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Overactive bladder

Overactive bladder

This common condition affects at least 40% of women in the United States.

What is an overactive bladder?

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a quality of life health issue. The most common symptom is the sudden uncontrolled need or urge to urinate. Though women (particularly after menopause) are more likely to experience OAB, men can also experience overactive bladder.

Symptoms can vary from person to person, but commonly include:

  • Urgent, uncontrollable need to urinate
  • Frequent involuntary loss of urine
  • Frequent urination (more than 8 times in a 24-hour period)
  • Waking up more than once a night to use the bathroom

OAB can impact women’s mental health

Living with OAB can cause you to feel depressed, guilty, and tired from not sleeping well. Because OAB can be unpredictable, it can cause some women to limit social activities, miss work, or struggle with personal relationships.

If you have OAB, it’s important to know that you are not alone: at least 40% of women in the United States experience symptoms of overactive bladder—and many more cases may go unreported.

What causes OAB?

While the exact cause is unknown, the risk of developing OAB increases with age. It typically has to do with your urinary tract health.

Different factors can lead to symptoms of OAB, including:

  • Drinking too much fluid
  • Taking certain medications that increase urine production
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption
  • Not completely emptying bladder when urinating
  • Bladder conditions, including bladder stones

Treating an overactive bladder

The following list includes some common treatment options for an overactive bladder. Oftentimes, treatment includes a mix of medicine, lifestyle changes, and bladder training.

  • Medicine: Medications are often the first suggested treatment for an overactive bladder. They help relax bladder muscles and reduce contractions. Examples include anticholinergics (oxybutynin, tolterodine, and trospium) and beta-3 agonists (mirabegron). Your provider will prescribe the best medication for you based on your symptoms and medical history.
  • Bladder training: It’s possible to retrain the bladder to hold urine for a longer period. Bladder training involves scheduling regular bathroom breaks and slowly adding time between each break. A pelvic floor physical therapist can help with bladder training.
  • Lifestyle changes: Some changes to your routine may help with overactive bladder symptoms:
    • Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
    • Drink enough water, but space out how much you drink throughout the day.
    • Keep a healthy weight since extra weight can put pressure on the bladder.
    • Do pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) to help strengthen the muscles that control urination.
    • Wear absorbent pads or underwear to manage incontinence.
  • Nerve stimulation: Nerve stimulation may help women who don’t respond to medications or bladder training. Examples include percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) or sacral neuromodulation. These techniques send electrical impulses to the nerves that control how the bladder works.
  • Neuromodulators: Injections with botulinum toxin (also known as Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or Jeuveau) can help with overactive bladder symptoms. They help relax the bladder muscle and reduce contractions.

It’s important to work with your provider to find the best treatment plan for your specific overactive bladder symptoms. At West Jefferson Medical Center, our urology team is here to help.

Call us directly at 504-934-8100 or select a doctor to schedule online.

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