Diet Modification

Some foods, drinks, and medications can irritate your bladder, causing bladder spasms and the urge to void. Is what you are eating or drinking irritating your bladder? The following types of foods and drinks are the most common bladder irritants: 

• Alcohol
• Caffeine (Coffee, tea, chocolate)
• Artificial sweeteners, monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Acidic foods (Citrus, vinegar)
• Spicy foods

In addition, smoking and tobacco can be very irritating to the bladder.

Instructions
Start by cutting down or eliminating one of the bladder irritants. Allow up to two weeks before assessing an improvement. Use your bladder diary to help you determine a difference (look at the number of voids per day/night and average void volumes). If you see an improvement, then this is proof that the food/drink was irritating your bladder. Cutting it out of your diet will help you control your bladder better. If there is no improvement, try eliminating something else. You can add back to your diet whatever hasn't been causing you bladder irritation. 

There are many other types of foods that may irritate your bladder. Onions, yogurt, cranberry juice, aged cheese, you name it. If you suspect bladder irritation from one of these, simply cut it out of your diet to see if you're right.