If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine. The bladder is repeatedly exposed to these harmful chemicals, as it acts as a store for urine.
Smoking irritates the bladder and can make IC symptoms worse. Incontinence (leaking urine) and Overactive Bladder (OAB), impact more than 33 million men and women. Smoking bothers the bladder and can cause frequent urination. It can also cause coughing spasms that can lead to urine leakage.
This can cause changes to the cells of the bladder lining, which may lead to bladder cancer.