sending you a free copy of my Health Report “Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Dear Dr. Gott: Please provide information on fibromyalgia.

Dear Reader: Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood syndrome of unknown cause, marked by muscle aches, stiffness and tenderness. The affliction is more common in women and appears, in many instances, to be associated with stress, injury, insomnia or other illnesses. Some authorities believe that fibromyalgia is caused by a viral infection, but this theory has yet to be proven. Other conditions – such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease and lupus – must be eliminated from consideration by special blood tests. There is no single diagnostic test for fibromyalgia.

The disorder often disappears, in a matter of weeks, without therapy. In resistant cases, anti-inflammatory drugs (Motrin, aspirin and others), in conjunction with antidepressant medicine (Elavil and others) and cortisone injections (into the most painful areas) may be necessary. Physical therapy is usually helpful.

Dear Dr. Gott: Is there such a thing as an allergy to snow? Every time it snows, I get choked up and have throat problems.

Dear Reader: Snow, like ice, is merely frozen water. Nobody is allergic to water, so I do not believe that an allergy to snow is possible.