Clementines are small sweet seedless mandarin oranges. While you might not expect eating clementine oranges to cause painful urination, clementines are citrus fruits, and citrus can be irritating to the bladder. This irritation may worsen symptoms of certain bladder disorders. Consult your health care provider if you're experiencing painful urination.
Cystitis
Acute cystitis is a bacterial infection of the bladder that can be resolved by taking antibiotics. Chronic cystitis is medically known as interstitial cystitis, and it is unclear what causes this problem, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians at their FamilyDoctor.org website. Symptoms are similar in both conditions, with pressure and pain in the pelvic area and around the vagina or scrotum, sudden intense urges to urinate but passing only small amounts of urine, and pain during sexual intercourse.
Cystitis and Citrus Fruits
Antibiotics can cure a bladder infection, but not interstitial cystitis. Changing your diet may help relieve symptoms of the chronic condition, notes New York University Langone Medical Center. While different people have different trigger foods for interstitial cystitis symptoms, one common culprit is acidic foods. This includes citrus fruits. Citrus fruits include clementine oranges and other types of oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.
Other Problem Foods
Many other foods and beverages can aggravate symptoms of interstitial cystitis or lead to a recurrence. You may need to avoid alcohol, beverages containing caffeine, carbonated beverages, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, tomatoes, vinegar, spicy foods and pickled foods. FamilyDoctor.org encourages you to remove these foods and beverages, as well as citrus fruits, from your diet for two weeks, then add them back one at a time. If your symptoms return, it should then be easier to determine which substance is likely a trigger.
Overactive Bladder
Clementine oranges and other citrus fruits also can aggravate a condition known as overactive bladder. This disorder causes frequent and sudden urges to urinate. Unintended urine leakage may occur. While an overactive bladder generally does not cause painful urination, the condition can be upsetting. Other substances that may worsen overactive bladder include additional acidic foods and beverages, high-sugar foods and beverages, spicy foods, artificial sweeteners, caffeine and alcohol.
